According to Publius, what choice faces the American people regarding their government?
According to Publius, what choice faces the American people regarding their government?
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![AMERICAN REPUBLIC
Name
CHAPTER 7 ACTIVITY 4
The Federalist Papers
me following excerpt is taken from The Federalist number two, written by John Jay. Read the
essay and answer the questions that follow.
To the People of the State of New York:
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable fessential necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that
whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede fgive upl to it some of their atural rights in order to vest it with
A juisite (necessary] powers. It is well worthy of consideration therefore, whether it wou.d conduce more to the interest of
the people of America that they should, to al general purposes, be one na:ion, under one federal government, or that they
should divide themselves into separate confederacies, and give to the head of each the same kind of powers which they are
advised to place in one national government.
It has until lately been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended on their
continuing firmly united, and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of our best and wisest citizens have been constantly directed
to that object. But politicians now appear, who insist that this opinion is erroneous [wrong], and that instead of looking for
safety and happiness in union, we ought to seek it in a division of the States into distinct confederacies or sovereignties....
It has often given me pleasure to observe that independent America was not composed o: detached and distant territories,
but that one connected, fertile, wide-spreading country was the portion of our western scns of liberty. Providence has in a
particular manner blessed it with a variety of soils and productions, and watered it with innumerable streams, for the delight
and accommodation of its inhabitants. A succession of navigable waters forms a kind of chain round its borders,...while
the most noble rivers in the world, ... present them with highways for the easy communication of friendly aids, and the mu-
tual transportation and exchange of their various commodities (products).
With equal pleasure I have as often taken notice that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one
united people-a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, at-
tached to the same principles of government, very similar in their maniners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels,
arms, and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly estaɔlished general liberty and inde-
pendence....
... It is worthy of remark that not only the first, but every succeeding Congress, as well as the late convention, have invari-
ably [constantly] joined with the people in thinking that the prosperity of hmerica depended on its Union. To preserve
and perpetuate it was the great object of the people in forming that convention, and it is a so the great object of the plan
which the convention has advised them to adopt. With what propriety, therefore, or for what good purposes, are attempts
at this particular period made by some men to depreciate [lessen] the impcrtance of the Union? Or why is it suggested that
three or four confederacies would be better than one? I am persuaded in my own mind that the people have always thought
right on this subject, and that their universal and uniform attachment to the cause of the Union rests on great and weighty
reasons, which I shall endeavor to develop and explain in some ensuing papers.... Whenever the dissolution of the Union
arrives, America will have reason to exclaim, in the words of the poet: "FAFEWELL! A LONG FAREWELL TO ALL MY
GREATNESS."
PUBLIUS.
1. According to Publius, what choice faces the American people regarding their government?
2. Was the idea of forming a union a new idea or an old one?
3. What does Publius believe that Providence has provided in order to create a unified country?
tel nsrio uods arolasue oris vow
4. What was the purpose of forming the Constitutional Convention?
5. What does Publius believe will happen if there is no Union?
50](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fcc5cc86b-78ee-435f-a357-0c4825a0d608%2Fb3e2b65a-5ee5-454e-a0c1-50e2a0d8ace0%2Fphgjgk_processed.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:AMERICAN REPUBLIC
Name
CHAPTER 7 ACTIVITY 4
The Federalist Papers
me following excerpt is taken from The Federalist number two, written by John Jay. Read the
essay and answer the questions that follow.
To the People of the State of New York:
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable fessential necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that
whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede fgive upl to it some of their atural rights in order to vest it with
A juisite (necessary] powers. It is well worthy of consideration therefore, whether it wou.d conduce more to the interest of
the people of America that they should, to al general purposes, be one na:ion, under one federal government, or that they
should divide themselves into separate confederacies, and give to the head of each the same kind of powers which they are
advised to place in one national government.
It has until lately been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended on their
continuing firmly united, and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of our best and wisest citizens have been constantly directed
to that object. But politicians now appear, who insist that this opinion is erroneous [wrong], and that instead of looking for
safety and happiness in union, we ought to seek it in a division of the States into distinct confederacies or sovereignties....
It has often given me pleasure to observe that independent America was not composed o: detached and distant territories,
but that one connected, fertile, wide-spreading country was the portion of our western scns of liberty. Providence has in a
particular manner blessed it with a variety of soils and productions, and watered it with innumerable streams, for the delight
and accommodation of its inhabitants. A succession of navigable waters forms a kind of chain round its borders,...while
the most noble rivers in the world, ... present them with highways for the easy communication of friendly aids, and the mu-
tual transportation and exchange of their various commodities (products).
With equal pleasure I have as often taken notice that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one
united people-a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, at-
tached to the same principles of government, very similar in their maniners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels,
arms, and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly estaɔlished general liberty and inde-
pendence....
... It is worthy of remark that not only the first, but every succeeding Congress, as well as the late convention, have invari-
ably [constantly] joined with the people in thinking that the prosperity of hmerica depended on its Union. To preserve
and perpetuate it was the great object of the people in forming that convention, and it is a so the great object of the plan
which the convention has advised them to adopt. With what propriety, therefore, or for what good purposes, are attempts
at this particular period made by some men to depreciate [lessen] the impcrtance of the Union? Or why is it suggested that
three or four confederacies would be better than one? I am persuaded in my own mind that the people have always thought
right on this subject, and that their universal and uniform attachment to the cause of the Union rests on great and weighty
reasons, which I shall endeavor to develop and explain in some ensuing papers.... Whenever the dissolution of the Union
arrives, America will have reason to exclaim, in the words of the poet: "FAFEWELL! A LONG FAREWELL TO ALL MY
GREATNESS."
PUBLIUS.
1. According to Publius, what choice faces the American people regarding their government?
2. Was the idea of forming a union a new idea or an old one?
3. What does Publius believe that Providence has provided in order to create a unified country?
tel nsrio uods arolasue oris vow
4. What was the purpose of forming the Constitutional Convention?
5. What does Publius believe will happen if there is no Union?
50
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