A NEW CONSTITUTIONMiss Smith

7th Grade Civics

*pgs. 43-48 Civics in Practice

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AND HISTORYThe U.S. Constitution is the oldest constitution still governing a country today

BRITISH PRINCIPLES INFLUENCE THE DELEGATES Magna Carta

Guaranteed that free people could not be arrested, put in prison, or forced to leave their nation unless they were given a trial by a jury of their peers

English Bill of Rights Guaranteed rights such as: the right to petition/request the government

to improve or change laws The right to a fair punishment if a citizen were to be found guilty of a

crime

Parliamentary Government Parliament- the lawmaking body of Great Britain. It is bicameral (has 2

parts or “houses”) Each house can check the work of the other The head of Parliament is the Prime Minister

BRITISH PRINCIPLES INFLUENCE THE DELEGATES The Mayflower Compact

First document to establish self government in the colonies

The Enlightenment Philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques

Rousseau Believed that government exists only by the “consent of the governed”

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom Written by Thomas Jefferson Argued that government has no right to impose or interfere with religious

practice

DELEGATES HOLD THEIR MEETINGS IN SECRETJames Madison is considered the Father of the ConstitutionHis journals are the only source that tells us what happened during the Constitutional Convention

WRITING THE CONSTITUTION Federalism- system of government that divides powers between national and state governments

Compromise- agreement in which each side gives up part of its demands in order to reach a solution to a problem

The Great Compromise- delegates compromised when they created 2 houses of Congress Senate: states have equal representation House of Representatives: each state is represented according to population size

GOVERNMENT BECOMES STRONGERCongress now has power to:

Coin/print moneyRaise armed forcesRegulate trade (among states and with foreign countries)

Set taxes

The president can carry out lawsSupreme Court interprets laws

THE CONSTITUTION IS COMPLETEDSeptember 17, 1781 the Constitution was signed by 39 out of 42 framers/delegates

APPROVING THE CONSTITUTIONRatification- official approvalThe Constitution had to be ratified by 9 out of the 13 states

FEDERALISTS, ANTIFEDERALISTS, AND RATIFICATIONFederalists- supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government

Antifederalists- people who opposed the new Constitution and the federal system of government

THE CONSTITUTION IS RATIFIEDThe Bill of Rights was added to ease the minds of citizens so the Constitution would be approved

The Constitution was put into effect in March 1789

George Washington was sworn in as president on April 30, 1789