1. Origins of American Government Chapter 2
Government – Unit 1
Origins of American Government
Chapter 2

2. The Roots of American Democracy
Section 1

3. Landmark English Documents
These 3 documents influenced beliefs of English colonists
Magna Carta (1215)
Petition of Right (1628)
English Bill of Rights (1689)

4. Landmark English Documents…
Magna Carta (1215)
Nobles forced King John to sign this because they were tired of his demands for more taxes
Established the “rule of law”
Even monarchs had to obey the laws
Gave due process (life, liberty, & property)
First for nobles, then for everyone

5. Landmark English Documents…
Petition of Right
Charles I signed in 1628
Limited the power of the king
Charles I agreed to 4 things. He would not:
Imprison subjects without due cause
Levy taxes without parliament’s consent
House soldiers in private homes
Impose martial law in peace time
Challenged “Divine Right” of Kings

6. Landmark English Documents…
English Bill of Rights (1689)
Signed by William and Mary
Monarchs could no longer enact laws, raise taxes, or keep an army without Parliaments consent.
Protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

8. Types of Colonies Royal (9) Subject to control of the Crown
Under strict orders from King
MA, NH, NY, NJ, VA, NC, SC, GA, ME

9. Types of Colonies Charter (2)
Land grant (charter) awarded to group of colonists
More freedom, colonist allowed to elect a governor
CT & RI

10. Types of Colonies Proprietary (2)
King gave land grant to business owner (proprietor)
Proprietor appointed governor, both operated colony as business to make $ for King
MD, PA.

12. American Independence
Section 2

13. The Path to Independence
Colonial life was actually good.
Colonists became used to self-government and enjoyed more liberty, wealth, even equality than most of the world.
London= 3000 miles away, 2mnths to reach king

14. King George III came to throne in 1760.
:The French and Indian War (AKA 7 Years War) Doubled England’s debt.
King George III came to throne in 1760.
England imposed new taxes on the colonies.
“Taxation without representation”

15. Colonial Unity
Events from 1750 – 1780 proved colonists were ready for independence using self government

16. Albany Plan of Union 1754 Proposed by Ben Franklin
Consisted of annual congress
With reps from each colony

17. Albany Plan of Union 1754
Could raise military, make war & peace, regulate trade & taxes
Albany, but rejected by colonies & Parliament
Just ahead of its time

18. Stamp Act Congress Responded to Stamp Act of 1765
Use of stamps on all paper (newspapers, cards, etc)
Unpopular; 9 colonies sent reps to write Declaration of Rights & Grievances
Parliament repealed Stamp Act but friction continued
Mob violence broke out in cities; led to martial law

19. Events
Stamp Act Congress
Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party

20. Parliament responds to BTP by passing Intolerable Acts

21. Continental Congresses
12 colonies met as 1ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
1774 sent Declaration of Resolves to King George III; agreed to meet next May
Began boycott of all English goods

22. 2nd Continental Congress
Began May 1775 – Revolution underway
Battles of Lexington & Concord
John Hancock elected Pres. – George Washington – named to lead army
1st nat’l gov. for 5 years;
Unicameral
Each colony had 1 vote

23. John Hancock
George Washington

24. Declaration of Independence
Proposed by Richard Henry Lee
Written by Thomas Jefferson
Announced independence from Great Britain
Thomas Jefferson

25. Declaration of Independence
Document contains many of John Locke’s philosophies
2/3rds mentions colonies grievances with the King
John Locke

26. Declaration of Independence
Locke: People are entitled to “life, liberty, and property…”
Jefferson: People are entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

27. State Constitutions
By 1776 Congress urged colonies to write their own constitutions
In case they won, needed a government
MA is the oldest in the world
Shared common features like
Popular Sovereignty
Limited gov.
Checks & balances
Separation of powers

28. The Articles of Confederation Section 3
Established a weak central gov’t with no major power. Led to turmoil between states.

