FROM THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS TO RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION 1774 - 1788

FROM THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS TO RATIFICATION OF THE

CONSTITUTION

1774 - 1788

1732 - 1791

1732 Last of the 13 colonies established 1756 French and Indian War declared 1765 Stamp Act; Stamp Act Congress meets 1774 First Continental Congress 1775 Second Continental Congress; Revolutionary War

begins 1776 Declaration of Independence signed 1777 Articles of Confederation drafted 1783 Treaty of Paris signed marking the end of the

Revolutionary War 1783 – 1789 Weak national government 1786 Shay’s Rebellion 1787 Constitutional Convention 1788 Ratification of Constitution 1791 Ratification of the Bill of Rights

First Continental Congress9 – 10/1774

Delegates represented colonists’.Protested British rule.Successful boycott of British goods.

Second Continental CongressSummer 1775 - 1781

April 1775 – 1783 Revolutionary War.De Facto National Government Managed War Effort:

Organized Continental Army. Chose Washington.

Adopted Declaration of Independence.Adopted Articles Confederation.

Second Continental Congress1775

Declaration of Independence

Believe me, dear Sir: there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But, by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose; and in this, I think I speak the sentiments of America.

—Thomas Jefferson, November 29, 1775

Declaration of Independence

—Thomas Jefferson, November 29, 1775[5]

Declaration of Independence

Too Late to Apologizehttps://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVgNow read along with some familiar faces: Reading the Declaration of Independencehttps://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETroXvRFoKY

Declaration of Independence

Now its time to dissect it with a friend.Handout

Declaration of Independence

Using the We The People book (Pages 223-224) please complete the following in your journal:

 Read the first paragraph and write a one sentence summary.  Once your summary is written, discuss your answer with a partner near you. Read the entire second paragraph. What are two of the “truths” in the first sentence of the second paragraph?  What are two pieces of evidence of Natural Rights Philosophies that you observed

(Locke / Hobbes)? Your evidence needs to include at least two quotes from the text as well as an explanation of the quote tying it to NRP.

 According to this paragraph, what is the purpose of government?  Where does government derive its powers? What is the “Right of the People”? Read the next section (28 paragraphs, most starting with “He has” or “For”) of

the Document and answer the next two questions. Who is “HE”? What is the purpose of these next 28 paragraphs? Read the last three paragraphs and summarize each of them in your own words. Concluding Paragraph #1 Summary: Concluding Paragraph #2 Summary: Closing Paragraph Summary:

Declaration of Independence PP

Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation – Journal #3

Read Pages 59-66 in We the PeoplePage 66, Answer 1-4 of “Reviewing & Using

Lesson” Journal Entry #3 Due by end of class.

Articles of Confederation

First National GovernmentResponded to fears of the colonies:

NO Strong Central Government One state DOES NOT have more power than another.

Achievements of Articles of Confederation

Revolutionary War Conducted & won!Created first departments … (treasury, state

& war)Established federal courts for limited

purposes. .

Achievements of Articles of Confederation

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Defined NW Territory (OH, MN, IN, IL, WI); Created plan for its government; Created process from territory to statehood; Slavery prohibited; Required new states provide education.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses: No power to tax. No power to force states to honor intl. agreements. No power to make laws regulating trade among

states. No power to make laws directly regulating citizen

behavior. No leader

Shay’s Rebellion.

Philadelphia (Constitutional) Convention 1787

Intended to amend the Art. Of Confed.55 delegates attended (Framers).Each state had one vote.

Who were the framers?

26 – 81 years old¾ served in CongressRole in the RevolutionBusinessmen, politicians,

George Washington, Rev. War Gen., President of Convention

James Madison, greatest influence on organization of national government.

Benjamin Franklin- 81 years old, wisdom Alexander Hamilton - Strong national government

Who was absent?

