u.s. political beginnings
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U.S. Political Beginnings. By. Janine Hepler. English Ideas of Government. 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 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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