Origins of American Government

1. Origins of American Government Chapter 2

2. Basic Concepts of Government • Ordered Government • A need for regulation of their relationships. • Created local governments. • Many still exist today: offices of sheriffs, coroner, justice of the peace. • Limited Government • Government is not all powerful. • Government is restricted, and each individual has certain rights. • Representative Government • The idea that government should serve the right of the people. • People should have a voice.

3. Landmark English Documents • Magna Carta • Barons who wrote this document were seeking protection against heavy-handed and arbitrary acts by the king. • The Petition of Rights • Some monarchs ignored the Magna Carta for 400 years. • Limited, again the Kings rights. • The king could no longer imprison or otherwise punish any person but by lawful judgment by their peers. • The English Bill of Rights • Drawn up by William and Mary of Orange. • Wrote it to prevent the abuse of power. • Prohibited a standing army during peacetime.

4. The English Colonies • Each colony was established separately. • Each colony was established through a charter. • Written grant of authority from the King. • Royal Colonies: • Were subject to the direct control of the crown. • They were eight: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. • Picture of the 13 Colonies: 1775

5. The Coming of Independence

6. Britain’s Colonial Policies • The 13 Colonies had been separately established, were separately controlled under the king. • Parliament took little part in the management of the colonies. • Things changed when George III came to the throne. • Britain began to deal more firmly with the colonists. • New taxes were imposed. • Colonists refused. • Britain pushed ahead despite the resentments • Colonists: To submit or to revolt.

7. Growing Colonial Unity • The Albany Plan • 1754: Colonists met to discuss the problems of colonial trade. • Also the danger of attacks by the French and their Native American Allies. • The Stamp Act Congress: • 1760: Britain’s harsh tax policies fanned resentment in the colonies. • Protests multiplied. • Boston Tea Party; December 16, 1773

8. The First Continental Congress • Spring of 1774 • Met because of the Intolerable Acts. • September 5, 1774 • Delegates from every colony met • For two months they met to discuss the worsening situation. • Delegates urged each of the colonies to refuse all trade with England. • Meeting adjourned October 26, with a call for a second congress to be convened.

9. The Second Continental Congress • British government continued to refuse to compromise. • Second meeting met in Philadelphia May 10, 1775. • The Revolution had begun. • Battle of Lexington and Concord had been fought. • Representatives: John Hancock and Benjamin Franklin were the newcomers.

10. Three Parts of the Declaration of Independence How to write a document that would speak of the American spirit? The Declaration is considered to be a statement of: *The spirit of the revolution *United the American people as a whole *Introduced a new nation born of a new people *Stated that they were no longer Englishmen, but Americans

11. Part 1: Preamble and Introduction • Separation is Nature: "it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them to another.“ • John Locke Ideas: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that 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." • Government’s power comes from the permission of the people: "That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving there just powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever and Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it."

12. Part 2: List of 27 Complains against the King and others • He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our People. • He has erected a Multitude of New Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance. • He has made Judges dependent on his will alone, for the Tenure of their offices and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries. • For cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World. • For quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us. • For imposing Taxes on us without our consent. • For depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury.

13. Part 3: Formal Declaration of Independence • Power of an Independent Government: Ability to wage war, agree to peace, make alliances, set up economic system and pass laws. • “We are Free and Independent”: "That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved;"

14. Questions • In what way can American voters bring about change in their government? • Which offense do you think was the worst? Why? • Why was this action so “intolerable”? • Why did colonist object to this act? • How do persons today give consent to taxation? • Why did the colonists at first attempt to solve the dispute and remain loyal? • What other powers are held by an independent government?

15. Declaration of Independence • Congress named a committee of five to prepare a proclamation of independence. • Mostly written by Thomas Jefferson. • Adopted the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776. • Much of the document speaks of the repeated injuries that led the colonists to revolt.

