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How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government?

How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government?.

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How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government?

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  1. How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government? • We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

  2. Constitutional Conventionof 1787 • Shay’s Rebellion (1786) caused the framers to believe that the Articles of Confederation were ineffective & needed to be replaced • Delegates gathered in Philadelphia (1787) to write a new Constitution • James Madison leads the movement to write the Constitution

  3. Conflict at the Constitutional Convention • Delegates disagreed on THREE key issues: • Representation • Slavery • Trade

  4. Conflict @ the Convention:Representation in the new Congress • Big States vs. Small States • Virginia Plan • Representation based upon a states population (favored more populated states) • New Jersey Plan • Each state had equal votes

  5. Compromise: Representation • The Great Compromise • Settled the representation conflict • Delegates created a 2 house (bicameral) legislature • One house based upon population (House of Reps) • A second house based upon equal votes per state (the United States Senate)

  6. Conflict: The Slavery Issue • Southern states supported slavery • Wanted slaves to count for representation, but not for taxation • Northern states • wanted slaves to count for taxation, not representation

  7. Compromise: The Slavery Issue • The Three Fifths Compromise: settles the Slavery Issue • 3 out of 5 slaves would be counted for both representation and taxation

  8. Conflict: The Trade Issue • Southern delegates did not want an export or import tax (tariff). • Northern delegates favored a tax on imports to help northern industries grow. This could hurt the South • Compromise:Congress was given the power to taximports, but notexports The South needed slavery for plantation labor. The North feared slave populations would be too high. Compromise- The importation of slaves would end 20 years from the ratification of the Constitution

  9. DEBATE ON RATIFICATION • Federalists argue for a strong federal system to replace the Articles of Confederation (Madison/Hamilton/Jay) • Anti-federalists believe that the new constitution would be too strong and crush the Peoples rights (Henry & S. Adams)

  10. Compromise: Federalists vs. Anti-federalists • Federalistsagree to add a Bill of Rights to the new Constitution • The Addition of the BOR allowed Anti-Fedsto agree to ratify the new Constitution • The Constitution was ratified in 1789

  11. The 1st Chief Executive • George Washington was chosen to be the first President • The BOR, System of Checks & Balances/Written Constitution all help create Limited Government • Electing officials to act as Representatives creates Representative Government

  12. The U.S. Constitution • The New Constitution: allowed for a separate executive branch (the President), a separate judicial branch (the Supreme Court), and a two-house legislative branch (the Congress).

  13. The Federal System/Division of Power • Power was divided between State governments and the Federal Government

  14. Federalism/Division of Powers Delegated/Enumerated Powers Reserved Powers • Powers RESERVED for states: • Health & Safety matters • Marriage/divorce laws • Business regulation • Licensing of professions • Both State & Federal: • Building roads • Borrowing money • Collecting taxes • Operating courts • Federal Powers: • Armed Forces • Coining money • Regulated trade • Making treaties Concurrent Powers

  15. 15th Amendment--gave voting rights to freed slaves after the civil war. 19th Amendment--gave women the right to vote. Example: The Necessary & Proper clause has been used to regulate industries that were unseen in 1789: auto industry, telecommunications, airline safety ECT... Brown v Board of Ed. allowing for the desegregation of schools

  16. The Unwritten Constitution • The Unwritten Constitution refers to traditions that have become part of our political system.

  17. The Unwritten Constitution -Political Parties are not written into the Constitution -The Primary responsibility for political parties is to nominate candidates for office -George Washington warned against the formation of political parties.

  18. The Unwritten Constitution • President Washington appointed Cabinet members to help him run the government. • All presidents have followed this tradition • The presidential cabinet is NOT written in the Constitution

  19. Unwritten Constitution • President Washington served 2 terms and retired • The 2 term tradition became part of the Unwritten Constitution • FDR broke with tradition, 2 terms has since been written into the Constitution through the amendment process.

  20. How did the U.S. Constitution Strengthen the U.S. Government? It created a strong national/federal government that allowed the new nation to function as one independent country, created a three branch government (which included a Chief Executive) & preserved the Enlightenment principles ofrepresentative government & limited government

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