1. The Constitution (A Brief History)

2. Colonial Policies King controls the colonies, Parliament has little control 2,000 miles away- too hard to govern ▫Colonies become used to self-governing Federal relationship More taxation

3. Colonial Unity Albany Plan ▫Ben Franklin’s idea: yearly congress of delegates  Raise defense  Trade  Criminal matters Stamp Act Congress ▫Act requires stamps on all paper products ▫Delegates to New York- draft grievances against King

4. First Continental Congress Intolerable Acts Delegates to Philadelphia ▫Low turnout ▫Urge boycott and creation of local committees Call for a second congress the following May

5. The Second Continental Congress 1775- after Lexington and Concord Representatives ▫All colonies send representatives ▫George Washington attends and is elected to lead the army Becomes our first national government ▫Served for 5 years until Articles of Confederation ▫All powers in a unicameral legislature

6. The Articles of Confederation Approved in 1777 ratified in 1781 Government structure: ▫Unicameral congress ▫One state-one vote ▫One member to be the presiding officer This is a Confederate form of government ▫Very weak central government

7. Critical Period States don’t support the federal government ▫Make agreements with other nations ▫Form their own militaries Taxed each others goods Printed own money Shays’ Rebellion ▫Group of debtors lead a force to close the state courts ▫Attack federal arsenal

8. Independence Committee of 5 drafts Declaration of independence- largely the work of Jefferson First state Constitutions ▫Common features:  ___________________________________

9. The Constitutional Convention The Framers ▫12 states send delegates: not ______________ ▫Average age: 42, most in their 30s Procedure ▫George Washington elected __________________________________ __________________________________ ▫Worked in secrecy ▫The decision:  ____________________________________ ____________________________________

10. The Virginia Plan Madison _________________________________ Power of veto _________________________________ Considered radical

11. The New Jersey Plan Unicameral Congress Each state _________________________________ _________________________________ Limited powers for tax and trade

12. Compromises Connecticut ▫Two house congress  __________________________________ Three-Fifths ▫__________________________________ __________________________________ A bundle of compromises

13. Ratification _________________ the Constitution is signed __________ ratify however they need a key state such as ___________ or __________ __________- finally ratified and becomes the new national government

14. SEVEN BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION  Popular Sovereignty- the governments right to rule comes from the people  Limited Government- the government has only the powers that the Constitution gives to it  Separation of Power-the Constitution divides the government into three branches: Congress-legislative branch makes laws President-executive branch carries out the laws Courts-judicial branch explains and interprets the laws  Checks and Balances- each branch of government has the power to check or limit the actions of the other two  Federalism-division of power between the federal government and the states.  Republicanism- citizens elect representatives to carry out their will  Individual rights-The Constitution protects individual rights such as freedom of speech, freedom religion etc