The Constitution

1. The Constitution Our Government Through Compromise

2. Warm-up • 1. What were some differences between the southern, middle, and New England colonies? • 2. What were some weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

3. Essential Questions How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention balance competing interests? What compromises needed to be made?

4. George Washington and James Madison • Discuss with a partner what you know about George Washington and James Madison. James Madison

5. George Washington, president of the Constitutional Convention • George Washington presided at the Constitutional Convention and, although seldom participating in the debates, lent his enormous prestige to the proceedings.

6. James Madison, “Father of the Constitution” • James Madison, a Virginian, often led the Constitutional debate and kept notes of the Constitutional Convention’s proceedings—the best record historians have of what transpired at the Constitutional Convention. • At the Convention, he wrote the “Virginia Plan,” which proposed a federal government of three separate branches (legislative, executive, judicial) and became the foundation for the structure of the new government. • He later wrote much of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution

7. The Constitution of the United States of America established a government that shared power between the national government and state governments, protected the rights of states, and provided a system of orderly change through amendments to the Constitution itself. Federalism? Amendment?

8. Key Issues and Resolutions • Constitution made federal law the supreme law of the land (Supremacy Clause) but otherwise gave the states considerable ability to govern themselves • Constitution balanced power between large and small states by creating a Senate – where each state gets two senators – and a House of Representatives – with membership based on population • Became known as the “Great Compromise”

9. Key Issues and Resolutions • The Convention gave into Southern states’ demands by counting slaves as 3/5 of the population when determining representation in the U.S. House of Representatives • Known as the Three-Fifths Compromise • How did this benefit the South?

10. Key Issues and Resolutions • Constitution avoided a too-powerful central government by establishing three co-equal branches (separation of powers) • Numerous checks and balances are the rules that prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful

11. Key Issues and Resolutions • The Constitution limited the powers of the federal government to those identified in the Constitution. • So that the government could adjust as society changed, the Founding Fathers set up a process for amending it (adding amendments). • There are 27 amendments today!

12. Compare and Contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution Articles Constitution

13. The Bill of RightsOur Protections – Our Liberties

14. The major principles of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution were based on earlier Virginia written laws!

15. Virginia’s Influence: George Mason • The major principles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights came from the Virginia Declaration of Rights • Written by George Mason in 1776 • The Declaration of Rights outlined basic human rights which the government should not violate (freedom of speech, freedom of petition, etc.)

16. Virginia’s Influence: Thomas Jefferson • The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom ended the practice of a government supported church • Established the separation of church and state in Virginia • Written by Thomas Jefferson

17. The Bill of Rights • James Madison, a Virginian, used the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom when writing what eventually became the United States Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

18. The Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments) 1st – freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition 2nd – right to a state militia and bear arms 3rd – right to not quarter soldiers 4th – protections from unlawful searches and seizures 5th – can’t be tried for same crime twice, can’t incriminate yourself, due process of law 6th – speedy and public trial, legal counsel and confront witnesses 7th – jury trial in civil cases 8th – protection from cruel and unusual punishment or bail 9th – enumeration of rights to individuals 10th – federalism (powers not given to the national or state governments belong to the people)

19. In Conclusion The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are the rules that the government must follow. This framework limits the power of the government and effectively protects the freedoms of the people