Origins of American Government

1. Origins of American Government Chapter 2

2. 3 key political ideas from the English • The colonists brought with them to North America knowledge of the English political system. • The first idea was ordered gov’t. This means that a government’s rules should help people get along. • The second idea was limited gov’t, which means that gov’t has restricted powers. • The third idea was representative gov’t. This means the gov’t should serve the people.

3. 3 documents that promoted the English tradition of gov’t • Magna Carta(1215): the king did not have total power, and it protected the rights of trial by jury and due process of law • Petition of Right(1628): said the king could not use the military to rule during peacetime or let soldiers live in people’s homes. What amendment would later prevent the quartering of troops in private homes? • English Bill of Rights(1689): could not keep an army during peacetime, guaranteed a fair and speedy trial, and ensured free elections

4. 3 types of colonies • The three types of colonies each provided training for the colonists in the art of gov’t. They were often referred to as “the 13 schools of gov’t.” • Each colony was based on a charter, or a written grant of authority from the king. • Royal colonies were ruled by the crown. • Proprietary colonies were organized by an owner to whom the king had granted land. • Charter colonies were based on charters granted directly to the colonists. • Most colonies were considered royal colonies at this time. • Most colonies had bicameral legislatures. Only PA had a unicameral legisture. What do the terms bicameral and unicameral mean? • Who could vote for their legislators at this time?

5. Steps of Unity Against the British • Colonists began the famous cry of “taxation without representation.” • The New England states formed a confederation. A confederation is a union for a common purpose. What was the common purpose they were uniting for at this time? • Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union made up of delegates from all the colonies. Under this plan, the delegates would have the power to raise a military, tax, and regulate trade. The colonies and the king rejected the plan.

6. Steps of Unity Against the British • 12 of the 13 colonies joined at the First Continental Congress in 1774 to plan opposition to British policies. One form of opposition was to boycott British goods. • American Revolution began on April 19,1775.

7. Second Continental Congress • Began May 10,1775 • Became the first government of the new United States • Produced the Declaration of Independence • Served as a system of gov’t for 5 years • Under this gov’t, the newly formed states wrote constitutions that all shared the principle of popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty means government can exist only with the consent of the people governed.

8. Articles of Confederation • The states wanted a permanent government, but did not want to give it much power. • The 13 states ratified, or formally approved the Articles of Confederation in 1781. The Articles had first been proposed in 1777. The Articles required the approval of all 13 states to be approved. • The Articles set up a gov’t that tied the states together in a loose union. They also created a central gov’t that had power to do little more than set up an army and navy, make war and peace, and settle state disputes. • The national government consisted of only a unicameral Congress made up of delegates chosen yearly by the states and each state had only one vote.

9. Articles of Confederation • The national gov’t had no power to make the states obey the Articles or the laws passed by the legislature. • The states had the power to tax and printed their own money. There was no national court system. • Shay’s Rebellion broke out in MA over the weakened state of the economy causing farmers to lose their land. This convinced many Americans the gov’t needed to be strengthened.

10. The Aborted Annapolis Meeting • Delegates from MD and VA met at Mount Vernon to solve their trade problems. The meeting was considered a success. • This led them to call a meeting at Annapolis, MD to try to solve some of the nation’s problems. • Only 5 states sent delegates, so they set up another meeting in Philadelphia which became the Constitutional Convention.

11. Constitutional Convention • 1787: 55 delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Rhode Island did not send delegates. Delegates worked indoors with the windows closed to avoid anyone overhearing their discussions. • The delegates, later known as the Framers soon decided to write a new constitution instead of revising the Articles. One reason for this was the Articles required the approval of all 13 states and it had taken 4 years the first time. • Most of the Framers had a formal education. Many were lawyers or politicians.

12. Constitutional Convention • VA Plan: the first to be offered, called for 3 branches of gov’t: an executive, a bicameral legislature, and courts. The number of representatives from a state would be linked to its wealth and population. • Small states opposed the VA Plan. Why? • NJ Plan: called for a gov’t without strong, separate branches, proposed a unicameral legislature with an equal number of representatives from each state

13. Connecticut or Great Compromise • Combined the basic features of the VA and NJ Plans • Called for two houses in Congress • The smaller house or the Senate would have equal representation. How many senators does each state have today? • The larger house or the House of Representatives would be represented based on population.

14. Other Compromises • The Three-Fifths Compromise determined that states could count three-fifths of their slaves as part of their populations. What did this do to slave states’ representation in the House? • The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise kept Congress from taxing exports from any state and from acting against the slave trade for 20 years.

15. Ratifying the Consitution • The Framers completed their work on the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. • Only 9 out of the 13 states had to ratify the Constitution for it to take effect. • Americans were divided about their opinions of the Constitution. Two groups formed: the Federalists who favored the Constitution and the Anti-Federalists who opposed it

16. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists • The Federalists were largely made up of the Framers of the Constitution. They stressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. • Anti-Federalist were upset over almost every part of the Constitution, but two features got the most criticism: increased powers of the central gov’t and the lack of a bill of rights to protect basic liberties.

17. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists • The struggle for ratification was intense in several states. • Several of the Federalists: Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of 85 essays in support of the Constitution. The essays were published as letters to the people in newspapers in NY. They became known as the “Federalist Papers.” • The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution as a compromise for the Anti-Federalists. What amendments make up the Bill or Rights? What are some of the liberties they protect?

18. The Results • 1788: 11 states ratified the Constitution, states held elections for the new president • The first Congress of the new gov’t met in March 1789. Because a quorum, or the number of members required to do business was not present the electoral votes for president could not be counted until April 6. • George Washington was declared president. He took the oath of office on April 30. What date is set by the 20th amendment as the date for presidential inaugurations?