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We The People

We The People. Lesson 1 What Did The Founders Think About Constitutional Government?. Lesson Purpose. Be able to describe diverse features of early American colonies Explain what the Founders learned about government Explain what a constitution and constitutional government is

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We The People

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  1. We The People Lesson 1 What Did The Founders Think About Constitutional Government?

  2. Lesson Purpose • Be able to describe diverse features of early American colonies • Explain what the Founders learned about government • Explain what a constitution and constitutional government is • Understand how these concepts are still relevant today

  3. Terms: • constitution • limited government • unwritten constitution • constitutional government • Parliament • written constitution • democracy • republic • forms of government

  4. Characteristics of Colonial America • Many diverse languages and cultures • Native Americans • New country (Treaty of Paris 1783) • Diverse farming • Economies different in each colony • Religions • Slavery & indentured servants

  5. Founders & Government The founders learned through: History Reading the philosophers Aristotle, Cicero, Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu Looked at good and bad governments Greece and Rome self-government”

  6. So What Did We Learn? “Not all the sources that influenced the Founders taught the same lessons.”

  7. So what did the philosophers say? • Classical or ancient • Humans are social creatures • Obligated to one another and community • Necessary to life • Government must teach people to be civic minded • Greeks & Romans • Democracies usually end in tyranny • Class warfare • People will submit

  8. Continued………… • Natural rights theorists • People have natural rights • Life, liberty, property • Government must protect society and those rights • Monarchies can evolve into free governments

  9. And………………. • American history • People could exist with central authority (Britain) • When it became oppressive, the right of people to remove that form of government

  10. State and U.S. Constitutions • Founders used these examples to draft constitutions for states and country • When writing U.S. Constitutions, Founders also influenced by: • Virginia Declaration of Rights • Declaration of Independence • Other influential papers, essays and documents

  11. Continued…………. • Founders learned two important lessons about government: • It should be the servant of the people (not the master) • A higher law should limit government (Constitution)

  12. What forms of government could the founders choose from? • Aristotle believed national entities must perform three functions: • Debate public policy (legislative) • To carry out that policy (executive) • Interpret that policy (judicial) • Each of these forms of government can have a right form and corrupt form

  13. *Aristotle – democracy meant a direct democracy or one ruled strictly by the people. Not like ours today, which is mostly representative.

  14. Aristotle……. • Classified governments on no. of rulers • Also on economics • Distribution of wealth • Effects on political stability • Neither rich nor poor but moderate best • Moderate group yields best form of government • Conflict with large group of poor, small group of wealthy if no moderation

  15. Roman Republic • Began about 500 BC • Lasted until almost 500 AD • No written constitution • Government structure: • Consuls (two executives) • Senators (wealthy men) acted as advisors size varied • Assemblymen • Prefects

  16. Founders and Polybius • Mixed government best (rule of one, the few, and many) • Ideas passed through out history • Polybius….Cicero….Middle Ages…Renaissance…Montesquieu

  17. English Parliament • Eighteenth century, England had mixed constitution • Limited monarch • House of Lords (aristocracy) • House of Commons (commoners) • Parliament and colonial legislatures representative governments (republic)

  18. Founders………. • Direct democracy not best for new nation • Representative government served people better Now to a written constitution!

  19. What is a Constitution? • By definition: a plan that sets forth the structure and powers of government. • States powers • Procedures that must be used to • Make • Enforce • Interpret laws • Can be written or unwritten • Means limited government

  20. What is Higher Law? • Sets forth the basic rights of citizens • Established the responsibility of government to protect those rights • Established limitations on how those in government may use their power with regard to citizens’ rights and responsibilities, the distribution of resources, and management of conflict

  21. So……………. • Problems with constitutional governments • Insure those in power obey constitutional limits

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