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ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. The English colonists in America brought with them three main concepts of government: 1. ordered government. (laws) 2. limited government , government should not be all- powerful. 3. representative government —serves the will of the people.

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ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

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  1. ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT The English colonists in America brought with them three main concepts of government: • 1. ordered government. (laws) • 2. limited government, government should not be all- powerful. • 3.representative government—serves the will of the people.

  2. Landmark English Documents • Magna Carta1215 (Great Charter) First document to limit the power of the King. Stopped arbitrary acts of the king. (nobles forced to sign) • The Petition of Right 1628. It further limited the power of the king, and gave more power to its legislature, Parliament. Challenged the idea of Divine Right. • English Bill of Rights 1689. Limited power of the king, guaranteed certain rights for English citizens (fair trial, no cruel and unusual punishment).

  3. Colonial Unity Second Continental Congress 1775-1781 • Acted as our countries first government for 5 years of the Revolution. Even though it had no constitution, it created the: Declaration of Independence, fought a war, raised armies and a navy, borrowed funds, bought supplies, created a money system, made treaties with foreign powers, and all other things that any government would have done at the time.

  4. Common Features of State Constitutions • Popular Sovereignty – the people hold power over government • Limited Government – Governmental power is not absolute. • Civil Rights / Liberties – Govt. must respect certain rights of the people • Separation of Powers/ Checks and Balances –Govt. divided into 3 branches, each branch had power to keep other branches in check (limit)

  5. Writing a plan of Government • The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) was Americas first written plan of government. Each state was sovereign. Why Articles? The people did not want govt. to be absolute again!

  6. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation • 1 vote/ state regardless of size in legislature, Congress. • Congress could not tax • Congress could not regulate foreign or interstate commerce, trade. • No executive (leader) to enforce acts of Congress. • No national court system (Supreme Court) • No national military, only state militias • All states need consent to amend (change), or ratify (agree) the Articles. • Each state had its own currency • 9/13 states were needed to pass laws. (only1 *)

  7. Shays Rebellion showed how weak the Articles were (war, financial crises) and led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia.

  8. Constitutional Convention • Virginia Plan. Created 3 branches of govt., bicameral congress, representation based on the size of a state's population. • New Jersey Plan. Called for a unicameral congress, each state had equal representation, regardless of the size of the population.

  9. Huge Conflict between states over representation in Congress • *Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)* solved the conflict: • Created a bicameral congress: upper house = Senate, Lower House = House of Representatives. • Senate, each state has 2 reps. Regardless of size. Small states  Equal Representation • House, each state has 1 rep. + additional rep. For every 30,000 members of population (650,00 now) Large states  Rep./ Population.

  10. Three Fifths Compromise • Southern States were unhappy, they had large slave populations. (threatened secession) • slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person for census purposes. Southern states get more representatives in the House. (racist!) Had to pay more taxes.

  11. Ratifying the Constitution The Constitution was very controversial at first, 2 groups emerge (1st political parties): • Federalists thought that the Articles of Confederation were weak, and argued for the ratification of the Constitution. • Anti-Federalists objected to the Constitution for many reasons, including the strong central government and the lack of a bill of rights.

  12. Ratification, change from The Articles • “The ratification of the conventions of nine states shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the states so ratifying the same” Article VII, Constitution • Nine States ratified the Constitution by June 21, 1788, but the new government needed the ratification of the large States of New York and Virginia. • Great debates were held in both States, with Virginia ratifying the Constitution June 25, 1788. • New York’s ratification on June 26 was hard fought. Supporters of the Constitution published a series of essays known as The Federalist (supporting the Constitution).

  13. Temporary Capital • The new Congress met for the first time in March 4, 1789. New York (Govt. begins) • Congress finally counted the electoral votes, Washington unanimously elected President. • In 1791 the Anti-Federalist are happy with the creation of the 1st 10 amendments to the Constitution (Bill of Rights). Amendment #1 guarantees 5 freedoms: 1.speech, 2. Press, 3. Religion, 4. Peaceful assembly, 5. Petition.

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