u.s. political beginnings

U.S. Political U.S. Political BeginningsBeginnings

By. Janine Hepler

English Ideas of English Ideas of GovernmentGovernment

Ordered Government•Prevent chaos•Rules should help people get along

Limited Government•Gov’t. only has certain powers•People have rights

Representative Government•People control the power of government•Gov’t. is led by its citizens

Influential British Influential British DocumentsDocuments

Magna Carta Limited gov’t. & gave fundamental rights to citizensKing didn’t have total power (trial by jury, due process)

Petition of RightReduced authority of Crown, more power for ParliamentLimited King’s power (protected people from military rule/housing soldiers)

English Bill of RightsRedefined rights of Parliament & individualsNo peacetime armies, fair & speedy trials, free elections

Colonial GovernmentsColonial Governments• Started w/ charter

o Permission from the King

• Ruled by Governors w/limited powers

• Governors had councils that could tax & spend

• Bicameral legislatureo 2-houses/chambers

3 Types of Colonies3 Types of Colonies

Royal Controlled by the King, subject to the CrownAppointed governors advised by councils

ProprietaryControlled by wealthy private owners who appointed governors advised by councils

CharterSelf-governing colonists, elected governors advised by councils

Important Steps Toward Important Steps Toward IndependenceIndependence

Timeline Assignment

16431643• New England

Confederation is formed

• “League of friendship” for defense against Native Americans

16961696• William Penn tries

(but fails) to organize cooperation

• Offered plan for intercolonial cooperation—trade, defense, & criminal matters (received little attention)

17541754• Benjamin Franklin

proposes the Albany Plan of Union

• Called for a Congress with delegates from all the Colonies—rejected by BOTH the colonists & the King

17651765• Stamp Act passed &

Stamp Act Congress meets— “No taxation w/o representation!”

• The Stamp Act placed a tax on all legal documents in the colonies

• Stamp Act Congress met in NY, prepared protest & boycotts

1770—March 51770—March 5thth • Boston Massacre

• British troops fired on a jeering crowd, killed 5 people

1772 1772 • Committees of

Correspondence are organized

• Grew out of group organized by Samuel Adams—created network of information among patriots

1773—December 161773—December 16thth • Boston Tea

Party

• Group of men disguised as Native Americans boarded & dumped the cargo of 3 British ships in protest

1774—Spring 1774—Spring • Intolerable Acts

passed

• Parliament passed a new wave of laws aimed to punish Colonists

• Massachusetts & Virginia to call a mtg. of all the colonies

1774—September 51774—September 5thth • First Continental

Congress meets

• 35 delegates (from all colonies EXCEPT Georgia) met in Philadelphia

• Sent Declaration of Rights to King George III

1775—April 191775—April 19thth • “Shot heard ‘round

the world”: Revolution at Lexington & Concord

• Colonial Revolution begins

1775—May 101775—May 10thth • Second Continental

Congress meets

• All 13 colonies send representatives—unicameral

• Becomes 1st gov’t. out of necessity

• George Washington is made commander in chief

1776—June 71776—June 7thth • U.S. independence

is proposed

• Proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia

1776—July 21776—July 2ndnd • Congress passes

the Independence Resolution

• Delegates unanimously agree to Lee’s resolution

• Congress names committee of 5 to draft declaration

1776—July 41776—July 4thth • Declaration of

Independence

• Written almost wholly by Thomas Jefferson—announces to the world America’s intentions

1781—March 11781—March 1stst • Articles of

Confederation go into effect

• Provided for our 1st government

The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Structure of Structure of GovernmentGovernment

Congress=only branch of government Unicameral

No executive or judicial branches Handled by committee

President of Congress selected by legislature

“Firm League of Friendship” among states

Powers of CongressPowers of Congress Make war & peace Send & receive ambassadors Make treaties Borrow money Set up monetary system Build navy Raise army Fix uniform standards of weights & measures Settle disputes b/t the states

Obligations of the Obligations of the StatesStates

Obey Articles & all acts of Congress Provide funds & troops requested by Congress Treat citizens of other states equally Give full, faith, & credit to acts, records, & trials

of other states Surrender fugitives to each other Submit disputes to Congress Allow open travel & trade b/t & among states

Weaknesses of the Weaknesses of the ArticlesArticles

Only created a “firm league of friendship” 1 vote per state regardless of size No power to tax—had to borrow from states No power to regulate foreign & interstate trade No power to force states to obey national laws No executive to enforce laws No national court system 9/13 majority required to pass laws 13/13 to amend Articles

Review: Review: Colonial America & the Colonial America & the

Articles of Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Describe how the relationship Describe how the relationship between Great Britain & its American between Great Britain & its American colonies changed during the 1700s.colonies changed during the 1700s.

• In the early 1700s, the colonies were mostly self-governingo GREAT DISTANCE B/T THE COLONIES & BRITAIN

• In the 1760s, under the reign of King George III, Britain began to impose strict laws & harsh taxes on its American colonies.

• Colonists resented the laws & especially the taxes because they weren’t represented in Parliamento NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!

