Sets the purpose and tone of the lecture/chapter material and introduces the student to the scope of the book and the lecture series, touching briefly upon the various subjects to be covered in the series. The subject-matter covered in each lecture (1-16) correlates to and reinforces the subject-matter in the respective chapters in the book (1-16) — chapter 1 to lecture 1; chapter 2 to lecture 2; chapter 3 to lecture 3; etc.
Where do liberties come from? Are they granted by government? The Founding Fathers of the United States clearly understood that if government is the grantor of liberties, it may also withdraw liberties. Individual God-given rights form the basis and purpose of government as understood and established by this nation's founders.
In America, government power is divided and subdivided. Even sources of power are kept separate. This is designed to prevent government from accruing and consolidating power to the point it may become a tyranny. The principles established for the American government were designed to prevent the common tendency recognized in human nature to accrue and then begin to abuse power. Not only were powers granted to the national government divided and subdivided, they were also specifically listed so the limits of the power would be clearly understood and checks and balances between the different branches of government were created to ensure that the branches were kept within the bounds set within the Constitution.
A whirlwind tour of American history, from the voyage of Columbus forward to the modern era. This lecture is not intended to be a comprehensive examination of all that has occurred in those five hundred plus years, but to set a context for much of what the nation is experiencing today.
The straightforward form and substance of the United States Constitution is reviewed. The student will recognize that its plain English words are easily understood and that every American of normal intelligence has not only the ability to understand the Constitution but also the duty to understand the document and demand that the leaders of the nation abide by it.
The Bill of Rights were written and ratified to prevent the national government from misconstruing or abusing the powers that were granted to the national government, adding "further declaratory and restrictive clauses" to the Constitution to ensure that individual God-given rights were not infringed upon. Some of the more recent amendments were not so well conceived and will undoubtedly pose challenges to the nation as it moves forward.
In a manner similar to the review done within the Declaration of Independence, wherein the offenses of the king were reviewed to justify the action that was being taken, this lesson reviews some of the current violations of constitutional principle that are common in this modern era. While this lecture is not a comprehensive compilation of all modern violations, the student will be able to confidently begin to identify areas where the leadership of the United States strays from their oath to uphold the charter of the nation, the United States Constitution.
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution has generated a great deal of controversy in modern times. Many promote the idea that this right to bear arms is not an individual's right, which is protected by the Constitution. The clear and well-spoken views of the Founding Fathers will be reviewed to dispel this misconception.
The Founding Fathers of the United States were unequivocally committed to the necessity of an educated populace in order to preserve liberty throughout the nation. However, the education process must confirm in the hearts and minds of the people of the nation the sound, firm principles upon which liberty and proper government are based. False philosophies that undermine or destroy the correct principles will facilitate the destruction of the nation's freedom. This lecture will review the approach to education that was used as this nation was established and compare and contrast that approach with modern educational paradigms that promote false educational ideas to the detriment of the preservation of the nation. The Humanist Manifestos and the philosophies contained therein will be considered at length in this lecture.
The American Revolution and French Revolution were contemporary with each other, but the basis of each were diametric opposites. Subsequent revolutions will also be reviewed, and the student will come to understand that virtually all modern-day revolutions are descendants of the false philosophies and tyranny imposed by the French Revolution. In spite of vigorous efforts by many in media, government, and education to convince Americans that other subsequent revolutions are simply reflections of the American Revolution, the student will receive the foundation to compare and contrast so they may understand the truth.
This lecture is a sort of "capstone" lesson that compares the sacrifices of the founders of this nation and our modern-day duty to preserve the liberties and proper government that were bequeathed to us and our posterity at such great cost. What the Founding Fathers of the United States did, they did largely for their posterity. Many knew when they made the efforts that established the liberty of America that they, personally, would probably not live to see a complete fulfillment of their dream of liberty for this land, but they saw in the nation they were establishing a great hope for their posterity. In like manner, those modern Americans who inherit this land have a similar duty to restore and preserve the blessings of liberty for their posterity. This lecture encourages this generation to step forward and measure up to this duty.