The American Nation Chapter 7 Creating a Republic 1776–1790 Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.

The American Nation Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. Section 1: A Loose Confederation Section 2: The Constitutional Convention Section 3: Ideas Behind the Constitution Section 4: Ratification and the Bill of Rights Chapter 7: Creating a Republic 1776–1790

Chapter 7, Section 3 Ideas Behind the Constitution What did American leaders learn from studying ancient Rome? What traditions of freedom did Americans inherit from Great Britain and from their own colonial past? How did Enlightenment ideas shape the development of the Constitution?

What the Founding Fathers Learned From Ancient Rome Founding Fathers—the patriots who laid the groundwork for the United States, such as Madison and Jefferson. They admired the Roman Republic. They created a republic, a government in which citizens rule themselves through elected representatives. They admired Roman citizens who served the republic out of a sense of public service. They saw the collapse of Rome’s republic as a warning. They wanted to avoid a dictatorship, a government in which one person or small group holds complete authority. Chapter 7, Section 3

Traditions of Freedom Magna Carta English monarchs themselves had to obey the law. For example, the king could not raise taxes without consulting the Great Council. English nobles—and later, other people—had rights, including rights to property and the right to trial by jury. English Bill of Rights It stated that parliamentary elections should be held regularly. It upheld the right to trial by jury. It allowed citizens to bear arms. It affirmed the right of habeas corpus, the idea that no person could be held without being charged with a specific crime. British Traditions of Freedom Chapter 7, Section 3

Traditions of Freedom Constitutional Tradition Mayflower Compact, the first document of self-government in North America written colonial charters Revolutionary Era memory of grievances against the English king, expressed in the Declaration of Independence experience of the Second Continental Congress experience with the Articles of Confederation experience with state governments and state constitutions The American Experience Chapter 7, Section 3

Traditions of Freedom John Locke Two Treatises of Government All people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Government is an agreement between ruler and ruled. The ruler must enforce the laws and protect the people. If a ruler violates the people’s natural rights, the people have a right to rebel. Baron de Montesquieu The Spirit of the Laws The powers of government should be clearly defined. There should be a separation of powers, that is, the powers of government should be divided up among branches of government so no person or group gains too much power. A government should have three separate branches—legislative, executive, and judicial. Teachings of the Enlightenment Chapter 7, Section 3

Section 3 Assessment A republic is a kind of government where a) one person or group holds complete authority. b) military power is placed above civilian authority. c) citizens rule themselves through elected representatives. d) all citizens vote on all the laws. “Separation of powers” means that a) the powers of government should be clearly defined and divided up among different branches of government. b) the powers of government are decided by the legislative branch and approved by the judicial branch. c) no person shall be held in jail without first being charged. d) the Founding Fathers worked separately from each other to suggest plans for a government. Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.Click here. Chapter 7, Section 3

Section 3 Assessment A republic is a kind of government where a) one person or group holds complete authority. b) military power is placed above civilian authority. c) citizens rule themselves through elected representatives. d) all citizens vote on all the laws. “Separation of powers” means that a) the powers of government should be clearly defined and divided up among different branches of government. b) the powers of government are decided by the legislative branch and approved by the judicial branch. c) no person shall be held in jail without first being charged. d) the Founding Fathers worked separately from each other to suggest plans for a government. Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.Click here. Chapter 7, Section 3