1. Was this legal? Was this OK?
Essential Question:
What are the major principles, branches, & powers of the U.S. Constitution?
Warm-Up Question:
The delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention had no authority to change the national gov’t & but they did so in secret.
Was this legal? Was this OK?
Lesson plan for Tuesday, September 15, 2006: Warm-up, HA! Constitutional Card Sort Activity, Notes

2. The Constitution

3. Key Ideas of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty: the people have power by voting for leaders
Limited gov’t: even though the national gov’t was stronger, citizens’ liberty was still protected
Federalism: the national gov’t shares power with state gov’ts

4. Federalism

5. The Constitution was a radical shift from the Articles of Confederation because it gave more power to the national gov’t than to the state gov’ts
The supremacy clause establishes the Constitution (not the states) as the "the supreme law of the land"

6. Key Ideas of the Constitution
Separation of powers: three branches with defined powers

7. Separation of Powers

9. Key Ideas of the Constitution
Only Congress can make laws, declare war, create taxes
The “elastic clause” gives Congress implied powers to make laws seen as “necessary & proper”
Only the Senate can approve treaties & only the House can create taxes

11. Article 1: Legislative Branch11

12. House of Representatives
Senate 12

13. Key Ideas of the Constitution
The president enforces the laws passed by Congress
The president oversees the bureaucracy (departments & federal agencies)

14. Article II: Executive Branch14

15. Commander-in-Chief of the military
Chief Agenda Setter
Chief of State
Commander-in-Chief of the military

16. Key Ideas of the Constitution
The only court mentioned in the Constitution is the Supreme Court

17. Article III: Judicial Branch17

19. Key Ideas of the Constitution
Checks & balances: each branch can limit the power of the others

22. Why are some Americans going to oppose the new Constitution?
Essential Question:
What were the arguments for & against ratifying the Constitution?
What role did the Federalists & Anti-Federalists play in the debate over ratification?
Warm-Up Question:
Why are some Americans going to oppose the new Constitution?
Lesson plan for Wednesday, September 16, 2009: Warm-up, Notes, Closure Activity

23. Ratification of the Constitution

24. Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Supported ratification of the Constitution
Were well-organized & educated
Alexander Hamilton & James Madison authored the Federalist Papers to argue for ratification
Anti-Federalists
Against ratification because they feared that this gave too much power to the national gov’t
Argued that the Constitution was an illegal change in gov’t
Wanted a Bill of Rights
To win ratification, the Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights to protect citizens’ liberty; all 13 states agreed to ratify the Constitution
In order for the Constitution to be legitimate, 9 of the 13 states had to ratify (agree to) it 26

25. Federalists & Anti-Federalists

26. Background Information
Ratifying the Constitution was not easy.
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists fought for three years ( ) over how the states should be governed.

28. The Contenders
Those in favor of the new, more powerful federal govt. came to be known as Federalists.
Those in favor of keeping a form of the old confederate system were called Anti-Federalists.

29. Who Won? Well, the constitution is currently being used…so…
The Anti-Federalists sure didn’t pick that name…the Federalists gave them that name…winners get to pick the names.

30. Federalist Arguments Wanted the new constitution
Feared the average man more than they feared govt.
Liked a strong Federal Government
Needed to regulate trade and military
Checks and Balances will stop corruption
Political parties will also stop the concentration of power.
Bill of Rights was unnecessary…the states already had their own, and the whole point of government was to protect the people…
Wanted the new Constitution to be interpreted loosely

31. Federalist idea of ideal govt.

33. Supporting the Federalists
The Articles of the Confederation needed to be reformed
The Federalist
Articles written in New York newspapers to convince New York to agree with the new Constitution.
They were a well organized group in high positions in society (bankers, businessmen, etc.)
Federalists won the image war.
George Washington was on their side.

34. The Other Side of the Coin

35. Anti-Federalist Arguments
Wanted to keep and fix the Articles of Confederation
Feared govt. more than they feared the people.
Wanted strong state govts.
Believed the new president would be like the old king.
“Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Insisted upon a clearly written Bill of Rights
Wanted a strict interpretation of the Constitution

36. Anti-Federalist idea of ideal govt.

37. What the Anti-Federalists Believed…

38. Major Anti-Federalists
Jefferson was probably the most famous Anti-Federalist.
He later became the first Democratic-Republican President

40. Anti-Federalist Support
Most of the generation that had led the colonists in their fight against Britain were Anti-Federalists.
Could compare the new president to the King they had all just won freedom from.
Appealed to American love of independence
Supported by farmers and frontiersmen

41. Comparison to Today’s Parties:
There is no perfect comparison…but…
Republicans prefer small government that allows the winners to win, but also allows the losers to lose.
Tend to be conservative, like the Anti-Feds
Democrats prefer a government that is willing to step in and even out the playing field…
Tend to be liberal, like the Federalists

42. Ratification of the Constitution

43. Constitution became the official the law of the land in 1789

44. The Constitution proved to be a successful form of government; Today, the Constitution is the oldest existing written gov’t in the world & has become a model for other nations