1. What Did the Founders Think About Constitutional Government?
Lesson Objectives:
Describe the diverse features of the early American colonies and states and their populations.
Explain what the Founders learned about government from history and their firsthand experiences of government
Evaluate, take and defend positions on the sources that should be consulted if a new constitution for the US today, are the Founders concerns about abuse of power still valid and the importance of written constitutions.

2. Language Spoken in the Colonies
English
Dutch
French
German
Norwegian
Spanish
Swedish
Welsh
Scottish Gaelic and Scots
Finnish
Irish
Native languages of African Americans
Native Americans

3. Characteristics of Colonial America
Encounter a vast new area
Area was much larger than they were accustomed to.
England/Scotland compared to New York and Massachusetts.
Native Americans were present
Disease, warfare and encroachment of colonies changed the dynamic of that presence.
Diseases such as measles, smallpox, cholera and yellow fever
Native Americans had little immunity
By the Revolutionary War few Native Americans were living on the Atlantic coast.

4. Characteristics continued
US was officially recognized as an independent nation in Two Centuries after they colonies were established.
The vast area separated colonists, but so did background and beliefs.
Religious Reasons
Economic Reasons
South Carolina, New York and Maryland had influential families that owned had large estates.
New England and Georgia had fewer large estates
These differences led to different social and political cultures.
Most Colonies had government religions
Slavery was practiced in all colonies.
Puritans in Massachusetts
Quakers in Pennsylvania
Pilgrims

5. Making a Living Rural environment and farming Non Rural
South Carolina: Indigo and rice
Slave labor to produce
Virginia: Tobacco
New England: Crop and livestock
Less reliant upon slave labor
Used instead indentured servants
Non Rural
Shipping
Shoemakers
Silversmiths
By 1760, 300,000 people were enslaved

6. Ideas influencing Government
Founders brought with them existing ideas about government
Experience with British government
Government in the colonies
History of Britain, Greece and Rome
Read classical texts of Aristotle
Cicero
Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan)
John Locke (Second Treatise of Government)
William Blackstone (English Law)
Well read in Protestant Theology

7. Historical Understanding
By 1776 there was an establish history of 150 years of self government and collective experience.
Classical Philosophers taught:
Humans are social creatures; obligations to each other moving them toward excellence.
Plato: Those who govern must be wise.
Basic duty of government was to help people learn about and perform their civic and moral duties.

8. Greek and Roman History
Democracies begin well
Lead to tyranny when the poor attack the rich
Class warfare breed chronic disorder
As a result of the disorder, people will submit to tyranny.
Tyrannical leaders promise the people security from the disorder of class warfare.

9. Natural Rights Theory
People have basic rights that others must respect.
John Locke summarized them as, “Life, liberty and estate.”
People agree to form a society and create a government to protect their rights.
British History:
Some freedom for people could exist with a monarch respecting rights.
American History:
Self-government could exist with a distant central authority.
When authority abuses it’s power social and political unrest follow.

10. Lessons Learned
Government should be the servant, not the master of the people.
A fundamental higher law, or constitution should limit government.

11. What government to Choose??
State – we often call them countries now.
Sovereignty
Territory
Population
Government
Legislative – enacting laws These are not necessarily
Executive – public officials carry separate branches in
public policy all governments.
Judicial function – interpreting laws

12. Economic Factors Aristotle: Distribution of wealth…not an old subject.
How wealth was distributed could impact political stability and the strife that could result.
Dominant group is often the middle class, neither rich nor poor.
Known for moderation
“behave within reason”
Argued that the poor who are numerous may attempt to seize the wealth of the rich.
What a state with a mix of varying economic status.

13. History moving forward…
Roman government has representatives for early all classes and tribes.
Cicero built upon the idea of mixed constitution in economic, but also political ideas: monarchy, aristocratic and democratic.
Cicero influenced the middle ages, the renaissance and the Enlightenment.
Britain a bi-cameral legislature (2 houses) House of Lords and House of Commons. Example of representative government.

14. Classification of governments
Aristotle classify governments
by who held the power:
Right form : ruling for the common good
Wrong form: private interest of the rulers
Dictatorship
Democracy
One Leader: Autocracy
People control power
Group: Oligarchy
Complete authority
People delegate power to leaders
Not accountable to the will
Of the people
Dictator decides who can participate
Accountable to the will of the people.
People can participate – the hold the power.
Republic
People control the power
People delegate power to leaders
Power is held by citizens eligible to vote and is exercised by elected representatives who are responsible to them and the rule of law.
People participate – hold the power.

15. Which type is best?
Founders did not believe a direct democracy was best.
Preferred a republican form of government.
Representative
People hold the power
Government is accountable to the will of the people
Government is accountable to the rule of law.

16. What is a constitution?
Body of laws setting forth the structure and powers of government and how it can be changed.
Written: often controversy about what words mean.
Unwritten: combination of written laws and precedents.
Constitutional government means limited government.
Limited government: government must follow it’s own laws. It is not all powerful.

17. Why does the idea of a higher law matter?
It sets forth basic rights of citizens
It establishes the responsibility of the government to protect those rights
It establishes limitations on government
It can only be changed with the consent of the citizens and according to pre-established well- known procedures .