Chapter 4 Foundations: Background to American History

Washington’s Militia & Army

• Militiamen served as home guard and as supplement to the Continental Army

• The Continental Army was by contrast trained and more reliable

• None were battle-harden & ready to see the horror of war

Continental soldier

During the Revolution 1775-1783

• Jonathan Trumbull was the only British Governor that sided with the Americans

• John Peter Muhlenberg was a Protestant minister who recruited soldiers and rose to the rank of general

The Emergence of an American Culture• The Revolution helped

excite a sense of common nationality

• Celebration of Independence Day

• The American Consciousness and the idea of America’s Destiny

• Signers of the D. Of I. John Hancock, Ben Rush, Charles Carroll, & John Witherspoon

The Articles of Confederation• The period between 1781-

1787 was a “critical period” • During this period the

national government was weak for fear of a British-like central government

• The Confederation Congress dealt with the westward land distribution and it established three executive departments: Foreign Affairs, Finance, & War

Dickinson & the Articles of Confederation

Calls for a Stronger Government• Americans were losing their

fear of a strong central government

• Bankers, Merchants, and Mechanics now called for strong gov.

• James Madison called for a meeting in 1786 but not all the states came

• Alexander Hamilton called for a national convention the next year

James Madison

Adopting the Constitution

• The delegates who met included many participants from the Revolution

• James Madison & The Virginia Plan

• New Jersey Plan• Roger Sherman & The

Great Compromise

Signing the Constitution, September 17, 1787

Other Battles at the Convention• The battle between the

Northern & Southern delegates over slavery

• 3/5 compromise• Women’s rights left out of

constitution• In regard to citizenship it gave

Congress authority over naturalization

• American Indians would not be given citizenship until 1924

The Separation of Powers• The Founding Fathers

viewed the House as the most democratic

• The Senate would be chosen by the state legislatures

• The President could veto acts of Congress, appoint diplomats & judges, recommend legislation to Congress, & act as commander-in-chief of the armed forces

Checks & Balances• The Separation of the

three branches of gov.• The President’s veto• The congressional power

of impeachment• The Courts right of

judicial review• The Senate’s power to

approve or reject treaties & appointments

• Amendments

Checks & Balances• The Separation of the

three branches of gov.• The President’s veto• The congressional power

of impeachment• The Courts right of

judicial review• The Senate’s power to

approve or reject treaties & appointments

• Amendments

The First Supreme Court• The Congress setup the

structure of the federal court system

• Congress set the number on the high court a six and created thirteen federal district courts

• Members of the Supreme Court were required to serve on circuit courts as well

The First Chief Justice John Jay

The Bill of Rights• B/C MA, NY, VA, & NC had all

requested a “bill of rights” James Madison wrote a list of amendments and presented them to congress in 1789

• In the late 1700s the US was alone in the world b/c the constitution prevents Congress from establishing an official religion

• The 10th Amendment said that powers not given to the national Gov. remained w/ the states or the people

James Madison

Freedom of Religion• One of the 1st Amendment Rights

is religion• The Anglican Church suffered b/c

of its association with the British, it changed its name to the Episcopal Church

• The Methodist, Baptist, & Presbyterian churches grew bigger

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom

• We also got freedom of speech, press, and assembly in the 1st amendment

Jefferson & the Virginia Statue

More Amendments

• 2nd Amendment – the right to bear arms

• 3rd Amendment – we don’t have to quarter soldiers

• 4th Amendment – we are protected from unreasonable searches

• 5th Amendment – protects us from double jeopardy, from incriminate yourself, and gives the government eminent domain.

More Amendments• 6th Amendment - right to

public trail, jury, & lawyer• 7th Amendment – right to

jury in some civil cases• 8th Amendment – court

can’t inflict cruel and unusual punishment

• 9th list rights but doesn’t deny other rights

• 10th gives power to the states if not in the constitution

Alexis de Tocqueville• A French man that visited the

United States in 1831 believed America was great b/c of five values:

• Liberty – freedom, rule of law, and religious faith

• Egalitarianism – we are a society of equals

• Individualism – we are free to flourish w/o government

• Populism – common man free to participate in politics

• Laissez-faire – gov. has a “hands-off” approach to the economy