Our Political Beginnings

What do you know? Spend 5 minutes completing the following

chart in your journals:Rev. War

Decl.

of

Indep.

Artic.

of

Confed.

Const.

Conv.

Bill

of

RightsWho

What

When

Why

Colonies in the New World Colonies were colonized by many

European Countries. French, Dutch, Spanish, Swedes, and others. English was most influential

The English first attempts to settle in North America, at Roanoke, failed with one group of settlers completely disappearing without a trace.

It wasn’t until 1607 that the first permanent English settlement in North America was established at Jamestown, Virginia, along the Chesapeake Bay.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE FOUNDING OF THE NATION

The Mayflower Compact The Pilgrims, a branch of the Puritans,

arrived off the coast of Massachusetts in November 1620 Determined to live sacred lives according to

biblical commands. Thought failures of Jamestown were because of

lack of strong government and leadership. Puritans believed that covenants (binding

agreements) existed not only between God and man, but also between man and man.

Importance of Mayflower Compact Belief that for government to be

legitimate, it must derive from the consent of the governed.

The settlers agreed to form a government and be bound by its rules.

7

Take the Greece, Rome, or Home Challenge. Examine these photographs of buildings from ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and Washington, D.C. In your notebook identify each as “ancient” or “United States.”

Check your answers as the correct locations are revealed.

Washington, D.C.:Supreme Court

Washington, D.C.:Department of Treasury

Athens:Parthenon

Rome:Pantheon

Washington, D.C.:Jefferson Memorial

Washington, D.C.:Capitol Building

Roots of American Government Where did all of these

ideas come from? Influenced by Classical

(Greek & Roman) ideas Had lots of laws, based

on Old Testament Ordered/Restricted

governments Based on Landmark

English Documents English & French

Enlightenment

9

Follow AlongFor this part of the

presentation, tape the illustration of a tree given you at the top of a page in your notebook. Use this as a guide while taking notes . . . .

Classical Roots Ancient Greece

Direct Democracy—decisionmaking by all citizens(New England town hall meetings)

Ancient Rome Republic (Indirect Democracy) Decisions made by officials

elected from citizenry Civic Virtue

English RootsLandmark English Documents Magna Carta Petition of Rights English Bill of Rights

Magna Carta 1215 Established principle that the power of the

monarch is not absolute Principles of ordinary justice

Fines to be proportionate to the offense Compensation for taking property Due process Trial by jury

Petition of Right

Magna Carta was respected by some monarchs, and ignored by others for 400 years.

During this time, England’s Parliament grew in strength.

They forced King Charles I to sign when he asked Parliament for more taxes.

Limited the power of the king Could not imprison or punish without judgment

of peers or law of the land. Could not impose martial law. Require housing of the king’s troops in homes.

English Bill of Rights (1689) Parliament created a list of provisions to

which William and Mary had to agree upon before taking the throne

Prohibited a standing army in peacetime. That parliamentary elections be free. That taxation without the approval of

Parliament was prohibited. Guaranteed right to a fair trial, freedom from

excessive bail, and no cruel and inhuman punishment.

The Scientific RevolutionThe Scientific Revolution

Aristotelian scienceAristotelian science The search for The search for natural natural

lawslaws The Copernican The Copernican

RevolutionRevolution heliocentric vs. heliocentric vs.

geocentricgeocentric Newtonian PhysicsNewtonian Physics

“ “God as Clockmaker”God as Clockmaker”

The Scientific RevolutionThe Scientific RevolutionWhat is “revolutionary”?What is “revolutionary”?

New universal order dictated by New universal order dictated by natural, logical principle rather than natural, logical principle rather than divine mandatedivine mandate

“ “Natural” & “Logical” Natural” & “Logical” can be can be deduced by rational thoughtdeduced by rational thought

Once discovered, can be Once discovered, can be manipulated/controlled/harnessedmanipulated/controlled/harnessed

Process of questioning in itself is Process of questioning in itself is newnew

From Science to SocietyFrom Science to Society If natural laws govern If natural laws govern

natural processes, do natural processes, do they also govern man?they also govern man?

The Enlightenment—The Enlightenment—as much a revolution as much a revolution in the idea of mankind in the idea of mankind as in scienceas in science

Enlightenment QuestionsEnlightenment Questions Enlightenment philosophers basically Enlightenment philosophers basically

pursued these basic questions:pursued these basic questions: What is the essence of human What is the essence of human

nature?nature? What is “the natural state of man”?What is “the natural state of man”? What is the relationship between a What is the relationship between a

society and its government?society and its government?

