1. Origins of American Government

2. The way our government works today can be traced to important documents in history:

3. Important Philosophies that Influenced U.S. Government
John Locke (certain rights belong to all people-Natural Rights Philosophy, behavior is motivated by self-interest, consent of the governed-Social Contract Theory)
Thomas Hobbes (big governments are like a monster-Leviathan)

4. Important Philosophies (cont.)
Baron de Montesquieu (division of power, mixed government-power divided among societal classes)
Classical Republicanism (citizens and government must work together, civic virtue--”public spiritedness”, moral education and small uniform communities where everyone knows and cares for one another)

5. English colonist brought three main concepts:
The need for an ordered social system, or government.
The idea of limited government, that is, that government should not be all-powerful.
The concept of representative government—a government that serves the will of the people.

6. Early Colonial Governments
The royal colonies were ruled directly by the English monarchy.
The King granted land to people in North America, who then formed proprietary colonies.
The charter colonies were mostly self-governed, and their charters were granted to the colonists.

7. Common Features of State Constitutions
Civil Rights and Liberties
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
The principle of popular sovereignty was the basis for every new State constitution. That principle says that government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed. The people hold power and the people are sovereign.
The concept of limited government was a major feature of each State constitution. The powers delegated to government were granted reluctantly and hedged with many restrictions.
In every State it was made clear that the sovereign people held certain rights that the government must respect at all times. Seven of the new constitutions contained a bill of rights, setting out the “unalienable rights” held by the people.
The powers granted to the new State governments were purposely divided among three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch was given powers with which to check (restrain the actions of) the other branches of the government.

8. Articles of Confederation
Approved November 15, 1777
Est. “a firm league of friendship” between the states
Needed the ratification of the 13 states
March 1, 1781 Second Continental Congress declared the Articles effective

9. Articles of Confederation
Powers of Congress:
Make war and peace
Send and receive ambassadors
Make treaties
Borrow money
Set up a money system
Est. post offices
Build a navy
Raise an army by asking the states for troops
Fix uniform standards of weights and measures
Settle disputes among the states

10. Articles of Confederation
States Obligations:
Pledge to obey the Articles and Acts of the Congress
Provide the funds and troops requested by the congress
Treat citizens of other states fairly and equally
Give full faith and credit to public acts, records, and judicial proceedings
Submit disputes to congress for settlement
Allow open travel and trade b/w and among states
Primarily responsible for protecting life and property
Accountable for promoting the general welfare of the people

11. Weaknesses of the Articles

12. Critical Period, the 1780’s
Revolutionary War ended on October 19, 1781
Signed the Treaty of Paris
With Peace comes hardships
Economic problems
Political problems
Problems a result of the weaknesses of AofC

13. Critical Period, the 1780’s Problems included Shay’s Rebellion
Central government who could not act
States entering into treaties
States taxing on goods and banning trade
Debts, public and private were unpaid
Shay’s Rebellion
Farmers were losing their land
Shut down courts
Led and attack on Federal arsenal
Mass. State legislature eases the burden of debtors

14. Constitutional Convention
Mid-February of 1787
Seven states name delegates
Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

15. Framers of the Convention

16. Constitutional Convention
Meet summer of 1787 in Philadelphia
Elected George Washington as president of the convention
Majority of States needed to conduct business
One vote per State on all matters
Majority of votes needed to pass proposals
Worked in Secrecy

17. Father of the Constitution
James Madison:
Kept detail records of the convention
Conventions Floor leader
Contributed more to the constitution than any other
Full body settled all questions

18. The Virginia Plan: Called for a NEW Government
Three Separate branches of government
Legislature, Executive, and Judicial
Bicameral legislature
Based on population or money given to support the central government
Members of House of Reps = based on population
Senate = chosen by House from a list from the State Legislature
Congress would be given powers it had under the A of C
Veto any State law that conflicted with National Law

19. The New Jersey Plan Unicameral Congress of the Confederation
Each state equally represented
Add closely limited powers
Tax and regulate trade
Federal Executive
More than one person
Chosen by Congress/could be removed with maj. Vote
Federal Judiciary
Single “supreme Tribunal”
Selected by Executive

20. Differences between the plans
How should the states be represented in Congress?
Based on population?
Financial contribution?
State equality?
4 weeks they deliberated
Heated debate
Lines drawn in the sand

21. The Compromises Connecticut Compromise
Two houses
Senate – equal representation
House – proportional representation
Combination of Virginia and New Jersey plans
AKA: The Great Compromise

22. The Compromises Three-Fifths Compromise Should Slaves be counted?
Split North v South
All “free person’s” will be counted; 3/5 of all other persons
Southerners could count slaves but had to pay taxes on them

23. The Compromises The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromises
Congress = power to regulate foreign and interstate trade
Scared southerners (Controlled by industrial North)
No export tax
Continue the slave trade for at least 20 years

24. Ratifying the Constitution
Federalists
Articles of Confederation were weak
argued for the ratification of the Constitution.
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Anti-Federalists
objected to the Constitution for including the strong central government
the lack of a bill of rights.
Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

25. The Constitution is Ratified
Nine States ratified the Constitution by June 21, 1788, but the new government needed the ratification of the large States of New York and Virginia.
Great debates were held in both States, with Virginia ratifying the Constitution June 25, 1788.
New York’s ratification was hard fought. Supporters of the Constitution published a series of essays known as The Federalist.

26. Inaugurating the Government
The new Congress met for the first time on March 4, 1789.
Congress finally attained a quorum (majority) on April 6 and counted the electoral votes. Congress found that George Washington had been unanimously elected President. He was inaugurated on April 30.