the constitution (a brief history). colonial policies king controls the colonies, parliament has...
TRANSCRIPT
The Constitution(A Brief History)
Colonial Policies
•King controls the colonies, Parliament has little control
•2,000 miles away- too hard to govern▫Colonies become used to self-governing
•Federal relationship•More taxation
Colonial Unity
•Albany Plan▫Ben Franklin’s idea: yearly congress of
delegates Raise defense Trade Criminal matters
•Stamp Act Congress▫Act requires stamps on all paper products▫Delegates to New York- draft grievances
against King
First Continental Congress
•Intolerable Acts•Delegates to Philadelphia
▫Low turnout▫Urge boycott and creation of local
committees •Call for a second congress the following
May
The Second Continental Congress•1775- after Lexington and Concord•Representatives
▫All colonies send representatives▫George Washington attends and is elected
to lead the army•Becomes our first national government
▫Served for 5 years until Articles of Confederation
▫All powers in a unicameral legislature
The Articles of Confederation
•Approved in 1777 ratified in 1781•Government structure:
▫Unicameral congress▫One state-one vote▫One member to be the presiding officer
•This is a Confederate form of government▫Very weak central government
Critical Period
•States don’t support the federal government ▫Make agreements with other nations▫Form their own militaries
•Taxed each others goods•Printed own money•Shays’ Rebellion
▫Group of debtors lead a force to close the state courts
▫Attack federal arsenal
Independence
•Committee of 5 drafts Declaration of independence- largely the work of Jefferson
•First state Constitutions▫Common features:
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
The Constitutional Convention
•The Framers▫12 states send delegates: not ______________▫Average age: 42, most in their 30s
•Procedure▫George Washington elected
____________________________________________________________________
▫Worked in secrecy▫The decision:
________________________________________________________________________
The Virginia Plan
•Madison•_________________________________•_________________________________•Power of veto•_________________________________•Considered radical
The New Jersey Plan•Unicameral Congress•Each state
_________________________________•_________________________________•Limited powers for tax and trade
Compromises
•Connecticut▫Two house congress
__________________________________ __________________________________
•Three-Fifths▫____________________________________________
________________________•A bundle of compromises
Ratification•_________________ the Constitution is
signed•__________ ratify however they need a key
state such as ___________ or __________•__________- finally ratified and becomes
the new national government
SEVEN BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION Popular Sovereignty- the governments right to rule comes from the people Limited Government- the government has only the powers that the Constitution
gives to it Separation of Power-the Constitution divides the government into three branches: Congress-legislative branch makes laws President-executive branch carries out the laws Courts-judicial branch explains and interprets the laws Checks and Balances- each branch of government has the power to check or limit
the actions of the other two Federalism-division of power between the federal government and the states. Republicanism- citizens elect representatives to carry out their will Individual rights-The Constitution protects individual rights such as freedomof speech, freedom religion etc