English & French EnlightenmentLet’s discuss Locke, Hobbes,, Montesquieu

and Rousseau in more detail…

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651) The strongest element was

passion, not reason The strongest passion is

fear of violent death This fear gives rise to the

natural right of self-preservation

The natural right of self-preservation is the basis of Hobbes’ thought

Without Government:

“All man’s life would be nasty, brutish and short!”

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651) In a state of nature

there is a war of every man against every man

Of the three forms of sovereignty (monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy), monarchy is the most effective in securing peace

Leviathan (1651)

John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690) The state of nature is

not a state of perpetual war

All men are free and equal; no man by nature is sovereign over another man

Natural rights include the right to Life, Liberty, and Estate (property)

John Locke (1632-1704)

John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690) No one ought to harm another in his

life, liberty, or property; if anyone does harm another, the one he harms has the right to punish him

Through a social contract, people create a government to protect their natural rights of life, liberty, and property

The best form of government to protect natural rights is a government of limited powers (constitutionalism)

If a government breaks the social contract, the people have the right to dissolve it

Two Treatises of Civil Government (1690)

Hobbes vs. Locke: essential concepts Concepts they share:

The State of Nature Natural Rights The Social Contract

Where they differ: What drives human

behavior? Passion (Hobbes) Reason (Locke)

What is the best form of government?

Absolute monarchy (Hobbes)

Constitutionalism (Locke)

Hobbes

Locke

Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) Man is best in the state of

nature Since perfect freedom is the

natural condition of human beings, it is the existence of social restrictions that requires explanation

Only the family is truly a natural association

Military conquest and slavery in its usual forms cannot establish any genuine right for one person to rule over another

Society must devolve from a social contract in which individual citizens voluntarily participate

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) But throughout history,

the wealthiest and most powerful members of society made inequality a permanent feature of human society

Rather than have a government which largely protects the wealth and the rights of the powerful few, government should be fundamentally based on the rights and equality of everyone

Saw government as the key source of power and inequality, which led to corruption.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

Natural Rights

Locke's idea of a “government with the consent of the governed” and people's natural rights of life, liberty and property had an enormous influence on the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Natural Rights= life, liberty and property…

John Locke

Social Contract

Thomas Hobbes

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

In order to live in society, human beings agree to an implicit social contract, which gives them certain rights in return for giving up certain freedoms.

People in a state of nature give up their individual rights to a strong power in return for his protection, so social contract evolved out of self-interest.

Separation of Power

Montesquieu saw governing powers broken up into executive, legislative and judicial powers with each having power over the other.

Baron de Montesquieu

Time passes on… 1607- first permanent settlement Settlement continued… 1760- George III becomes King of England British beat French in Seven years’ War

(French and Indian War), leaving Britain in huge debt.

In an attempt to raise money, the King: reforms colonial administration enforces tax laws places troops in America

The New “American” People It had been over 150 years since the

colonies were discovered and established England was over 3000 miles away It took nearly 2 months to sail that

distance Colonists wondered how could Britain

really by in touch with the people here? Colonists only had one decision to make:

Submit or Revolt?

By 1732 the English had established 13 colonies in North America.

In 1763 the British government instituted the Proclamation of 1763 which prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains.

After the Proclamation of 1763 the British continued to enact strict policies on the people living in the colonies.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE FOUNDING OF THE NATION

Stamp Act Congress (1765) 9 colonies sent delegates to New York Declaration of rights and Grievances 1st time a significant number of

colonies joined to oppose the British government

Parliament repealed Stamp Act New Laws passed by Parliament More Protests by Colonists (Boston)

The colonist argued that England could not tax them if they did not have representation in the British Parliament.

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!!

The colonist were angered by the British policies.

In 1773 after the British enacted the Tea Act the colonist protested by boarding a ship in the Boston Harbor loaded with tea and throwing it overboard. This action became known as the Boston Tea Party.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE FOUNDING OF THE NATION

First Continental Congress (1774) Met in Philadelphia because of ‘Intolerable

Acts’ Delegates from 12 of 13 colonies Sent a Declaration of Rights to King

George III Decided to refuse trade with England until

taxes were removed and trade regulations removed.

Planned to meet the following May for a Second Congress.

Conditions Worsened… King denied declaration of Rights

Created stricter and more repressive rules

Revolution had begun

Second Continental Congress (1775) Met in Philadelphia Delegates from all 13 states John Hancock chosen as President,

Washington as Commander in Chief of newly created continental Army.

Became nation’s first National Government, lasted for 5 years.

After more than a year of fighting the colonies decided that it was time to separate themselves from England.

Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write a Declaration of Independence that stated that all people had certain “unalienable rights”, and should not be treated the way the colonist had been treated by King George of England.

