Energy
Union
The authors of The Federalist Papers argue vigorously in defense of the need for a union of all thirteen states. In the early years of American independence, many in America wanted the states to become sovereign countries only loosely connected to one another. The Federalist Papers argues that the liberty of Americans depends on them maintaining their national unity.
Delegated Authority
Delegated authority is one of the central principles of republican government. It refers primarily to the people giving their elected representatives the authority to make and implement laws on their behalf.
Separation of Powers
A major goal of the Constitution’s authors was to ensure that no single branch of government had enough power to become tyrannical and violate the rights and liberties of the people. By distributing power among different branches of government, the founders hoped to prevent any given branch from dominating the others.
Checks and Balances
Closely related to the theme of separation of powers, the idea of "checks and balances" refers to the specific ability of the three branches of government to limit the use of powers by one another. Each branch is granted specific powers over the other two branches, preventing any given branch from usurping other branches' power.
Federal Government
The theme of a federal government refers to a separation of powers between a central, national government and smaller, more localized political entities. In the U.S., power and responsibility are shared between state governments and the national government.
Republican Government
The essence of a republican government is the representation of the people via a legislature. The people elect representatives who then decide on public matters. Republican government was the ideal towards which the founders strove.
