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Explore the historical origins of American government from the English colonists, through landmark English documents like the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights, to the establishment of the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention. Learn about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the conflicts at the Constitutional Convention, and the ratification debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Discover the key compromises such as the Connecticut Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise that shaped American government as we know it today.
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ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT The English colonists in America brought with them three main concepts of government: • 1. ordered government. (laws) • 2. limited government, government should not be all- powerful. • 3.representative government—serves the will of the people.
Landmark English Documents • Magna Carta1215 (Great Charter) First document to limit the power of the King. Stopped arbitrary acts of the king. (nobles forced to sign) • The Petition of Right 1628. It further limited the power of the king, and gave more power to its legislature, Parliament. Challenged the idea of Divine Right. • English Bill of Rights 1689. Limited power of the king, guaranteed certain rights for English citizens (fair trial, no cruel and unusual punishment).
Colonial Unity Second Continental Congress 1775-1781 • Acted as our countries first government for 5 years of the Revolution. Even though it had no constitution, it created the: Declaration of Independence, fought a war, raised armies and a navy, borrowed funds, bought supplies, created a money system, made treaties with foreign powers, and all other things that any government would have done at the time.
Common Features of State Constitutions • Popular Sovereignty – the people hold power over government • Limited Government – Governmental power is not absolute. • Civil Rights / Liberties – Govt. must respect certain rights of the people • Separation of Powers/ Checks and Balances –Govt. divided into 3 branches, each branch had power to keep other branches in check (limit)
Writing a plan of Government • The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) was Americas first written plan of government. Each state was sovereign. Why Articles? The people did not want govt. to be absolute again!
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation • 1 vote/ state regardless of size in legislature, Congress. • Congress could not tax • Congress could not regulate foreign or interstate commerce, trade. • No executive (leader) to enforce acts of Congress. • No national court system (Supreme Court) • No national military, only state militias • All states need consent to amend (change), or ratify (agree) the Articles. • Each state had its own currency • 9/13 states were needed to pass laws. (only1 *)
Shays Rebellion showed how weak the Articles were (war, financial crises) and led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia.
Constitutional Convention • Virginia Plan. Created 3 branches of govt., bicameral congress, representation based on the size of a state's population. • New Jersey Plan. Called for a unicameral congress, each state had equal representation, regardless of the size of the population.
Huge Conflict between states over representation in Congress • *Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)* solved the conflict: • Created a bicameral congress: upper house = Senate, Lower House = House of Representatives. • Senate, each state has 2 reps. Regardless of size. Small states Equal Representation • House, each state has 1 rep. + additional rep. For every 30,000 members of population (650,00 now) Large states Rep./ Population.
Three Fifths Compromise • Southern States were unhappy, they had large slave populations. (threatened secession) • slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person for census purposes. Southern states get more representatives in the House. (racist!) Had to pay more taxes.
Ratifying the Constitution The Constitution was very controversial at first, 2 groups emerge (1st political parties): • Federalists thought that the Articles of Confederation were weak, and argued for the ratification of the Constitution. • Anti-Federalists objected to the Constitution for many reasons, including the strong central government and the lack of a bill of rights.
Ratification, change from The Articles • “The ratification of the conventions of nine states shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the states so ratifying the same” Article VII, Constitution • 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 on June 26 was hard fought. Supporters of the Constitution published a series of essays known as The Federalist (supporting the Constitution).
Temporary Capital • The new Congress met for the first time in March 4, 1789. New York (Govt. begins) • Congress finally counted the electoral votes, Washington unanimously elected President. • In 1791 the Anti-Federalist are happy with the creation of the 1st 10 amendments to the Constitution (Bill of Rights). Amendment #1 guarantees 5 freedoms: 1.speech, 2. Press, 3. Religion, 4. Peaceful assembly, 5. Petition.
