1. Origins of American Government

2. 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.

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

4. The royal colonies were ruled directly by the English monarchy.
There were three types of colonies in North America: royal, proprietary, and charter.
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.

5. British Colonial Policies
Until the mid-1700s, the colonies were allowed a great deal of freedom in their governments by the English monarchy.
In 1760, King George III imposed new taxes and laws on the colonists.
The colonists started a confederation, proposed an annual congress, and began to rebel.

6. Growing Colonial Unity
Early Attempts
In 1643, several New England settlements formed the New England Confederation.
A confederation is a joining of several groups for a common purpose.

7. Growing Colonial Unity
The Albany Plan
In 1754, Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, in which an annual congress of delegates (representatives) from each of the 13 colonies would be formed.

8. Growing Colonial Unity
The Stamp Act Congress
In 1765, a group of colonies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in New York.
These delegates prepared the Declaration of Rights and Grievances against British policies and sent it to the king.

9. The Continental Congresses
First Continental Congress
The colonists sent a Declaration of Rights to King George III.
The delegates urged each of the colonies to refuse all trade with England until British tax and trade regulations were repealed, or recalled.

10. The Continental Congresses
Second Continental Congress
In 1775, each of the 13 colonies sent representatives to this gathering in Philadelphia.
The Second Continental Congress served as the first government of the United States from 1776 to 1781.

11. American Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Between 1776 and 1777, most of the States adopted constitutions instead of charters.

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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 amoung the states

15. 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

16. Weaknesses of the Articles

17. 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

18. 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

19. NEED for a Strong Central Government
Two states meet to discuss Trade issues
Maryland and Virginia
Meet at Mount Vernon
The meeting was so successful that the Virginia General Assembly requested a meeting of all thirteen States, which eventually became the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

20. A meeting in Philadelphia
Mid-February of 1787
Seven states name delegates
Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
A meeting: Constitutional Convention

21. Framers of the Convention

22. Leaders of the Philadelphia Convention
James Madison was the co-author of the Articles of Confederation.
Gouverneur Morris was a lawyer who helped develop the U.S. system of money.
Alexander Hamilton was a lawyer who favored a strong central government.
George Washington was the successful leader of the Continental Army.

23. Some famous leaders who were NOT at the Philadelphia Convention
Patrick Henry said he “smelt a rat” and refused to attend.
Samuel Adams and John Hancock were not selected as delegates by their states.
Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine were in Paris.
John Adams was on diplomatic missions to England and Holland.

24. Organization and Procedures
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

25. 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

26. 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

27. The Virginia Plan: Called for a NEW Government
“National Executive” and “National Judiciary”
Council of Revision
Veto acts passed by Congress (but can be overridden by Congress)
State officers should take an Oath to a Union
Admit new States to the Union

28. 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

29. 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

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

31. 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

32. The Compromises The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromises
Congress = power to regulate foreign and interstate trade
Scared southerners
Congress: forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state
Could not act on the slave trade for 20 years

33. Influences on the New Constitution
The Framers were familiar with the political writings of their time
Jean Jacques Rousseau (Social Contract Theory)
John Locke (Two Treaties of Government).
They also were seasoned by
The Second Continental Congress,
The Articles of Confederation and
Experiences with their own State governments.

34. Reactions to the New Constitution
When the Constitution was complete, the Framers’ opinions of their work varied. Some were disappointed, like George Mason of Virginia, who opposed the Constitution until his death in 1792.
Most agreed with Ben Franklin’s thoughts when he said,
“From such an assembly [of fallible men] can a perfect production be expected? It…astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does…”

35. 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

36. 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.

37. 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.