The settlers saw the right to take possession of western lands and use them as they saw fitting as an essential element of American freedom. Settlers paid no attention to Indian land titles and admonished the government to set a low price on public land or give it away and regularly occupied land to which they had no legal title. Numerous settlers are also concerned unregulated population of lands west of Appalachian Mountains would aggravate constant warfare with Indians and viewed frontier settlers as disorganized and lacking reverence for authority.
The Enlightenment produced numerous books, essays, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. The American and French Revolutions were directly inspired by Enlightenment ideals and respectively marked the peak of its influence and the beginning of its decline.
T<span>he Framers of the Constitution divided American government into three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. This created a better democracy because the power is not concentrated within one branch or in the hands of a few.
The systems in </span><span>place that protect against one branch having too much power is called "separation of powers" and "checks and balances." This system keeps each branch from getting too powerful by limiting its powers. For example, the legislative branch can pass a law but the president veto it. That's a way the executive branch checks the legislative. And let's say the legislature really wants to pass that law, so they vote on it. With 2/3 majority of votes for the law, Congress can override the president's veto. That's a way the legislative branch checks on the executive. And let's say that although that law was passed by the legislature, some say that it's unconstitutional. If that happens, then the judicial branch checks out the law and can declare it unconstitutional. If it's declared unconstitutional, then the law will be no longer enforced or valid. That's a way the judicial branch checks the other branches.
Other examples of "checks and balances" is how the president is in charge of the armed forces, but only Congress can declare war. The judicial branch interprets laws and their constitutionality, but the president appoint the federal judges. The president appoints the federal judges, but the legislative branch has to approve those officials. The legislative branch also decides how many judges would be in the Supreme Court. The president can veto and the judicial can repeal laws, but the legislature can impeach the president and federal judges/officials.
These systems are important to American democracy because they keep the government from getting too powerful and oppressing the people. </span>
It was a destination for pilgrimage already before the times of Muhammad. People travelled there for example to see the Zamzam Well, which dates back to the times of Abraham.
