Origins of American Government

Our Political Heritage English colonists brought with them the idea of limited government. Concept that a government’s power was not absolute Colonists believed that they, too, enjoyed the rights guaranteed in the English Bill of Rights. The Founders followed the English system of law as described by Sir William Blackstone. Believed that the source of all human law was derived from the “law of nature and the law of revelation (Bible)” and that “no human laws should be suffered to contradict these”

Our Political Heritage The colonists believed in representative government such as Britain’s Parliament. Government in which people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government Enlightenment ideas of government as a social contract and of people’s natural rights influenced colonial thinking. Magna Carter – greatly influenced the American colonies as a guarantee of limited government, protection from unjust punishment and levying of taxes without popular consent

Colonial Governments Each colony had its own government, with a governor, a legislature, and a court system. The colonies operated under written constitutions, or charters, which established the colony’s government. Written “constitution” from the authorities of a society granting rights or privileges Although the structure of legislatures varied from colony to colony, they played a major role in each colony. Democratic ideals were incorporated into colonial governments through written constitutions, elected officials, and representative government

The Colonies on Their Own The American colonies were able to grow and expand without much interference. Following the costly French and Indian War, Britain tightened control over the colonies. Left Britain in extreme debt; King George III imposed taxes on tea, sugar, glass, paper and other products King George III and Parliament imposed taxes to generate revenue, which led to protests. Money a government collects from taxes and other sources

The Colonies on Their Own Opposition to British policies united the colonists and developed an American sense of community. Committees of correspondence developed a communication network among colonies.

Independence The First Continental Congress imposed an embargo on Britain and agreed to boycott British goods. Embargo – an agreement prohibiting trade Boycott – Refusal to buy The Second Continental Congress prepared for war and drafted a document of independence. Complaints against Britain included: levying unfair taxes, deprived colonists trial by jury, suspended legislatures in colonies

Independence The Declaration of Independence drew on Enlightenment ideals to justify the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. Colonists demanded the freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; freedom to institute their own governments The colonies began operating as independent and self - governing states, and most wrote constitutions containing a bill of rights.

Government Under the Articles Delegates to the Second Continental Congress debated the distribution of power between the national and state governments. The Articles of Confederation established a loose union among independent states with only a simple central government.

Government Under the Articles The central government had no court system, no executive, and a unicameral legislature with only the powers named in the Articles. Single chamber legislature Each state had one vote in Congress and all other powers not named in the Articles.

Problems in the Confederation Period The new states operated independently, issuing individual currencies and imposing tariffs on one another. Tax on imported goods The weak national government could not force states to give it money and had to rely on state courts to enforce and interpret national laws. Could not pay off creditors – people to whom money was owed Key achievements of the Confederation were the treaty with Britain, laws for organizing western land, approving money for a navy, and creating cabinet departments. Formal agreement between countries

Weaknesses of the Articles One vote for each state, regardless of size Congress powerless to collect taxes Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce No executive branch to enforce laws No national court system Amendment only with consent of all states A 9/13 majority required to pass laws

Need for a Stronger National Government Shays’s Rebellion spread unrest to other states, and American leaders believed the national government was vulnerable to anarchy. Following Shays’s Rebellion, delegates proposed changes to the Articles of Confederation to make the national government more effective. Congress consented to a convention with the sole purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.

The Constitutional Convention: Agreements and Compromises The delegates abandoned the Articles of Confederation, established a bicameral legislature with limited and representative government, and divided government powers among three branches. Two house legislative body (House of Reps, Senate) The Virginia Plan, supported by populous states, proposed legislative representation based on state population. The New Jersey Plan, supported by less populous states, proposed equal representation for each state

The Constitutional Convention: Agreements and Compromises The Connecticut Compromise had a two-part legislature with representation according to population in one part and two members from each state in the other. The Electoral College system resolved disagreement over how the president would be elected.

Disputes over Slavery Compromises over slavery enabled the delegates to create a new government but did not resolve the issue. Under the Three-Fifths Compromise, three-fifths of the enslaved African Americans were counted for both representation and tax purposes.

Disputes over Slavery A third compromise gave Congress the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce and prevented banning of the slave trade before 1808. Trade between the states The South’s exports were protected by prohibiting Congress from imposing export taxes.

Ratifying the Constitution Federalists favored the Constitution while Anti-Federalists, who feared a strong national government, opposed it. Wrote a series of essays entitles the Federalists Papers Anti-Federalists demanded a bill of rights to guarantee the citizens’ freedoms.

Ratifying the Constitution The Federalist Papers were written to defend the new Constitution in the ratification battle in New York. One of the new government’s first actions was approval of the amendments which became known as the Bill of Rights.