The Constitution in American Life: Featuring the Friends of Publius
Four educators connect U.S. history, politics, Supreme Court decisions, political culture, and the Center for Civic Education’s We the People curriculum to the challenges of modern democracy. Listeners gain perspective on how the Constitution continues to shape American life.
The Constitution in American Life: Featuring the Friends of Publius
Montesquieu and Madison Republican Theory: Finding the Right Balance
In this episode, the Friends of Publius delve into political theory and discuss how the ideas of both Montesquieu and Madison were incorporated into the U.S. Constitution. This question is from Unit 1, Question 1 of the Center for Civic Education’s We the People curriculum.
Do you agree with Montesquieu’s assessments regarding the dilemmas facing large and small republics?
*How did the presence of foreign powers, such as France, Spain, or neighboring Indigenous nations, shape the colonists’ arguments or proposals for governmental structure?
*In your opinion, has the American constitutional system struck a balance between the strength of a large republic and the internal harmony of a small one?