16. The First State Constitutions • Common Features of State Constitutions: • Popular Sovereignty • Limited Government • Civil Rights and Liberties • Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances

17. The Critical Period

18. The Articles of Confederation • Governmental Structure • No Executive or judicial branch. • Functions handled by committees of Congress. • Powers of Congress • Would make war and peace • Make treaties • Settle disputes among the States. • State Obligations • Pledge to obey the Articles and acts of the Congress. • Weaknesses • No power to tax • No power to regulate trade • Lacked power to make the States obey the Articles.

19. The Critical Period, the 1780’s • Revolutionary War ended October 19, 1781. • Signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783. • Things in the colonies went into chaos. • Violence broke out because of the economic chaos. • 1786- Daniel Shay • Local Farmer lost his land and possessions for lack of payment on taxes and other debts • Fall- Led an uprising that forced the Supreme Court to close. • State forces moved in to quiet the rebellion.

20. A Need for a Stronger Government • Demand grew stronger for a more effective national government. • The movement for change began to take concrete form in 1785. • Mount Vernon • The Virginia General assembly called for a joint meeting of all of the states to recommend a federal plan for regulating commerce. • Annapolis • September 11, 1786- 5/13 states attended. • February 1787- 7/13 states attended • Then on February 21, the Congress called upon the States to send delegates to Philadelphia.

21. Creating the Constitution

22. The Framers • George Washington • James Madison • Edmund Randolph • George Mason • Benjamin Franklin • Gouverneur Morris • Robert Morris • James Wilson • Alexander Hamilton • William Paterson • Elbridge Gerry • Rufus King • Luther Martin • Oliver Ellsworth • Roger Sherman • John Dickinson • John Rutledge • Charles Pinckney • Average Age- 42 • Half were in there 30’s • Benjamin Franklin- 81 years old

23. Organization and Procedure • Framers met in Independence Hall. • Elected George Washington president of the convention. • Rules of the Convention: • One person from each state vote on everything. • Majority of States would need to be there to conduct business. • May 30th • Adopted the proposal to write a new Constitution.

24. The Virginia Plan • Called for a new government. • 3 separate branches • Legislature would be bicameral. • This plan set the agenda for much of the conventions work. • Smaller states found it too radical • Soon would find counter proposals.

25. The New Jersey Plan • Would retain a unicameral Congress • Each state would be equally represented • How should each state be represented. • By population or by popularity? • Finally disputes were settled by one of the key compromises the Framers were to make as they built the Constitution.

26. Compromises • The Connecticut Compromise • Congress composed of two houses. • Senate- State reps are equal • House- State reps are by population • The 3/5’s Compromise • All free persons should be counted, and so too should 3/5’s of all other persons. • The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise • Congress had to have the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade. • Congress was forbidden the power to act on the slave for a period of 20 years. • Congress forbidden to export of goods from any State. • A Bundle of Compromises • Each state had their own issues. • Disputes occurred, they were settled within days or maybe hours.

27. Sources of the Constitution • Framers were well educated • Familiar with the governments of Rome and Greece. • Knew political writings. • Framers drew on their own experiences. • Some provisions were drawn from the several State Constitutions.

28. The Convention Completes its Work • For several weeks through the hot Philadelphia summer, delegates took up resolution after resolution. • September 8- put the Constitution in its final form. • September 17- the convention approved its work and 39 names were placed on the finished document.

29. Ratifying the Constitution

30. The Fight for Ratification • Federalists and Anti Federalists • Federalists stressed the weaknesses of the Articles • Anti Federalists- Attacked nearly every part of the new document • Nine States Ratify • Needed nine states for the Constitution to be passed. • Virginia’s Ratification • Washington’s approval and ratification proved vital. • New York, The Last Key State • Writing the Federalist papers was the key to getting the support and the votes they needed.

31. Inaugurating the Government New Congress convened on March 4, 1789 April 6- It founded That George Washington had been elected President, and John Adams was elected Vice President. April 30- Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States.