Rhode IslandJohn Adams – U.S. Ambassador to GBThomas Jefferson – U.S. Minister to FrancePatrick Henry – “I smell a rat!” Suspicious,

opposed strong national government, AF.John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Virginia Plan

Madison’s plan for strong, national government. Power to make & enforce laws. Power to tax. Federal system – citizens under authority of state &

federal governments. Three branches. Congress - 2 houses. House & Senate both based upon population.

Virginia Plan

Gave legislative branch power to: Make laws; Strike down unconstitutional state laws; Call forth armed forces

AGGI Constitution Search (See online document)

Dissecting the Constitution

Major Issues of the Philadelphia Convention

Representation! Large v. small North v. South

Regulation of commerce South v. North

Slavery: N v. SFederalist v. Anti-Federalist

Strong Federal Government (Fed) Gov’t best at state level (AF)

Representation - Large v. small states

ISSUE: Proportional v. equal representation. COMPROMISE: The Great (Connecticut)

Compromise House of Representatives – Proportional Senate – Equal Representation

Representation – North v. South

ISSUE: Free v. enslavedCOMPROMISE: 3/5 Compromise

Regulation of Commerce between North & South

COMPROMISES: Gov’t won’t interfere w/ slave trade before 1808 (I, 9,

1). – South wins - see next slide Congress power to regulate trade (victory for north)

Slavery: N v. S

Government won’t interfere with slave trade before 1808 (I, 9, 1).

Slave - 3/5ths of person for taxes/ representation (Article I, Section 2, Clause 3).

Fugitive Slave Clause – Escaped Slaves must be returned to owners (Article IV, 2, 3).

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

What do they agree on?:We need a Government to protect basic rights

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

Federalists: Strong central government! Ratify Constitution! In Constitution, Gov’t limited by:

Representative gov’t (remove them); Checks & balances; Separation of powers

No need for Bill of Rights; How do you list all rights?

Federalist v. Anti-Federalist

Anti-Federalists: Oppose ratification of Constitution; Fear strong national government; Government close to the people; Power general & vague (Necessary and Proper

Clause); Constitution reduces power of state governments; WANT Bill of Rights – Government will violate unlisted

rights

September 17, 1787

Majority of Delegates Approve Constitution (without the blessing of the AF’s!)

9/28: Congress Directed state legislatures to call for ratification conventions in each state;

Article VII – 9 States need to ratify

Ratification – Why send it to the states?

Article VIIDelegates exceeded authority?Produced in secrecyPublic must be informedBoth sides articulate ideas before citizenryWithstand public scrutiny & debateState conventions – agents of ratificationNeeded to reflect the will of the electorateAuthority needs to come from the people

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Wait – what about the AF’s?Ratification Wars (one of the 1st P.R.

campaigns): Federalist Papers Anti-Federalist Papers

Are F v. AF Issues still relevant?

FEDERALISM! An American invention.The Supremacy Clause Article VI, Section 2Xth AmendmentNecessary and Proper (I, 8, 18)Federal v. State Power – Who wins?Over reach of the executive?

AF v. F Compromise

Constitution Compromise: AF will ratify Constitution in exchange for later Bill of Rights.

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

Complete the following and turn in by the end of the class period: We the People, Page 96, Reviewing and Using the

Lesson #3, #4 We the People, Page 102, Reviewing and Using the

Lesson #3, #4

Majority of delegates approved The United States Constitution September 17, 1787

The Bill of Rights (1st 10 Amendments to the Constitution) ratified by the states in 1791

Federalist versus Anti-Federalists

In We the People, use Chapter 13, Page 91: What was the Anti-Federalist Position in the Debate about Ratification; and Chapter 14, Page 97: What was the Federalist Position in the Debate About Ratification.

Use handout D2, D3 for summaries on the Anti-Federalist and Federalist positions on 7 issues: federalism, separation of powers and checks and balances, Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and the Bill of Rights.

Federalist versus Anti-Federalists

You are a Federalist or an Anti-Federalist.You and one other person have been assigned

one of the seven issues discussed in the summaries.

Using your notes from today and the arguments in your summary, prepare a 2 minute position statement on your issue.

Each side will present their position statement on an issue. You will have a 1-2 minutes for rebuttal.