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Chapter 2: Origins of American Government

Chapter 2: Origins of American Government. Section 1: The Colonial Period. Magna Carta: Great Charter. Signed by King John in 1215 Stood for the principle of “limited government” Protected against unjust punishment & loss of life, liberty & property

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Chapter 2: Origins of American Government

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  1. Chapter 2: Origins of American Government Section 1: The Colonial Period

  2. Magna Carta: Great Charter • Signed by King John in 1215 • Stood for the principle of “limited government” • Protected against unjust punishment & loss of life, liberty & property • Also stated certain taxes could not be levied without popular consent • Originally applied to nobility • After time it was applied to all • Lets look at Pg. 802 in your book

  3. Governance During the War • States wanted a confederation • “League of Friendship” • March 1781 • All 13 States “ratified” • Approved Articles of Confederation

  4. Government Under the Articles • Unicameral (single-chamber) system • Executive positions chosen • Powers remained with the states

  5. Government Under the Articles • Congressional Powers: • Make war & peace • Send & receive ambassadors • Enter into treaties • Raise & equip a Navy • Maintain an Army by requests from the states • Appoint senior military officers • Fix standards of weights & measures • Regulate Indian affairs • Establish post offices • Decide certain disputes among the States

  6. Government Under the Articles • Sovereign State Governments had Power to: • Enforce or impede national government policy • Control State militia • Withhold or grant revenues to the National Government • Veto amendments to the Articles of Confederation • Regulate foreign & interstate commerce

  7. Weaknesses of the Articles • Congress: • Couldn’t levy or collect taxes • Couldn’t regulate trade • Force anyone to obey laws • Needed 9 of 13 states to approve • Each state only got 1 vote • Amending/changing needed consent of all states • Federal Government had no Executive Branch • No National Court system

  8. Achievements • Establishment of fair policy for the development of western lands • States ceded claims • Congress enacted 2 land ordinances • Ordinance of 1785: surveys & divisions • Northwest Ordinance (1787): new territories would be developed into statehood on equal basis with older states

  9. Achievements • Peace treaty with Great Britain • Signed 1783 • Land acquired enlarged the Nation’s boundaries • Congress set up these departments: • Foreign affaires • War • Marines • Treasury

  10. Need for Stronger Government • Growing Problems • Boundary lines & tariffs between states • Fees people had to pay from state to state • Government owed money & couldn’t maintain an Army • By 1787 over $40 million owed to foreign governments and soldiers from the war • Economic depression

  11. Need for Stronger Government • Shays’s Rebellion • Lead by Daniel Shay: former Captain in the Revolutionary Army • Closed the Massachusetts State Supreme Court • Pleas of help did nothing • 1200 men gathered to fight the • Massachusetts militia put down the rebellion • Caused American leaders to become frightened by the armed rebellion • The people were ready to agree to a strong national Government

  12. The Annapolis Convention • Lead to the “Miracle in Philadelphia” • 2 previous meetings between leaders inspired this convention • 1st: 1785: George Washington had a simple meeting at his residence between leaders from Maryland and Virginia ...It went well causing the 2nd meeting • 2nd: 1786: All States were invited but only 5 sent delegates to Annapolis • Leaders in favor of a strong government asked for a 3rd meeting • Confederate leaders consented to a convention in Philadelphia to “revise the Articles”, but much more happened

  13. The Constitutional Convention • May 25, 1787 • 12 States sent Delegates • Rhode Island did not attend • 74 Delegates were appointed from the 13 States • Only 55 attended

  14. The Convention Begins • Key Players • George Washington: just his presence caused people to believe the Convention would work • Benjamin Franklin: 81 year old Scientist actively participated • James Wilson: read Franklins speeches & was very important to the creation of the Constitution • James Madison: “Father of the Constitution” was the author of the basic plan of Government the Convention eventually adopted.

  15. The Convention Begins • Organization • Washington was chosen unanimously to preside over the meetings • No meeting held unless 7 of the 13 states were present • Slavery was not to be brought up • Key Agreements • Former Government to be abandoned • All favored a limited & representative Government • Agreed the national government should have 3 branches

  16. Decisions & Compromises • The Virginia Plan • The New Jersey Plan • The Connecticut Compromise • The 3/5th Compromise • Compromise on Commerce & the Slave Trade • The Slavery Question • Other Compromises

  17. Decisions & Compromises • The Virginia Plan • May 29, 1787: 15 resolution introduced by Edmond Randolph that were drafted by James Madison • Proposal of 3 Government principals: • A strong National legislature with 2 chambers • Lower chamber chosen by the people • Upper chamber chosen by the lower • A strong National executive chosen by national legislature • National judiciary appointed by legislature • Smaller states wanted this revised so large states didn’t have more control than smaller states

  18. Decisions & Compromises • The New Jersey Plan • June 15, 1787: Led by William Paterson, made a counter proposal to the Virginia Plan • Wanted to keep major features from the Articles of Confederation • Unicameral legislature • One vote for each state • Congress could impose taxes & regulate trade • Weak executive with one person elected by Congress • National judiciary with limited power

  19. Decisions & Compromises • The Connecticut Compromise • Special committee led by Roger Sherman from Connecticut • Committee decided: • Legislative have 2 branches • House of representatives: based on population • Lager states would have an advantage • Senate: 2 from each State • Smaller states would be protected • All revenue laws be brought up in the House

  20. Decisions & Compromises • The 3/5th Compromise • Decided how many representatives each state would have in the House • Northern States wanted slaves to count as free people • Southern State did not because of tax reasons • The compromise made it so 3/5th of the enslaved people counted for both tax purposes and representation.

  21. Decisions & Compromises • Compromise on Commerce & the Slave Trade • North wanted government to have control over slave trade • South feared government control would hurt their farms & interfere with slave trade • Delegates decided Congress could not ban slave trade until 1808 • Congress had power to regulate both • interstate commerce (trade among states) • Foreign commerce • Couldn’t impose export taxes

  22. Decisions & Compromises • The Slavery Question • Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution only mentions that free slaves can not be returned to slaveholders • The North knew they could not address slavery because the South would not accept the new government that was badly needed

  23. Decisions & Compromises • Other Compromises • How to elect the President • How long would the President term be • September 18, 1787 • 39 delegates stepped forward to sign the Constitution

  24. Ratifying the Constitution • 9 of the 13 States had to ratify it • Ratification lasted until May 29, 1790 • This is when Rhode Island finally approved it • The Constitution went into effect on June 21, 1788 when New Hampshire became the 9th State to ratify

  25. Ratifying the Constitution • The Federalists & Anti-Federalists • Federalists • Favored the Constitution • Support came from merchants & people from coastal areas • Anti-federalists • Criticized the Constitution • But felt we needed a strong federal government to prevent anarchy • Said it was drafted secretly & was extralegal • Not sanctioned by law • Convention was to revise the Articles, not abandon them • No Bill of Rights • Felt this was needed to ensure the peoples rights were not violated or taken away

  26. Ratifying the Constitution • Progress Toward Ratification • Because of promised Bill of Rights, the delegates turned in favor of the Constitution • To help with ratification in New York, 80 essays were written to defend the Constitution • These were later collected into a book called “The Federalist”

  27. Launching a New State • New York became the Nation’s temporary capital • Congress met for the 1st time on March 4, 1789 • George Washington was elected President • took the oath of office on April 30, 1789 • John Adams was elected Vice President • There were 22 senators elected • There were 59 representatives elected • During the 1st session the 12 amendments were approved, & the 1st Ten became the Bill of Rights

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