Describe the government established Describe the government established by the Articles of Confederation & by the Articles of Confederation &

explain why the plan ultimately failed.explain why the plan ultimately failed.• The Articles of Confederation established a “firm

league of friendship” among the states

• Under the Articles, States were empowered while the National Government was given few powerso ONLY 1 BRANCH OF GOV’T., NO EXECUTIVE TO ENFORCE LAWS, NO

POWER TO TAX, NO NATIONAL COURT SYSTEM, DIFFICULT TO PASS LAWS (9/13) OR TO CHANGE THE ARTICLES (13/13)

• Ultimately, the plan failed because the National Government was too weak to deal with the nation’s growing problems

Creating the Creating the ConstitutionConstitution

Early State Early State ConstitutionsConstitutions

• Most were written/adopted in 1776 & 1777 at state conventions & assemblies

• All were different, but had shared (common) ideas

Common Ideas Common Ideas Limited Government

Civil Rights & Libertieso Guaranteed individual freedoms & protections

Separation of Powerso Divided government into 3 independent & co-equal branches

Checks & Balanceso Allows each branch of government to check the action of the others

Popular Sovereigntyo People hold the power & final authority

The Constitutional The Constitutional ConventionConvention

• Held in the spring/summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, PA

• Delegates from 12 states originally met to revise the Articles—later became Framers of a new constitution

• Rhode Island didn’t send a delegate

George Washington was unanimously selected President of the Convention

The FramersThe Framers• Average age=42

• Met at Independence Hall

• James Madison contributed most

• Decided to keep deliberations secret

• Important people who didn’t attend: o Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, John

Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, & John Adams

Authors of the Constitution—educated, wealthy, & politically-

active gentlemen

The Virginia PlanThe Virginia Plan• Proposed by Edmund

Randolph

• Created by VA delegates (especially James Madison)

• Provided more power to the national gov’t.

• Benefitted large states

Virginia Plan Virginia Plan ProvisionsProvisions

• Veto power over state laws

• Congress chooses executive & judicial branches

• Veto power of executive & judiciary over Congress

• 3 separate branches

• Bicameral legislature:o Upper: chosen by

Stateso Lower: popularly

elected

• Representation based on population or wealth of state

The New Jersey PlanThe New Jersey Plan• Presented by William

Patterson

• Created by NJ delegates

• Kept power for the States—much like Articles

• Benefitted small States

New Jersey Plan New Jersey Plan ProvisionsProvisions

• More than 1 executive—chosen by legislature

• State governors could remove executive

• Judiciary appointed by executive

• Unicameral legislature

• Equal representation for States

• Limited power to tax & regulate trade

The Connecticut The Connecticut CompromiseCompromise

• AKA “The Great Compromise”

• Proposed by Roger Sherman of CT

• Benefitted ALL states—everyone wins!

CT Compromise CT Compromise ProvisionsProvisions

• Bicameral Congress• Maintained most of VA

Plan

House of Representatives

• Based on population

Senate• Based on equal

representation for each State

The 3/5The 3/5thsths Compromise CompromiseNorthern States•BOTH taxes & representation were based on population

Southern States•Could add 3/5ths of slaves toward population for representation•Also had to count slaves toward taxation

Commerce & Slave Commerce & Slave Trade CompromisesTrade Compromises

BOTH compromises benefitted Southern

states

Commerce •Congress was forbidden to tax exports

Slave Trade•Congress was forbidden to pass laws against the slave trade for 20 years

People Whose People Whose Interests Were Interests Were

Ignored/Harmed…Ignored/Harmed…

Enslaved Americans Native Americans Women

Constitution was completed in

September 1787

Constitutional Plans Constitutional Plans ReviewReview

VA vs. NJ PlanVA vs. NJ Plan

Assignment: Assignment: Ratifying the Ratifying the ConstitutionConstitution

1. Define: Ratification.

2. Compare & Contrast the Federalists vs. Antifederalists INCLUDE:• Definition of each• Argument either for/against• Supporters

3. Make a list of the 5 issues involved in the ratification debate—EXPLAIN EACH.

4. Why were New York & Virginia vital to the ratification process?—EXPLAIN.

5. Describe our new government INCLUDE:• President, Vice President, Capital City

Ratifying the Ratifying the ConstitutionConstitution

Fight for RatificationFight for Ratification• The new Constitution

replaced the Articles of Confederation

• Before the Constitution could go into effect, 9 of the 13 states had to ratify ito Formally approve/adopt

The Debate Over The Debate Over RatificationRatification

• Two groups formed during the ratification process:

• Federalists: favored ratification

• Antifederalists: strongly opposed ratification

The FederalistsThe Federalists• Favored the Constitution

• Wanted constitutionally divided powers b/t the States & the central gov’t.

• Believed the Constitution was strong enough to solve the country’s problems

• Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Marshall, etc.

The AntifederalistsThe Antifederalists• Opposed the

Constitution

• Believed the Constitution was too strong—attacked almost every part of the document

• Wanted a Bill of Rights added to protect individual freedoms

• Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Richard Henry Lee, & Samuel Adams

Constitutional Constitutional Criticism—Criticism—Issues in Issues in

DebateDebate Greatly increased powers of the central gov’t.

Articles= too weak, BUT Constitution= too strong

Lack of a bill of rightsNo protection of speech, religion, press, rights of a free trial, etc.

Absence of the mention of God

Denial to the States to print money

The ratification process itselfoOnly needed 9/13 to ratify

The Struggle for The Struggle for RatificationRatification

• Framers required 9/13 states

• Delaware was the first to ratify

• Ratification was close in many states, but the Federalists won the battle in 9 states

Virginia & New YorkVirginia & New York• Most powerful States—

large populations, home to influential political figures

• George Washington threw his support behind the Federalists

• New York (the last state to ratify) was won over by The Federalist paperso 85 essays published as letters to the

people in newspapers

Inaugurating the New Inaugurating the New GovernmentGovernment

• 11 states had ratified

• Chose New York City at temporary capital

• George Washington was unanimously elected as President

• John Adams was named Vice President

Ratification ReviewRatification ReviewFederalists vs. Antifederalists