Assumption

Definition

An assumption is a statement or proposition that is taken to be true or real, without the need for proof or verification. It is a fundamental starting point or premise upon which further reasoning or actions are based.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Assumptions play a crucial role in the development of political ideologies and the formation of competing visions, as they shape the underlying beliefs and perspectives of different groups.
2. Federalists and Democratic-Republicans held different assumptions about the role of the federal government, the nature of political power, and the interpretation of the Constitution.
3. Federalists assumed a strong central government was necessary to maintain order and promote economic growth, while Democratic-Republicans assumed a more limited federal government was needed to protect individual liberties and state autonomy.
4. The Federalists' assumption of a broad interpretation of the Constitution, known as implied powers, contrasted with the Democratic-Republicans' assumption of a strict, literal interpretation of the Constitution.
5. Competing assumptions about the nature of political representation and the source of political legitimacy also contributed to the ideological divide between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Federalists' and Democratic-Republicans' assumptions about the role of the federal government shaped their competing visions for the United States.
  • The Federalists assumed that a strong central government was necessary to maintain order, promote economic growth, and protect the country's interests. In contrast, the Democratic-Republicans assumed that a more limited federal government was needed to protect individual liberties and state autonomy. These divergent assumptions about the appropriate scope and power of the federal government were at the core of the ideological divide between the two political factions, leading to their competing visions for the future of the United States.
• Describe how the Federalists' and Democratic-Republicans' assumptions about the interpretation of the Constitution influenced their political agendas.
  • The Federalists assumed a broad interpretation of the Constitution, known as implied powers, which allowed for a more expansive role of the federal government. The Democratic-Republicans, on the other hand, assumed a strict, literal interpretation of the Constitution, which led them to advocate for a more limited federal government. These contrasting assumptions about constitutional interpretation were fundamental to the Federalists' and Democratic-Republicans' competing visions for the country, as they directly shaped their political priorities and the policies they sought to implement.
• Analyze how the Federalists' and Democratic-Republicans' differing assumptions about the source of political legitimacy contributed to the ideological divide between the two factions.
  • The Federalists assumed that political legitimacy stemmed from a strong, centralized government that could effectively govern the nation and promote its interests. In contrast, the Democratic-Republicans assumed that political legitimacy derived from the will of the people and the autonomy of the states, which led them to advocate for a more decentralized, limited federal government. These divergent assumptions about the foundation of political authority were a key factor in the ideological conflict between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, as they fundamentally shaped their views on the appropriate structure and role of the government in the new nation.

Related terms

Premise: A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.

Inference: A conclusion or opinion that is formed based on evidence and reasoning.

Deduction: The process of reasoning from general principles to a specific conclusion.