1. Political Influences on the United States

2. Magna Carta 1215 The Magna Carta was signed by King John in 1215.
It asserted the right of British citizens to
A trial by jury
No imprisonment without a trial
No taxation except by approval of Parliament

3. English Bill of Rights 1689 Passed by Parliament in 1689.
English rights reinforced:
no taxation
right to petition
individual rights

4. American Revolutionary Period

5. 1776 Declaration of Independence signed.
Start of the Revolutionary War.
United States established as an independent nation.

6. Representative Government
A system of government in which power is held by the people and their will is carried out by elected representatives.

7. Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
Written by Thomas Jefferson
American colonies declare independence from England
List of grievances against King George III

8. Declaration of Independence
The Declaration states the two major principles on which the Constitution is based:
Government gets its power from the consent of the governed.
All men are created equal and have unalienable rights.

9. Thomas Jefferson Main author of the Declaration of Independence
3rd President

10. Unalienable Rights
Rights/Privileges according to the Declaration of Independence.
These rights cannot be taken away.
Unalienable Rights are:
Life
Liberty
Pursuit of happiness

11. Grievances =
Complains

12. Colonial Grievances Taxation without consent (permission)
No representation
No trial by jury
Quartering troops
Standing armies in peace time

13. Revolution Armed rebellion
Uprising against the government or authority
A period of great change

14. Independence
Free from influence or control of other nations, sovereign.

15. American Revolution
The war of independence fought between Britain and 13 of its colonies in North America

16. George Washington Leader of the Continental Army during the Revolution
1st president of the United States

17. Treaty of Paris (1783) Ended the Revolutionary War.
British recognized colonists’ independence.
British gave colonists all the lands stretching west of the Mississippi River.

18. Confederation
An alliance of states where states have the majority of the power and retain their sovereignty.

19. Articles of Confederation
First government of United States from 1781 – 1788.
State sovereignty
Weak national government
No standing army
No power to tax
No courts
No executive

20. U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights

21. 1787
U.S. Constitution written at Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia
Ratification of Constitution and Federalist Papers in 1788.

22. Philadelphia Convention
1787
Constitutional convention resulted in creation of FEDERAL government (separate executive, judicial and legislative branches)
Convention replaced the Articles of Confederation and wrote the U.S. Constitution

23. Principles of the U.S. Constitution
Basic law and government of the United States
Based on 7 principles:
Republicanism
Popular sovereignty
Federalism
Limited government
Separation of power
Checks and balances
Individual rights

24. Republicanism
The idea that government is controlled by the people who hold power and elect representatives, giving those representatives power to make and enforce laws.

25. Popular Sovereignty
All political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government.

26. Limited Government Limits are placed on the powers of government
Everyone, including all authority figures, must obey the laws

27. Checks and Balances
Each branch of the government shares its power and checks the other two.
Prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful.

28. Federalism
Distribution of the powers of government between a central (federal) government and the regional (states) governments.

29. = 1

30. = 50

31. Separation of Powers Form of government organized in three branches
A legislative branch (Congress)
An executive branch (the President)
A judicial branch (Supreme Court)

35. Individual Rights
The rights of the people protected in the Bill of Rights including:
Economic rights related to property
Political rights related to freedom of speech and press
personal rights related to bearing arms and maintaining private residences

36. Federalist Papers Newspaper articles in New York state.
Explained reasons why people should adopt the new US constitution.
Authors: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay.

37. Ratify
Approve

38. Amendments
The way of making changes to the U.S. Constitution

39. Bill of Rights First ten amendments to the Constitution
(ratified in 1791)

40. First Amendment: Religious and Political Freedom
States that “Congress shall make no law” restricting freedom of:
Speech
Press
Religion
Assembly
Petition

41. Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms
Guarantees the right of states to organize militias, or armies, and the right of individuals to bear arms.

42. Third Amendment: Quartering of Troops
Soldiers cannot be housed in people’s homes unless it is approved by law.

43. Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure
Protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.
If a judge believes the search is reasonable, a search warrant will be granted.

44. Fifth Amendment: Rights of the Accused
This amendment protects an accused person from having to testify against him or herself (self-incrimination).
It bans double jeopardy (tried twice for the same crime)
It guarantees that no citizen may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law – certain legal procedures that must be carried out before a person can be punished.

45. Sixth Amendment: Right to a Speedy, Public Trial
Guarantees a fair and impartial trial to those accused of a crime.
Accused must be told of the charges.
Accused has a right to a trial by jury.
Accused has a right to be represented by a lawyer.

46. Seventh Amendment: Trial by Jury in Civil Cases
Guarantees individuals the right to a jury trial in many non-criminal matters.

47. Eighth Amendment: Limits of Fines and Punishment
Federal courts can not require an unusually high bail.
No one can be punished in an cruel and unusual way.