Do Now

• “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” James Madison, The Federalist, No. 51

• On the lined side of your notecard, evaluate the statement above. Do you agree or disagree with Madison? Why? Try and incorporate some of the Enlightenment philosophies we discussed last week?

4:19 Tracking

• 1.1b – 78%– Down from 82% on 1.1a

• Overall Mastery thus far, 80%1st 87%– 2nd 81%– 3rd 77%– 5th 84%– 6th 72%

#QuietTheHaters Shout Outs – 1st

• Hatsepsut• Alec• Sean• Jonathan• Maria• Deadrick• Ahmed• Shaquille

• Terica• Corey• Brian• Christopher• Aaliyah

#QuietTheHaters Shout Outs – 2nd

• Alauntra• Georgette• Linda• Shaquille• Janee• Quentavius• Brandon• Tierra

• Remisha• Hung• Christian• Jaques• Brittney

#QuietTheHaters Shout Outs – 3rd

• Taj• Renee• Terriyuan• Trey• Arnissa• Sanchez• Theodore• Tarajah

#QuietTheHaters Shout Outs – 5th

• Eric• Alexis• Fernanda• Terence• Michael• Kenja• Donterrius• Maha

#QuietTheHaters Shout Outs – 6th

• Breunca• Brendan• Larry• Carolyn• Fred• Brianna• Terica

Review

• Large State Plan?– Why?

• Small State Plan– Why?

• Compromise between large and small?• Compromise between North and South?

SWBAT

• 1.3 – Describe the basic structure and core principles of the Constitution

Ratification of Constitution

• Nine states required for approval• Two opposing groups developed– Federalists v. Anti-Federalists • Federalists supported ratification • Anti-Federalists opposed ratification

Federalists

• Wanted strong national gov’t with power of states.

• The Federalist Papers – series of newspaper articles in New York to urge support for ratification.

• Major players: Alexander Hamilton and Ben Franklin

Anti-Federalists

• Wanted a small national government where states had independent powers

• Major Players: Thomas Jefferson • Central government might become abusive if

rights not spelled out in Constitution.– Demanded Bill of Rights

Solutions That Led to Ratification

• Bill of Rights• Separation of Powers• Checks and Balances

• These three principles were implemented to provide a constitutional safeguard designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming dominant. No faction with too much power.

Separation of Powers

• Separation of Powers – distribution of constitutional authority among the three branches of gov’t.– Borrowed the concept from Charles Montesquieu.– “No political truth is certainly of greater intrinsic

value, or is stamped with the authority of more enlightened patrons of liberty, than that .. The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands… may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

Separation of Powers

• Legislative branch (Congress) – makes laws• Executive branch - enforces laws• Judicial branch – interprets laws

Still Not Enough

• Americans were still worried about a tyrannical government forming.– Three branches could pool their authority and act

together to abuse the citizenry of the country.

Checks and Balances

• A constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensure that no branch can dominate

Examples of C’s and B’s

• Nomination of federal judges, cabinet officials, and ambassadors.– President chooses nominees; however, nominees

must be approved by the Senate.• Negotiation of treaties.– President negotiates treaties, but no treaty can go

into effect unless approved by 2/3 of Senate.

Examples (cont.)

• Enactment of legislation.– Only Congress may pass laws. However, the president has

the power to veto (or reject) legislation. – Congress can overrule a veto with a two-third majority in

both houses.• If successful, legislation becomes law regardless of president’s

position.

– Courts may determine the constitutionality of the law. Thus, the courts have the power to overturn laws passed by Congress and approved by the President (only on constitutional ground, not just because they don’t like them).

Shared Powers, Checks and Balances

The Exercise of Checks and Balances, 1789-2010

Exit Ticket

#1

Which of the following is NOT an argument advanced by the Anti-Federalists?

a. The new government was too weak to effectively govern.b. A large government could not represent the interests of the

average citizen.c. The size of each legislative district was too large.d. The President would necessarily accumulate power at the

expense of the other branches of government.e. The Constitution did not provide adequate protection for

individual liberty.

#2

Which of the following powers in an example of a power possessed by the President which acts as a check on the Congress?

a. nominate judges to the courtsb. refuse to ratify treatiesc. issue executive ordersd. veto bills passed by Congresse. propose constitutional amendments

#3

Which of the following powers in an example of a power possessed by the Congress which acts as a check on the President?

a. nominate judges to the courtsb. pass legislationc. issue executive ordersd. override a veto with a 2/3 majoritye. propose constitutional amendments

#4• Which of the following statements most accurately describes the

respective roles of each branch of government?a. The executive creates the law, the legislature enforces the law,

and the courts punish people who break the law.b. The courts create the law, the legislature interprets the law, and

the executive creates the law.c. The legislature makes the law, the executive carries the law into

force, and the courts resolve disputes over the law.d. The legislature creates the law, the states enforce the law, and the

courts interpret the law. e. The states create the law, the legislature interprets the law, and

the courts enforce the law.

#5

• The American system of a checks and balances and the separation of power undermines political stability in the United States.

• True or false?

Homework

• Writing Prompt• Quiz tomorrow over everything we’ve learned

thus far.