29. Structure Approved 1777, not ratified until 1781
Established only a “League of Friendship”
Gov was unicameral, each state had only 1 vote regardless of population
States held the power.
Committees dealt with executive & judicial matters
Presiding officer was chosen by Congress

30. Weaknesses Congress could not TAX! Trade not controlled by Congress
Major debt from Revolutionary War
Trade not controlled by Congress
9 / 13 states for any law to pass
All 13 states needed to make an amendment
1 vote per state regardless of size
Both States and Congress could print money

31. No Executive or National Judiciary

33. Critical Period (1780’s) Art. of Confed. exposed weaknesses
Needed stronger gov.
States would make separate agreements with other countries.
States taxed each others goods & printed their own money

34. What to do now…. 1786 - Leaders met in Annapolis
Only 5 States represented.
Decided to meet in Philadelphia to “amend the Articles of Confederation”

35. Shay’s Rebellion Helped expose the weakness of the Articles
1787- Daniel Shays led an uprising forcing the courts in Massachusetts to close so they could not foreclose on farms.
MA Governor turned to the Continental Congress
They did not have the money to send an army
Shay’s Rebellion helped increase the turn-out at Philadelphia.

36. The Constitutional Convention
Section 4

37. The Framers 12/13 Rhode Island (RI) not there
74 delegates (reps) chosen; 55 present
“assembly of demi-gods” – Thomas Jefferson
“I smelt a rat” –Patrick Henry
George Washington unanimously elected pres. of convention
One vote per state – majority ruled
Rule of secrecy
James Madison kept excellent journal
Father of Constitution

38. New goal was set to replace Articles of Confederation with a Constitution!
James Madison

39. Virginia Plan 1st Plan; 3 separate branches Congress – Bicameral;
Legislative, Executive, & Judicial
Each branch could check the others.
Congress – Bicameral;
Number of Representatives based on population in both houses
House would have popular elections
Senators would be elected by state legislatures

40. Congress would be able to veto state laws
AKA the “Big State Plan”

41. New Jersey Plan Unicameral Congress with equal representation
Congress had same power as Art. of Confed. + the power to tax and control trade
“Federal Executive” chosen by Congress
Wanted more than 1; feared a King
AKA “small state plan”
Did not give enough power to the people

42. Connecticut Compromise
A.K.A. “Great Compromise”
Bicameral representation (2 house legislature)
Number of Senators would be equal for each state regardless of population (2 per state)
House based on population

44. Slavery- 3 / 5 Compromise
“all other persons” (slaves) would be counted as 3/5 (60%) of a person.
Compromise between southern states who wanted slaves to count and the northern states who didn’t want them to count.

45. Presidential Election
Some wanted popular election
Some wanted the President to be chosen by the legislature.
Compromise: The electoral college.

46. Ratification
Section 5

47. Ratification Feds vs. Anti-Feds
The proposed Constitution called for 9 of 13 States to approve document.
Federalists- Supported ratification of the Constitution. (nationalists)
Anti-Federalists- Opposed ratification of the Constitution. (states’ righters)

48. Anti-Federalists Included Patrick Henry and even Thomas Jefferson.
Main objections:
The Constitution made the national government too strong.
There was no Bill of Rights
Felt a republic could only work in a small territory.

49. Federalists Included James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
Felt a strong gov’t was the only way to fix problems.
Response to the Bill of Rights issue:
Believed it is not necessary to list all rights people have; it would be impossible
If you forget to mention a right people might think they don’t have that right

50. Publius
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison published a series of articles in the New York newspapers.
Wrote 85 articles from late
Known as the FEDERALIST PAPERS.
At the end, always signed the name “Publius”

51. Most of the Federalist papers written by Hamilton.
The 2 most famous articles written by Madison. Federalist nos. 10 and 51
Federalist 10- offers Madison’s warning about factions and strategies to deal with them.
Federalist 51- elaborates on checks and balances as the solution to factions.

52. Patrick Henry
Alexander Hamilton

53. Ratification
NH was 9th to ratify; however without VA & NY document had little actual power
VA finally approved when Washington & Madison convinced Jefferson
Washington’s leadership was critical to get Jefferson’s support

54. Ratification NY – fight for ratification continued
led to The Federalist – collection of essay’s supporting the Constitution
NY finally ratified; this gave credibility
Bill of Rights added 2 yrs. Later to please Anti-Feds.
NY ratification meant Constitution had REAL power!

55. New Gov. took effect 9/13/1788 NYC was 1st capital
Jan 1789 electors chosen
Feb. vote took place
March electoral votes counted
G. Washington unanimously elected president
John Adams selected VP