Lesson 2 – Seekers of Truth
Assignment 1
Write an essay explaining what you understand from the following clause of the constitution. In addition to explaining what is meant by this clause please give your opinion as to what the alternatives are. Is there a better way to accomplish the goal? You may refer to other parts of the Constitution or any additional source but you must include your opinion as a conclusion.
Article I, Section 2, clause 1.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.
– Assignment 1 Student Comments
Assignment 2
In Federalist No. 37, James Madison encourages the people of the State of New York to take a fair and unbiased approach to examining the merits of the proposed Constitution. In our search for the American constitutional paradigm we are trying to see the Constitution through the eyes of the Framers. Please look at the following 3 sentence excerpt from Federalist No. 37 and re-write what is being said in these sentences. In the text the sentences are all together in one paragraph. We have separated these sentences for you to assist you in your work of learning the language of the Framers.
Excerpts from Federalist No. 37
It is a misfortune, inseparable from human affairs, that public measures are rarely investigated with that spirit of moderation which is essential to a just estimate of their real tendency to advance or obstruct the public good; and that this spirit is more apt to be diminished than promoted, by those occasions which require an unusual exercise of it.
To those who have been led by experience to attend to this consideration, it could not appear surprising, that the act of the convention, which recommends so many important changes and innovations, which may be viewed in so many lights and relations, and which touches the springs of so many passions and interests, should find or excite dispositions unfriendly, both on one side and on the other, to a fair discussion and accurate judgment of its merits.
In some, it has been too evident from their own publications, that they have scanned the proposed Constitution, not only with a predisposition to censure, but with a predetermination to condemn; as the language held by others betrays an opposite predetermination or bias, which must render their opinions also of little moment in the question.
The Constitution Society www.constitution.org has printed a full text of Federalist No. 37 on their website. full text
