Chapter 2 Notes

1. Chapter 2 Notes

2. Political Heritage from England • Limited Government • Concept first introduced in the Magna Carta • Guideline for the development of democracy • American Revolution occurred b/c the colonists felt that their basic rights were being denied. • Representative Government • Strong support in the idea of having people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government.

3. Why is the Magna Carta important to the history of England? • Why is this document important to America?

4. The charter is considered to be the beginning of constitutional government in England. The Magna Carta demonstrated that the power of the king could be limited by a written grant.

5. Political Heritage from England 3. English Bill of Rights • Set clear limits on what a ruler could and could not do • Monarchs do not have a divine right to rule • Monarch can not interfere with Parliament • People have a right to a fair and speedy trial by jury • People can not be given cruel and unusual punishments with excessive bail and fines

6. Political Heritage from England 4. Ordered Government • Colonists wanted structure when it came to relationships with one another 5. Many of the ideas came from the writing of John Locke. • All people were born free, equal, and independent • All people had a right to life, liberty and property. • Government should stay in power only if the people consent to it.

7. Colonial Governments • Written Constitutions • All Colonies had one in some form • The first formal constitution was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut • Colonial Legislatures • Helped to establish representative government in America • There were qualification to be able to vote, but a large number of men were able to vote

8. Colonial Government • Separation of Powers • Divided the power of governments • The Executive power was given to the king’s agents in the colonies • The Legislative power was given to the colonial legislatures

9. Theory Vs. Reality • In theory, colonies were governed by England and the crown believed existed for the benefit of England • In practice, the colonies were self-governing.

10. Reigns are tightened • By the 1760s England began to tighten it’s grip on the colonies. • George III became the king in 1760. • England had ran up their national debt from the French and Indian War.

11. Events leading to the Revolution • Stamp Act • Colonial taxes increased to pay off war debt England had incurred (taxation w/o representation) • Colonies boycotted English goods. • 1st time colonies stood up to Britain. • Colonists began to think of themselves as Americans rather than British.

12. Events leading to the Revolution • Intolerable Acts (English called them the Coercive Acts) • Closed the port of Boston • Withdrew the right of Massachusetts colony to govern itself. • It was response to the Boston Tea Party • Activated military rule on the colonies

13. The Colonies Unite • Committees of Correspondence were organizations set up trying to increase resistance to the British • 1st Continental Congress (1774) • Delegates of all the colonies, except Georgia, attended the meeting in Philadelphia • Delegates wrote up a Declaration of Rights protesting England’s policies. • Delegates set up a boycott on British goods or an embargo.

14. The Colonies Unite • Rebellion! British Redcoats clashed with colonial minutemen at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. • 2nd Continental Congress (1775) • Revolutionary War had already began as the colonies met. • The delegates voted to: Make John Hancock its President Organize an army Appoint George Washington as Commander-in-Chief • Served as our first national government although it had no constitutional authority

15. Independence • Declaration of Independence • Written by Thomas Jefferson • Approved on July 4, 1776 • Declared to the world the intent of the colonies was to gain complete independence of England • Three Parts: • Statement of purpose and basic human rights • Specific complaints against the king • The Colonies plan to separate from England

16. Need for a strong government • While gaining the independence the states found out that they needed a stronger and more lasting government than what was provided in the 2nd Continental Congress. • It was a “league of friendship” • By March 1781 all 13 states had ratified the • Articles of Confederation – Our nation’s first constitution. • Unicameral, or single chamber, Congress w/ no president • Each state had one vote in Congress • No federal court system, Congress settled disputes • Committee of States managed the government when Congress was not assembled.

17. Strengths The establishment of a fair policy for the development of the lands west of the Apalachians. Declare war Make treaties Build an army and a navy Set up a monetary system Settle disputes among states Created a unicameral Congress Weaknesses One vote per state regardless of population Could not collect taxes (would have to borrow the money from the states) Could not regulate trade No executive branch No judicial branch Congress only had the power to advise states to enforce their laws All states must approve any changes made to the Articles Articles of Confederation

18. Achievements • Established a fair policy for developing western lands-These two land ordinances, or laws • Forged a peace treaty with Great Britain • Set up departments of Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, and Treasury

19. Problems facing the nation • Disputes over boundary lines and tariffs paid to other states • Government owed huge debts to other nations and had no power to raise money • Economic depression of 1786 left many with debts and no way to repay them

20. When the Revolutionary War ended it became very evident that the Articles was not going to work. (ex. Shay’s Rebellion) • The states faced growing financial troubles. By 1786 an economic depression had left many farmers and small merchants angry and in debt.

21. Shays’s Rebellion • These economic troubles led to rebellion. Armed groups of farmers forced several courts to close in order to prevent farm foreclosures and the loss of their farms. Daniel Shays led a band that closed the Massachusetts state supreme court. The Massachusetts militia put down the rebellion, but the armed unrest frightened American leaders. Henry Knox, later the nation’s first secretary of war, echoed the growing number of Americans who wanted a strong national government.

22. The Annapolis Convention • This meeting was set up discuss commerce between states. They discussed the need again for a strong national government. They called for another convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. The purpose of the is meeting would be to regulate commerce among the states and to propose changes that would make the national government stronger.

23. The Confederation Congress gave it consent to hold the Philadelphia convention “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”-This set the stage to what was to be known as the “Miracle at Philadelphia.” • May 25,1787 – Congress called a meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. All states sent delegates except RI.

24. Constitutional Convention • Purpose - to revise the Articles of Confederation • Delegates agreed that there was a need to create a new government. • The President of the Constitutional Convention was George Washington. • 2 Proposals • Virginia Plan • New Jersey Plan

25. Virginia Plan • Bicameral Congress(2 houses) • Representation based on population and/or the amount of money given to support the government • Set up a judicial system • State officers were to take an oath to support the Union • Power to admit new states *This was brilliant political move to have an entire plan ready right from the start.

26. New Jersey Plan The smaller states quickly realized they needed to come up with a counter proposal. • Unicameral Congress (1 house) • Equal representation • Power tax • Power to regulate trade • Executive branch to be chosen by Congress

27. Soon the Convention was dead locked over the question of the representation of states in Congress. Should the states be represented on the basis of population or should they be represented equally, regardless of population. Finally a special committee designed a compromise.

28. Connecticut Compromise • aka – Great Compromise • Congress would be composed of two houses (or a have Bicameral legislature). • Senate – equal representation with two members from each state. State legislatures would elect senators. • House of Representatives – Representation according to population • All revenue laws-concerning spending and taxes would begin in this house.

29. 3/5 Compromise • How should enslaved people be counted in the population in the south? • Solution: All free persons should be counted and all others should count 3/5 • 13th amendment abolished the compromise.

30. Ratifying the Constitution • After approval by the delegates… ratification became the next step • James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of articles in defense of the Constitution known as the Federalist papers. • Framers saw how difficult a unanimous vote could be, so they changed the process. • Ratification took 9 out of 13 states • As the Constitution was taken to each state to be ratified two groups emerged…

31. Federalists Wanted to ratify the Constitution immediately. Felt that the only way out of the poor situation of the country was to ratify it quickly James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of articles in defense of the Constitution known as the Federalist papers. Anti-Federalists Opposed Constitution Ratification process No mention of God No power to print money ↑ power of the central gov’t Lack of Bill of Rights Revolutionary War heroes Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

32. Ratifying the Constitution • Some of the states ratified the Constitution only under the stipulation that a Bill of Rights would be added later • This was done in 1791 • Upon ratification • President - George Washington • VP – John Adams • 1st National Capital - New York City