We the People 2.10

How Did the States Govern Themselves

After the Revolution?

Key Vocabulary

Legislative SupremacyPetitionPopular SovereigntyVeto

Basic Ideas About Government in the State ConstitutionsA. Natural rights and higher law

a. Purpose: to protect the people’s rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness

Basic Ideas cont.

B. Social Contract

a. The people agree to government (consent to be governed)

b. People give power to government in return for protection

Basic Ideas cont.

C. Popular Sovereignty

a.The people are the highest authority because they are the source of power

Basic Ideas cont.

D. Representation

a. people are elected to office

b. White men who owned property could vote

Basic Ideas cont.

E. Separation of Powers

a. Government was divided into branches: judicial, executive, legislative

Basic Ideas cont.

F. Checks and Balances

a. None of the branches of government had all of the power

b. Branches checked each other

Basic Ideas cont.

G. Legislative Supremacy

a. Majority of states set up their government so that the majority (most) power was controlled by the legislative branch

Problems of Legislative Supremacy

A. State governments did not protect property rights of citizens

B. Factions formed seeking to promote own interests

Problems cont.

C. State government taxed and controlled citizens (people) far more than British

D. State laws interfered with private lives of citizens

Importance of Massachusetts ConstitutionA. Last state to write its constitution

B. Distributed power more evenly among branches

Importance cont.

C. Governor could veto (refuse to sign laws) proposed by the legislature

D. Governor could appoint officials in executive and judicial branches

Importance cont.

E. Also divided into voting groups based on wealth

All Constitutions had a Declaration of Rights of CitizensAlso known as a bill of rights and protected the natural rights of the people

Important Ideas in Virginia Declaration of RightsA. All power comes from and kept by the people

B. Men are created equal with basic rights

Importance cont.

C. Government looks out for common good of people

(Relate back to Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence)

Importance cont.

D. Listed individual rightsa. Trial by juryb. Protection against self-incriminationc. Protection against cruel and unusual punishmentd. freedom of presse. Freedom of religion

Rights Protected in Other StatesA. Right to vote

B. Free elections

C. Freedom of speech and press

Other States cont.

D. No taxation without representation

E. The right to petition (plead for change) to government