Declaration of Independence

Where did these ideas come from? The ideas of European Enlightenment

thinkers contributed greatly to the documents that shaped our country.

In particular: Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, and Montesquieu(We’ll explore their ideas more soon…)

Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence (1776) The founding document of

the United States of America

Influenced by Enlightenment political thought, especially that of John Locke

States the principles upon which the new nation would be founded

Jefferson’s argument for independence Natural rights A right to revolution A list of grievances

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence (1776) Not easily attained Meant to be performed

See videos

The Declaration of Independence

The Revolutionary War continued until 1781 when the Americans, helped by the French, finally defeated the British.

The War finally ends…

Development of State Constitutions All contained popular sovereignty (consent

of governed) All had separation of powers All had checks and balances Massachusetts Constitution was voted on

by the people and is the oldest written Constitution in the World

Virginia Constitution: 3 branches, bicameral legislature, State Supreme Court

After the Revolutionary war the American colonies were no longer under British rule. They needed to establish their own government.

The first set of laws created to govern the 13 new states was called the Articles of Confederation.

Under the Articles of Confederation the new country had a weak national government and 13 strong state governments.

The First Government

Articles of Confederation Established one Congress- no Executive or

Judicial branch.

Congress could make war and peace, establish a money system, build a navy, and settle disputes among states etc…

Had many weaknesses!

Weaknesses of the Article of Confederation• One vote for each State, regardless of size• Congress powerless to lay and collect taxes

• Foreign debts could not be paid back

• No power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce

• No national court system• No checks on acts of Congress• Amendments only with consent of all States• 9/13 majority required to pass laws• Only a “firm league of friendship”

The Critical Period

A Need for Stronger Government “for the sole and express purpose of revising the

Articles of Confederation and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures such alterations and provisions therein as shall when agreed to in Congress and confirmed by the States render the [Articles] adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union.”

The United States in Congress Assembled, February

21, 1787

The Constitutional Convention• 12 of the 13 States sent delegates to

Philadelphia (no one from RI)• These 55 men are referred to as the

“Framers” of the Constitution• Elected George Washington as president of

the convention• Surprising people not in attendance:

▫ Patrick Henry (“I smell a rat”)▫ Samuel Adams▫ John Hancock▫ Thomas Jefferson▫ John Adams

The Constitutional Convention All deliberations were to be kept secret Madison contributed more than anyone

else and became the floor leader The Framers met on 89 of the 116 days

from May 25th thru Sept. 17th

The convention was called to recommend revisions to the Articles, but the Framers decided it was to create a new government for the US.

Compromises… New Jersey Plan v. Virginia Plan…

Great Compromise

3/5 Compromise

Finishing the Constitution Sources and Inspiration for the

Constitution Greece, Rome, Great Britain, others in Europe Enlightenment Thinkers

The Convention Completes Its Work September 17, 1787 39 signed—3 refused

The Constitution Article I: The Legislature Article II: The Executive Article III: The Judiciary Article IV: Relations between State and

National Governments Article V: Amending the Constitution Article VI: Constitution as the supreme law

of the land Article VII: Ratification Process

In order for the Constitution to take effect, nine of the thirteen states had to ratify, or approve, it.

The supporters of the Constitution with a strong national government were called Federalist, those who apposed the Constitution with a strong national government were called Anti-federalist.

Ratification…

Federalists—who favored ratification

Led by Madison and Hamilton

Anti-Federalists—who opposed ratification

Led by Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock and Samuel AdamsConcerns about increased central power and no Bill of Rights

Fight for Ratification

The Anti-federalist did not want to approve of the Constitution unless it contained a Bill of Rights to protect the basic freedoms of man.

In May,1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Enough states had now approved of the Constitution to put it into operation.

Ratifying the Constitution

The Fight for Ratification (cont.) Virginia’s Ratification

Washington’s support was crucial Very divided 89-79

New York, The Last Key State 30-27 Only with the help of 85 essays called The Federalist

Papers (printed in newspapers under fake names) by Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay

Ratifying the Constitution Inaugurating the Government

April 6, 1789 in Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York becomes the temporary capital

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

North Carolina first failed to ratify. Rhode Island was last more than a year later.

Basic Features of the New Gov’t Republicanism: fear of rule completely by

the people Limited Government Separation of Powers Checks and Balances Federalism Protect minorities Change is possible (and necessary)

Did you get it????

1. What was the name to the first set of laws written to govern the first 13 colonies?

2. What is the name of the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

3. What group would not approve the constitution unless it included the Bill of Rights?

4. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are considered what?

5. What Enlightenment Thinkers influence the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?