American Government

1. American Government

2. Brief History

3. King George III Became King in 1760

4. The Colonies • The colonies were founded starting in 1607 (Virginia) and 1733 (Georgia) • Each colony formed their own system of self government • They were also part of Great Britain

6. Problems began to arise • The French and Indian War (1754-1763) • Britain and the colonies vs. The French and the some native tribes • The British won, but it left them in tremendous debt • Britain passed some taxes on the colonies to help pay off their debt.

7. Stamp Act of 1765 • Tax on newspaper, almanacs, pamphlets, legal documents , licenses dice and playing cards • Colonists were upset because it was a tax put on by the British parliament, and the colonists didn’t have representation in parliament. • “No Taxation Without Representation” Patrick Henry

8. In response to the Stamp Act a local group took to violence. They burned records and pillaged a British colonial officials residence. • The Stamp Act was repealed

9. Townsend Act of 1767 • Put a tax on a long list of imports including glass, paper, tea, lead, and paints • Very much hated in the colonies.

10. Quartering Acts of 1765 and 1774 • England had 10,000 British troops stationed in the colonies. • They were used to enforce British laws. • Required private homes to provide for British troops • Colonist felt like they were being occupied • Animosity between colonists and British troops began

11. Colonist began to fear a standing army • What is a standing army? • Why would people fear a standing army?

12. Boston Massacre • March 5, 1770 • a mob formed around a British sentry and 8 additional soldiers. • The crowd taunted them, threw objects at them, and threatened them. • Without orders the soldiers fired into the crowd, instantly killing three people and wounding others. Two more people died later of wounds sustained in the incident.

13. Depictions, reports, and propaganda about the event further heightened tensions throughout the colonies

14. The soldiers were tried for manslaughter and only two were convicted. • The incident deepened the colonial distrust of a standing army. • Things improved over the next couple of years until…

15. New tensions • Spring 1773 the East Indian Company was in serious financial troubles. • Tea Act of 1773 • To help them, the British parliament gave the company a monopoly on the tea trade in America • They also retained a 3 cent tax on the colonies

16. Boston Tea Party • In protest to the tea act, a group of colonies known as the Sons of Liberty, disguised at Mohawk Indians, boarded the ship at night and threw 342 chests of tea into Boston harbor.

17. British Reaction • Britain was mad and passed a number of laws which colonists referred to as the Intolerable Acts

18. Intolerable Acts • 1. Boston harbor was shut down until the company was reimbursed and the taxes paid. • 2nd act permitted anyone charged with a crime in the colonies to be tried in Great Britain. • 3rd weakened the power of the Massachusetts legislature and gave more power to the governor.

19. 4th was a more extensive quartering act

20. These acts united the colonies against the British

21. First Continental Congress • Began September 5, 1774 • Recommended a boycott of British goods. • Advised people to arm and set up their own militias.

22. Militia groups began to gather and train outside of Boston. • Military supplies were gathered. • April, 1775 Britain sent nearly 10,000 troops to arrest revolutionaries and confiscate their stuff in Concord, Mass. • They clashed with local militia, marking the first fighting of the Revolutionary War. • The war would be fought from 1775-1783

23. 2nd Continental Congress (1775-1781) • Colonist sent an “Olive Branch” to reconcile with Britain but George III refused to accept it. • Winter of 1775 American troops invaded Canada • By March of 1776, with Washington as commander, British troops were forced to evacuate Boston.

24. On June 11, 1776 a committee was formed to draft a document explaining the justification for separation from Britain. • The declaration of Independence, written mostly by Thomas Jefferson, was signed on July 4th, 1776.

26. Articles Of Confederation • The “Articles of Confederation”, our first constitution, was created 1777 and officially approved by the states in 1781.

27. Articles of Confederation (1781-1787)

28. “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

29. We were very afraid of a strong national government so we created one that was ineffectually weak.

30. Some aspects of the Articles of Confederation • No power to tax • States each had one vote (equal) • No President (Executive Branch) and no court system (Judicial Branch) • Only one chamber of Congress

31. States were more powerful than the federal government • The states held the power

32. What about the army? • Only allowed to have a small standing army. • Ask the states for troops from state militias.

33. Weaknesses of the Articles • No power to tax or raise money • No power to enforce laws • No power to enforce trade agreements • Small states had equal power to large states • No executive branch • No judicial branch • Took a unanimous vote to change. (all 13 states)

34. What problems arose? • Trade disputes between the states. • Money problems (Debt) • Shaye’s Rebellion (1786-87)

35. Constitution

36. Constitution Convention • Called in late spring of 1787 in Philadelphia • The purpose was to revise the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation • Ended up starting from scratch. • Completed September 17, 1787 • Ratified by the states and went into effect in 1789.

37. The purpose of a Constitution • Sets out the ideals that the people believe in • Establishes the basic structure of government and defines the governments powers and duties • It Provides the supreme law of the country

38. What is a Democracy • A type of government in which the rule is by the people • Direct Democracy vs. Representative Democracy • Republic • A representative democracy

39. Basic Principals of the Constitution

40. Separation of Powers

41. Separation of Powers • Power is divided up between three branches • Legislative Branch • Congress • Makes the laws • Executive Branch • President • Carries out the laws • Judicial Branch • Supreme Court

42. Federalism • Sharing power between the state and national government • The states all have their own constitutions. • Each state has their own government and makes their own laws. • Each state has a court system to interpret those laws • The federal government makes laws and interprets laws also.

43. 10th Amendment • The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

45. Article 6, Section 2 (Supremacy Clause) • 2:  This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

46. Types of powers

47. Enumerated Powers • powers listed in the Constitution and exclusively given to the federal government • Article 1, Section 8, C1-17

48. Necessary and Proper Clause 18:  To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers… Allow federal government power to make any laws as long as the law can be tied to an enumerated power.

49. Implied power • A power that is not specifically stated in the Constitution, but is hinted at. • An implied power must be associated with an enumerated power. • Implied powers derive from the necessary and proper clause found in (Article 1, section 8, clause 18) of the Constitution

50. Example: Draft • Congress has the implied power to draft because they have the following enumerated powers: • Create an army and a navy