1. Early Colonial Period
Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619 – First Representative House of Government in the Colonies
Mayflower Compact – Representative Voice in government

2. Early Colonial Period
Virginia House of Burgesses, 1618 – First Representative House of Government in the Colonies. Only white, land owning males will be able to vote, establishment of slavery
Mayflower Compact – Representative Voice in government
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – First Written State Constitution in the Colonies
Colonies have limited rule from the King

3. Colonial and Government Relations
Salutary Neglect – British allow the colonists limited rule as long as they are following the laws of the empire
Mercantilism – Resources and Raw Materials are sent back to England and made into finished goods
The Navigation Acts – All colonial trade is to go through British ports for taxation

4. French and Indian War
The American colonists support the British crown in the fighting during the French and Indian War.
It is their hope to gain cheap and abundant land. The colonists help the crown gain victory, but they do not want settlements West of the Appalachian Mountains.
Albany Plan of the Union – First colonial attempt to unify the colonies, it fails, only six states sends delegates
The Proclamation of 1763 forbids colonial expansion and this causes resentment to the King. Colonists want more land, English do not want to pay for fighting against the Indians.

5. French and Indian War and the Proclamation of 1763

6. Causes of the Revolutionary War
Stamp Tax
Sugar Tax
Quartering Act
Writs of Assistance
Tea Act
Intolerable Acts – Closing down of Boston Harbor and Town Hall Meetings
French and Indian War
Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party

7. Boston Massacre Boston Tea Party

8. Seeds of Resentment to the Crown
1754 – Albany Plan of the Union, 6 delegates
1765 – Stamp Act Congress, 9 delegates
1774 – First Continental Congress, 12 delegates – Increased support against the King/laws.
Lexington and Concord 1775 – Colonial fighting with British troops

9. American patriotic beliefs and actions against the King
Belief in the natural rights of citizens that should be protected by a rightful government
Locke – Natural Rights
Montesquieu – 3 Branches of government
Rousseau – Social Contract
Voltaire – Right to overthrow poor governments
Thomas Paine – Common Sense – A famous book on belief of American freedom against the British King
The colonies are a separate nation, economy and people away from the British

10. Declaration of Independence
List of Grievances against the King
Not a framework of government
Seeking total independence for the colonies
The colonists fight the King with no framework of government in place

12. Revolutionary War and the Articles of Confederation
General Washington loses more battles then he wins, but wins the key battles to survive
Defeats the British at Yorktown and forces the King to free the Colonies
Articles of Confederation does not create a strong central government
All the power is given to the states
The weaknesses of the Articles shows that our nation needs a strong government
The government has no power to put down revolts (Shay’s Rebellion) and need a central authority

13. Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Federalists – Strong central government, military and economy supported by Andrew Hamilton
Anti-Federalists – Concerned over the powers of a strong government want a Bill of Rights to protect the people supported by Thomas Jefferson – Democratic Republicans
Start of the political party system
Federalist Papers – Series of documents that support the creation of the Constitution

14. Concerns over the Powers of Government
New Jersey Plan – Equal Representation based on smaller states – Senate
Virginia Plan – Large scale Representation through population – House of Representatives
Known as the Great Compromise through the creation of a Bi-Cameral Legislature
3/5’s Compromise – 3/5’s of all slave will be counted for taxation and representation
Bill of Rights will protect the people, but the central government is the strongest power in the nation through the Constitution

15. The Signing of the Constitution

16. Interpretation of the Constitution
Strict Interpretation – Belief that you have to follow the Constitution and not deviate from its direction
Loose Interpretation – Belief that times will change and there will be a need to have flexibility within the Constitution.
Thomas Jefferson goes from strict to loose interpreter when he buys the Louisiana Purchase. No where in the Constitution does it state we can buy this land, Jefferson does it because it will benefit our nation

17. Checks and Balances of American Constitutional Power
Legislative Branch – Art. 1 – Makes the Laws
Executive Branch – Art. 2 – Enforces the Laws
Judicial Branch – Art. 3 – Interprets the Laws
Elastic Clause – Article 1. Section 8 – The powers of the Legislative Branch to enforce the powers of the government.
Amendment Process – The Constitution can be changed over time with flexibility through the addition of amendments
Judicial Review – Marbury v. Madison – Power of the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution and decide if government, military and civilians actions are correct

18. Powers of Government - Federalism
Federalism is the Constitutional distribution of power between the Federal, State and Local levels of government
Delegate Powers – Federal Government powers
Reserved Powers – State Government powers
Concurrent Powers – Those powers that are shared between the State and Federal Government
Implied Powers – Responsibilities that are not stated in the Constitution, but are given to government

19. The Unwritten Constitution
Powers that were never stated in the Constitution, but help run government and the nation:
Judicial Review-Interpretation of the Constitution by the Supreme Court
Political party systems
The presidential cabinet
Swearing in of ambassadors

20. Voting and the United States
Presidents will win their elections usually through gaining the majority of electoral votes
It is possible for a President to win an election, by losing the popular vote
    2000 Election Facts
Outcome of race unknown for several weeks due to dispute over close vote totals in Florida
Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received 2,882,728 votes, but no Electoral Votes
Gore won DC; however one Elector did not cast a vote
One of only 4 elections, and first in over 100 years (1824, 1876, 1888, 2000) where the popular vote winner was defeated
Issues of the Day: Impeachment, Presidential ethics, Good economy
2000 George W. Bush (R)     Electoral 271     Popular 50,456,062 Albert Gore, Jr. (D)     Electoral 266     Popular 50,996,582
(R) = Republican (D) = Democratic

21. Electoral College and the 2000 Election
It is possible for a President to win an election, by losing the popular vote
    2000 Election Facts
Outcome of race unknown for several weeks due to dispute over close vote totals in Florida
Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received 2,882,728 votes, but no Electoral Votes
Gore won DC; however one Elector did not cast a vote
One of only 4 elections, and first in over 100 years (1824, 1876, 1888, 2000) where the popular vote winner was defeated
Issues of the Day: Impeachment, Presidential ethics, Good economy
2000 George W. Bush (R)     Electoral 271     Popular 50,456,062 Albert Gore, Jr. (D)     Electoral 266     Popular 50,996,582
(R) = Republican (D) = Democratic

22. Electoral College and 1980 Victory
1980 Ronald Reagan (R)     Electoral 489     Popular 43,901,812 Jimmy Carter (D) (I)     Electoral 49     Popular 35,483,820
(R) = Republican (D) = Democratic (I) = Incumbent

23. Adams and the Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien Act – Limitations on immigrants and the ease of their citizenship to our nation
Sedition Acts – Limitations places on First Amendment rights of our citizens
These acts were highly unpopular, but used to prevent the US from hurting our neutrality with fighting in British and French wars
These acts are nullified and deemed to be unconstitutional

24. War of 1812 Embargo Act of 1807 Intercourse Act
US declares war on England over impressments of sailors, trade violations and disrespect
Neither nation wins the war, US is weak, England fights a costly war. Both will never fight each other again

25. Monroe Doctrine
The United States is the main power in the Western Hemisphere
No new colonization in the Caribbean or Latin America
Dominant American Foreign Policy
Once a European nation is deposed, there is no new colonization