Origin of America’s Government

1) Ordered Gov’t> Structure of political machine> Example: Sheriff, Coroner, Justice of the Peace, Counties, Townships, Etc

2) Limited Gov’t> Gov’t is not all powerful> Magna Carta – people enable the gov’t (…right?)

3) Representative Gov’t> People have a voice in gov’t thru representatives> Why use representatives?

4) Separation of Powers> Legislative, Executive, Judicial

Key Concepts Brought from England

Works Cited:Locke, John

(Two Treaties of Gov’t)

Political Timeline• 1620 – Pilgrims sign the Mayflower Compact

plan for self-rule and Virginia House of Burgesses

• 1639 – Fundamental Orders of Connecticut– 1st formal constitution in the New Colonies

• 1643 – New England Confederation– What is a “confederation?”– Main purpose was a protection against the

Indians• 1754 – Albany Plan

– Ben Franklin's Idea: Use delegates from each colony

– Main Purpose was securing trade, protection against French and Indians

• 1765 – Stamp Act Congress – “No taxation without representation”– 9 of the 13 Colonies were involved (1st time the

majority stood against the British)

1st formal legislature in

America

Political Timeline, con’t• 1774 – 1st Continental Congress

– 12 of the 13 colonies attended - Who didn’t go?– Main purpose: response to the Intolerable Acts

(embargo)• 1775 – 2nd Continental Congress

– (John Hancock, President)– ALL 13 colonies were there– 1st form of National Government (during the War)

• 1776 – Declaration of Independence– Formal documentation that stated the obvious– “We hold these truths…”

The Declaration of Independence

• The Colonies of New England were more interested in getting rid of England than the Middle and Southern Colonies…why was this?

• Fundamental: Governmental power over people should reside with the people, in England power over citizens resided with a ________.Monarc

h

The Declaration of Independence• Ideas and Arguments of the

Declaration:1. Natural Rights

-Rights are based on a law HIGHER than man-made laws.

2. Human Equality -God has not appointed some to rule over others

3. Government by Consent -Power is GIVEN to the government, not taken by

thegovernment

4. Abuses of the King -No allowance of colonial (local) political authority,

excessivetaxes, military abuses, ignoring colonial

governmentalestablishments(i.e. courts)

The Declaration of Independence by T.

Jefferson• Three Parts to Declaration

1) Statement of purpose / basic human rights2) Complaints against king (George) – Violations of

their liberties3) Determination to separate – nothing else had

worked…

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770

Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence, said…

“…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are… Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

In a few sentences write which of these three things you feel is the

most important and why.

John Locke & The Declaration

Locke1. The state of

nature has a law to govern it…

2. Life, Liberty, and Property

3. Men being my nature all free, equal, and independent

4. Cast off an uneasy and tyrannical yoke

Declaration1. Laws of Nature

and of Natures God

2. Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness

3. All men are created equal

4. Throw off such government

The Critical Period• The 1st and 2nd Cont. Congresses had no legal

base• The 1st attempt to “get something on

paper” was the Articles of Confederation– “Rough Draft” of the Constitution– Went into effect after ALL 13 colonies

ratified (accepted) it in 1781• Articles of Confederation created a

strong state gov’t and a weak national gov’t – (SOVEREINGTY STAYED W/ STATES)

The Articles of Confederation• Two Major Concerns with a

Strong Central Gov’t1. Strong National Government may

evolve into a monarchal type country

2. A few large states would dominate the country(if a monarchy didn’t evolve)

• Accomplishments:1. Fought the Revolutionary War under

the Articles2. Gained foreign recognition under the

Articles3. Most lasting: Northwest Ordinance of

1787: dealing with statehood

Their state WAS their country

8 Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

1. 1 vote for each state, no matter the size

2. No taxation at all3. No regulation of commerce or trade

> Interstate Commerce = Trade with other states

4. No executive branch (president)5. No court system6. All states must agree for an

amendment by the Congress7. 9/13 majority to pass laws8. “Firm league of friendship”

Framers felt that with the Articles there should be only a Congress to be law-making body.

Constitutional ConventionPhiladelphia, May 1787

• 12 of 13 states show up in Philly (no RI)

• 55 guys (average age 42) (washington, franklin, adams, jefferson, madison)

• These men became known as the “Framers of the Constitution”

• Agreed that there should be 3 branches of gov’t: Executive, Legislative, Judicial (separation of powers)

• The Constitution is sometimes called –

“a bundle of compromises” here’s why…

74 – Invited55 – Attended39 - Signed

CompromisesRepresentation• New Jersey Plan – representation

based on statehood• Virginia Plan – representation based

on population• Eventual Settlement – Connecticut

Compromise• Bicameral (2 houses): Upper House

based statehood known as the Senate, Lower House based on population known as the House of Representatives

CompromisesSlavery (would later be a burden – Civil War in 1860)

• 3/5s Compromise• 3 out of every 5 slaves would be

counted toward the population and tax purposes

• 13th amendment made this null

CompromisesTrade• Congress could not tax exports

– What are exports? Imports?– Why no export tax???

• Congress could not mess with the slave trade for a minimum of 20 years

Check Point• Name three of the

problems with the Articles…

8 Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

1. 1 vote for each state, no matter the size

2. No taxation at all3. No regulation of commerce or trade

> Interstate Commerce = Trade with other states

4. No executive branch (president)5. No court system6. All states must agree for an

amendment by the Congress7. 9/13 majority to pass laws8. “Firm league of friendship”

Framers felt that with the Articles there should be only a Congress to be law-making body.

Two Groups EvolveFederalists

•Favored ratification (liked the Constitution)•James Madison & Co.•Stressed the weaknesses of the Articles•Stronger Central Gov’t to prevent Anarchy

Anti-Federalists•Against Ratification•Patrick Henry & Co.•Stressed the weakness of the Constitution•Stronger State Gov’t•Wanted Bill of Rights

The Anti-Federalist mandated that the Constitution have a BILL OF RIGHTS that would guarantee “personal freedoms”

The Federalist agreed, though they felt that it wasn’t necessary.

Ratification• The Constitution was

completed on Sept 17, 1787

• 39 men signed the document

• The document was printed and circulated around the 13 states, so that a debate and ratification could eventually take place.

• 9 States were necessary in order for the Constitution to be “official.”

Ratification Process• ___ were needed to ratify. Anybody remember ?

• By June 1788 they had the nine needed states.

• Still they waited to make it official…why, you ask…– Because New York and Virginia had

not passed it– What’s the big deal about these two

states?• By July of 1788 these two made

the total 11 of the 13

Couple of other things…• James Madison (of Virginia) – Father of

the Constitution

• In order to get the state of New York to ratify - The Federalist Papers were circulated (Hamilton, Madison, Jay)

• George Washington elected in April 1789

• Nations 1st first capitol???