1. Historical Roots of American Government
Chapter 2
Historical Roots of American Government

2. Basic Concepts of Government
Name some basic human rights and freedoms.
Where did you get your ideas?
We are going to discuss where Americans got their ideas about people’s political rights and freedoms.

3. Leading Up to the Declaration
The Magna Carta (1215)
The basic notions of ordered government, of limited government, and of representative government can be traced to several landmark document in English history: The Magna Carta, The Petition of Right and The Bill of Rights. .

5. Leading Up to the Declaration
The Magna Carta (1215)
First document to ever limit the power of a king
Guaranteed some rights of citizens – king could not punish someone without jury trial
The Magna Carta included fundamental rights such as trial by jury and due process of law—protection against the arbitrary taking of life, liberty, or property.
The next significant document was te English Bill of Rights which prohibited a standing army in peacetime, except with the consent of Parliament, and required elections be fee. It also included such guarantees as the right to a fair trial, and freedom from excessive bail and from cruel and unusual punishment.

6. Leading Up to the Declaration
John Locke’s 2nd Treatise on Government
Natural Rights – men had rights given to them by God before governments were ever created.
Mack Daddy John Locke

8. Leading Up to the Declaration
Man’s natural rights are:
LIFE
LIBERTY
PROPERTY
Government’s purpose is to protect these, not take them away!
Mack Daddy John Locke

9. Britain Messes with the Colonies
The Stamp Act 1765
Required every published piece of paper to receive a British stamp of approval, and pay a tax with it
True intention was likely to stop colonists from publishing essays and newspapers critical of Britain’s government
Ch 2 section 2

10. Colonial Unity Stamp Act Congress (1765)
9 colonies joined together to protest England’s Stamp Act, and England repealed it

11. Colonial Unity First Continental Congress (1774)
Trying to repair relationship with Britain
Sent a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances” to the king, boycotted trade with England
These actions marked the first time a significant number of the colonies had jointed to oppose the British government.
Parliament repealed the stamp act but frictions mounted. New laws were passed and more anger and violence erupted. The Boston Massacre occurred because of a boycott of English goods. Protests multiplied and the famous Boston Tea Party took place.

13. Colonial Unity Second Continental Congress (1775-1781)
Trying to defeat Britain
Convened in the middle of the Revolutionary War

14. Colonial Unity Second Continental Congress (1775)
Elected George Washington Commander-in-Chief of the Army

15. The Declaration of Independence
July 4th, 1776

16. Jefferson Explains the Trouble With Writing This Thing:

17. Fundamentals of the Declaration
Men have inalienable natural rights
Governments exist by the consent of the governed
Abusive governments can be replaced

18. Our First Government The Articles of Confederation
A huge mistake, but a good learning experience

19. The Articles of Confederation

20. The Articles of Confederation
Was not a strong national government
Rather, it was a “firm league of friendship” between 13 independent states

21. Problems with the Articles
National Government could not:
Collect Taxes
Regulate Trade Between States
Create a Court System
Use Troops Without Permission from the States

22. Problems with the Articles
As a result:
States never sent the government any money
States boycotted each other’s goods and currency
States made trade agreements with foreign countries

23. Features of the Articles Government
Legislative Branch (Congress)
Unicameral (One House)
States could send as many or as few Reps. as they wanted
Each state gets 1 vote regardless of number of Reps.
Any change to the Articles required approval of all 13 states

24. Features of the Articles Government
Executive Branch
No national executive branch
All executive and judicial powers were given to the states

25. Problems Lead to the Need for a Change:

26. The Constitutional Convention
May 25th to September 17th, 1787

27. The Constitutional Convention
Original purpose was to slightly edit the Articles of Confederation
What ended up happening was a secret meeting where the Founding Fathers created a brand new government

29. Washington: Okay, any suggestions on how to fix this thing?

31. Madison: Ain’t gonna happen, Georgie.

33. Hamilton: Yeah, it’s time to smack it up, ballaz!

35. Washington: You know, I really like the Articles, guys.

37. Washington: j/k, dawgs.

38. lol :)

39. lol ;->
lol :)
Ben Franklin: Holla!

40. The Framers Who were the Framers (Writers)?
A gathering of 55 of the most brilliant minds in history?
Most were in their 30’s and 40’s
All upper class, well educated, white males
Middle and lower classes, women and racial minorities were not given the opportunity to participate
Most famous names : George Washington, James Madison, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton

41. The Framers: Demi-Gods?
The Framers are really just men – or “politicians,” even
They are fighting with one another on every issue, and forming compromises to resolve the fights

42. Mack Daddy James Madison
The Framers
James Madison becomes known as the “Father of the Constitution,” as he became the leader of the convention, and did much of the writing
Mack Daddy James Madison

44. I think we all know who the true Mack Daddy is.

45. Two Competing Ideas The Virginia Plan The “Big State Plan”
3 Branches – Legislative, Executive, Judicial, each with checks and balances against the others
Bicameral legislature with representation based on population alone

46. Two Competing Ideas The New Jersey Plan The “Small State Plan”
Unicameral legislature with all states represented equally
Executive would be three presidents, who chose the Judicial branch

47. Compromises The Connecticut Compromise “The Great Compromise”
Bicameral legislature, one house based on population, one on equality

48. How the Great Compromise Works
State
Population
# in House
# in Senate
California
35 million 53 2
Arizona
5 million 8
Wyoming
0.5 million 1

49. Compromises The 3/5ths Compromise
Southern states wanted to count slaves as part of their populations to get more votes in Congress
Compromise allowed them to count slaves as 3/5ths of a person in the census
*Note* - slaves did NOT get 3/5ths of a vote!

50. Compromises The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Southern states feared that slavery would be banned by more heavily populated Northern states in Congress
Compromise prevented Congress from acting on the matter of slave trade for at least 20 years

51. Sources of the Constitution
Framers pulled from a number of places to get the final product:
Ancient Greece’s Democracy and Rome’s Republic
John Locke’s 2nd Treatise on Government
Charles de Montesquieu’s ideas about separating the powers of government
Great Britain’s government

52. Bicameral Legislature (House and Senate)
New Constitution
Bicameral Legislature (House and Senate)
Strong Executive (President)
Supreme Court System
Federal Government
British Government
Bicameral Legislature (House of Lords and Commons)
Strong Executive (King)
Royal Court System
Federal Relationship w/ Colonies
Articles of Confederation
Unicameral Legislature
No Executive
No Court System
Confederation of States

53. Ratifying the Constitution
Ratify – vote on and pass
Constitution required that 9 of the 13 states needed to approve it to take effect
Did someone say “Rat”ify?

54. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists – favored ratification of the Constitution and a new federal government
Anti-Federalists - opposed the new Constitution on almost all grounds
Especially wanted to add a bill of rights

55. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Famous Federalists: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, George Washington
Madison, Hamilton, and Jay write The Federalist Papers – persuasive essays to explain why the new Constitution can be effective and preserve personal liberty

56. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Famous Anti-Federalists: Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, John Hancock

57. And Now for Something Completely Different