10) The Declaration and the Constitution

American Constitutional Principles
Course 1: The Declaration of Independence and the Purposes of Government
Class 10: The Declaration and the Constitution

Christopher Wolfe, professor of constitutional law and former co-director of the Thomas International Center

Course Description:
This course will explore the principles of the American Constitution. In the first part of the course we will examine the Declaration of Independence, because this document clearly lays out the purposes of the Constitution. Next, we will discuss the basic principles of the original American Constitution as it came forth from the framers of the first part of American History. These are the four premises of republicanism: federalism, separation of powers, constitutionalism, and the extended republic. Special attention will be placed on how these doctrines reflect the aims of government established by the Declaration. Finally, we will study the ways in which these principles have changed throughout American History.

Topic 4: This week we will look at the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution from the viewpoint of the different conceptions of political philosophy that emerge from Christian, Classical, and Modern sources. This week’s lesson plan is developed through two different classes.