1. Convention - Ratification
The Constitution
Convention - Ratification

2. Bellringer: 2/14
What do you already know about the Constitution?

3. Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were the first plan of government.
Government set up under the Articles proved to have many weaknesses.
Inability of federal government to tax
No executive or judicial branch
No control over trade between states or foreign nations
Weaknesses revealed during Shay’s Rebellion.

4. The Constitutional Convention
In 1787, 12 of the states sent delegates to a meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation
Delegates adopted a new plan of government instead.
Constitutional Convention (1): Meeting of state delegates in 1787 leading to adoption of a new constitution

5. Constitutional Convention
Despite agreement on the need for a new government, deciding the new organization of the government was a matter of debate.
Issues that were debated include:
Election of President
Representation
Slavery
Import/Export Tax

6. Compromises: Election of President
Federal Power Supporters
Vote by Congress
Longer presidential term
State Rights Supporters
Direct election by qualified voters
Shorter presidential term
Compromise:
Indirect election by the Electoral College
Four-year presidential term

7. Compromises: Representation
Virginia Plan
3 branch government
Two house legislature
Representation based on population
New Jersey Plan
One house legislature
Representation based on equality (1 voter each)
Great Compromise/Connecticut Plan (2): Comprise that created a bicameral legislature with representation both equal and based upon population
Bicameral legislature
House of Representatives – based on population
Senate – each state has 2 senators

8. Compromises: Slave Representation
Northern States:
Slaves not counted as part of the population
Southern States:
Slaves count as part of the population
3/5 Compromise (3):Compromise regarding how slaves were counted in the population with regard to representation; Every five slaves would count as three individuals in terms of population

9. Compromise: Trade Northern states: Southern states:
Federal regulation of all trade
Federal government can tax imported and exported goods
Southern states:
State regulation of trade
Federal government can not tax exported goods
Feared federal ban on slave trade
Commerce Compromise:
Federal regulation of interstate and international trade
Interstate commerce (4): trade between states; under federal regulation
State regulation of intrastate trade
No export tax
No ban on slave trade for 20 years

10. Bellringer: 2/15
What was one of the compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention?

11. The Constitution
A constitution is a set of laws that people accept as fundamental and basic to the structure and operation of their government.
Our Constitution came into effect in It is still in effect today.
James Madison (5): Father of the Constitution and co-author of the Federalist papers.

12. Constitution Americans reacted differently to the the Constitution.
Federalists (6): Group that favored ratification of the Constitution and a loose interpretation of the Constitution
Wrote the Federalist Papers, a Series of 85 articles and essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay published under the pseudonym Publius.
Anti-Federalists (7): Group that opposed the Constitution and supported a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

13. Two Groups Federalists Anti-Federalists
Felt the Articles were ineffective
For Ratification of the Constitution
Bill of Rights not necessary
Strong national government and reduced state’s power.
Loose interpretation of the Constitution
Amend the Articles of Confederation.
Opposed the new Constitution
Bill of Rights needed
Weak central government and strong state power
Strict interpretation of the Constitution

14. Strict vs. Loose Interpretation of the Constitution Loose: Strict:
Favors stronger federal government
What the Constitution did not forbid, it allowed
Strict:
Favors State rights
Literal interpretation of the Constitution - what the Constitution did not allow it forbade

15. Modern controversies Same sex marriage Health Care
Security v. Civil Liberties
Right to bear Arms v. Gun Control

16. Bellringer: 2/21
What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers?

17. Constitution
The first state ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787.
Ratification (8): to make an act official; accepting the Constitution as our plan of government.
Some states wanted the Constitution amended to include a Bill of Rights.
The Constitution went into effect on March 4, 1789.
Article VII required nine states to ratify

19. Fundamental Principles
Within the Constitution there are five fundamental principles.
“Please Let Friday Come Soon”
These are:
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Federalism
Checks and balances
Separation of Powers

20. Popular Sovereignty
Popular sovereignty (9): authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people
Government of the United States gets its power from the American people.

21. Limited Government
Limited government – the government has limited power by a constitution or agreement.
The Constitution sets those limits on government to protect the people’s rights.

22. Federalism
Federalism (10): The sharing of power between the national and state government
The founders needed a strong federal government, but wanted to keep independent state governments to preserve self-government.

23. Federalism
Delegated powers (11): powers of the federal government that are specifically described and assigned in the US Constitution
Reserved powers (12): powers not specifically delegated to the federal government and that belong to the states
Concurrent powers (13): powers shared by both the federal government and each constituent political unit

24. Federalism

25. Federalism

26. Federalism
What happens when a state law disagrees with the Constitution or with a federal law?
The state law is invalid.
Supremacy Clause (14): clause that states the Constitution and the laws of the federal government are the supreme law of the land.

27. Separation of Powers
Separation of powers- a division of power among three branches of government
Legislative: makes laws
Executive: enforces laws
Judicial: interprets laws
Goal is to prevent one group of people from having all of the power.

28. Checks and Balances
Checks and balances - limits imposed on all branches of a government by vesting in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of another
This ensures that no branch of the federal government becomes too strong.
Judicial Review (15): Authority of the Supreme Court to determine whether acts or laws are constitutional.
Established by Marbury v. Madison

29. Political Cartoon Analysis?
Artist’s viewpoint
What is the subject
How is it portrayed
Symbols
Captions
Humor and Satire
Caricature
Satire
Stereotype
Historical Images

32. Writing Prompt
Which principle of the Constitution do you think is most important for a government to protect in today’s society and explain why?
In your response cite specific reasons to support your thesis.