The United States, a City upon a Hill?
The Foundations of American DemocracyBy Virgile Rivet Samba-Moussinga
Length5h 41m
About this audiobook
For nearly four centuries, the idea of America as a “city upon a hill” has shaped the nation’s self-understanding and inspired generations worldwide. But has the United States truly lived up to this lofty vision? In The United States, A City upon a Hill? Virgile Rivet Samba-Moussinga offers a sweeping, penetrating exploration of the moral, philosophical, and political foundations of the American experiment, and the enduring tensions that define it.
Drawing on the Puritan covenantal tradition, classical natural law, Enlightenment political philosophy, and the debates of the Founding era, this book traces how ideals of liberty, virtue, and self-government took root in the early colonies and evolved into the constitutional order that still governs the nation today.
Audiobook details
GenreHistory, Education and Learning
Length5 hrs 41 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 13, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1DEDICATION
56Religious Liberty as Natural Right
2ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
57Section 3.5: The Constitutional Convention and Natural Law Principles
3Part I
58The Philadelphia Convention
4CHAPTER ONE
59Natural Law Principles in Constitutional Design
5Section 1.1: The Puritan Migration to New England (1629-1640)
60The Slavery Compromise and Natural Law
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6Democratic Participation and Town Meetings
61Conclusion
7Biblical Law and Natural Law in Puritan Governance
62PART II
8Puritan Influence on American Constitutional Principles
63CHAPTER ONE
9Section 1.2: The Royalist South and Virginia Colony (1640-1675)
64Section 4.1: The Federalist Vision
10Natural Law and Property Rights
65Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
11The Paradox of Liberty and Slavery
66Federalism as Protection for Liberty
12Virginia’s Contribution to Constitutional Principles
67The Unnecessary Bill of Rights
13Section 1.3: Quaker Delaware Valley and Religious Tolerance (1675-1725)
68Section 4.2: The Anti-Federalist Critique
14Democratic Participation and Merchant Culture
69The Absence of a Bill of Rights
15Natural Law and Religious Liberty
70Representation and Accountability
16Quaker Influence on Constitutional Principles
71Standing Armies and Military Power
17Section 1.4: Scots-Irish Backcountry (1718-1775)
72Taxation and Economic Power
18Honor Culture and Local Autonomy
73Section 4.3: The Ratification Contest
19Natural Law and Frontier Justice
74The Promise of Amendments
20Scots-Irish Contribution to Constitutional Principles
75Section 4.4: Lessons from the Ratification Debate
21Section 1.5: How These Folkways Shaped American Constitutionalism
76The Role of Public Deliberation
22Relevance to Federalism Debates
77Natural Law and Constitutional Legitimacy
23Conclusion
78Conclusion
24CHAPTER TWO
79CHAPTER TWO
25Section 2.1: Classical Foundations—Plato and Aristotle
80Section 5.1: Consent of the Governed in Natural Law Tradition
26Aristotle’s Human Nature as Political Animal
81Locke’s Social Contract and Consent Theory
27The Classical Legacy: Reason, Nature, and Justice
82Reformation Theology and Covenantal Politics
28Section 2.2: Roman Contributions—Cicero’s Universal Law
83Section 5.2: The People as Source of Constitutional Authority
29Roman Law and Christian Synthesis
84Ratification as Popular Consent
30Section 2.3: Augustine and the Christianization of Natural Law
85The Amendment Process and Ongoing Popular Sovereignty
31Divine Law as the Foundation of Natural Law
86Section 5.3: Popular Sovereignty in Federalist Political Theory
32Natural Law and the Problem of Slavery
87Hamilton on Popular Will and Constitutional Limits
33Augustine’s Legacy for American Constitutionalism
88Section 5.4: Anti-Federalist Defense of Democratic Participation
34Section 2.4: Thomas Aquinas—Synthesis of Classical and Christian Thought
89Brutus on Direct Democracy and Popular Control
35Natural Law as Participation in Eternal Law
90Anti-Federalist Legacy and Democratic Reform
36Reason Reflecting God’s Law
91Section 5.5: Ongoing Debates About Direct and Representative Democracy
37Aquinas’s Influence on the American Founding
92Representative Democracy and Its Discontents
38Section 2.5: Reformation Thinkers and Natural Law
93The Challenge of Intergenerational Consent
39John Calvin and God’s Sovereignty in Law
94Conclusion
40Richard Hooker and the Anglican Via Media
95CHAPTER THREE
41Section 2.6: Reformation Impact on American Constitutional Thought
96Section 6.1: Constitutional Division of Authority
42Limited Government as a Christian Principle
97Reserved Powers and State Sovereignty
43Individual Conscience and Liberty
98The Commerce Clause and Federal Authority
44Conclusion
99Section 6.2: The Supremacy Clause and Federal-State Conflicts
45CHAPTER THREE
100Preemption and State Regulatory Authority
46Section 3.1: The Declaration of Independence as a Natural Law Document
101Interposition and Nullification
47The Preamble: Self-Evident Truths
102Section 6.3: Evolution of Federalism Through Constitutional Interpretation
48Unalienable Rights and Their Foundation
103Post-Civil War Nationalism and the Fourteenth Amendment
49The Indictment of King George III
104Progressive Era and New Deal Expansion
50Section 3.2: Revolutionary War and Constitutional Necessity
105Section 6.4: Contemporary Federalism Debates
51The War as Constitutional Struggle
106Affordable Care Act and Federal Authority
52Section 3.3: Articles of Confederation and Constitutional Deficiencies
107State Resistance to Federal Policies
53Catalyst for Constitutional Convention
108Conclusion
54Section 3.4: Christian Principles and Revolutionary Ideology
109Bibliography
55The Influence of Covenant Theology on Constitutional Design
110ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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