The Roots of American Democracy: English Heritage, Intellectual Influences, and the Road to Independence

1. The Roots of American Democracy Main Ideas American democracy shaped by English heritage Colonists experimented in self-government, Also included many intellectual influences

2. Representative Government • KING NEEDED PERMISSION TO RAISE TAXES • Evolved into BICAMERAL, OR TWO-CHAMBER, LEGISLATURE • Nobles comprised Upper House. • HOUSE OF LORDS • Local representatives participated in House of Commons. Limited Government • BEGAN IN 1215 WHEN KING JOHN SIGNED MAGNA CARTA • No Longer “No Limit” monarchy • Moved from rule of man to rule of law • Outlined individual rights which king could not violate English Political Heritage Colonial leaders adapted old ideas, based on English traditions, to a new environment.

3. English Political Heritage (cont’d.) • Individual Rights • 1628: King Charles required to sign Petition of Right • Required monarchs to obtain Parliamentary approval before new taxes, • Also could not unlawfully imprison people • 1689: English Bill of Rights passed • FREE SPEECH AND PROTECTION FROM CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT GUARANTEED • Glorious Revolution established constitutional monarchy.

5. Intellectual Influences (cont’d.) • Enlightenment Thinkers • Enlightenment—Intellectual movement in 18th century Europe • Classical liberal concerns addressed in Enlightenment • FRAMERS OF U.S. CONSTITUTION BELIEVED IN PEOPLE’S NATURAL RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY. • Social contract—People form a government to protect their rights • Economic and civil liberties important as well • Other influences included Adam Smith, Rousseau, Locke and others

7. IMPACT OF FRENCH INDIAN WAR • American Independence • WAR CAUSED ENGLAND A LOT OF DEBT • Colonies were no longer “out of sight, out of mind” • COLONISTS REBELLED AGAINST BRITISH ATTEMPTS TO ASSERT CONTROL OVER THE COLONIES AND NEW TAXES. • Magna Carta: No taxation without representation • In 1775 the Second Continental Congress called for the writing of a formal Declaration of Independence.

8. The Colonies Become States

9. Early Attempts at Unity Growing Tensions • 1643: New England Confederation formed to defend against threats • 1854-1763: French and Indian War • Ben Franklin proposed Albany Plan of Union to control trade, raise armies, build settlements, equip fleets • MID-1700S: COLONISTS USED TO HANDLING AFFAIRS • MOST COLONISTS VIEWED SELVES AS LOYAL SUBJECTS OF BRITAIN • Parliament began to think colonies had become too independent • MERCANTILISM: THE POLICY OF ONLY ALLOWING TRADE BETWEEN COLONIES AND THE "MOTHER" COUNTRY. The Road to Independence The road that led the American colonies to unite with one another and break with Great Britain was long and fraught with conflict.

10. Changes in British Policies • British won FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR: INCURRED MASSIVE DEBTS • Parliament looked to colonies to help pay for war • Enforced trade restrictions benefiting Britain, MERCANTILISM (define) • ::COLONIES CAN ONLY TRADE WITH MOTHER COUNTRY • Colonists resented being taxed without consent or a representative in Parliament.

11. The Stamp Act Congress • 1765: STAMP ACT: PARLIAMENT’S 1ST ATTEMPT TO TAX COLONISTS DIRECTLY • Required tax stamp on paper goods such as legal documents and newspapers • Colonists responded with protests; in 1765, delegates from 9 colonies sent strong protest to king declaring power to tax should remain with colonial assemblies. • Colonial Protests • 1766: Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, 1773: Boston Tea Party • 1774: New harsh laws, Intolerable Acts, ended all forms of self-rule in Massachusetts.

12. Summarizing What forms of protest did the colonists use to oppose British policies? Answer(s):boycotts, rallies, pamphlets, letter-writing campaigns

13. Colonists React • Compromise • Most colonists held out hope for compromise to roll back taxes. • In 1770, Colonists still viewed themselves as 13 different groups • Virginia and Massachusetts assemblies called for meeting of colonies in Philadelphia. • First Continental Congress • 1774: First Continental Congress passed Declaration and Resolves demanding repeal of Intolerable Acts. • 1775: British rejected demands; British troops clashed with colonial militia at Lexington and Concord—the first armed resistance by colonists.

14. The Continental Congress • Second Continental Congress • 1775: Second Continental Congress organized Continental Army, named George Washington as commander • Revolutionary War began as colonists sought independence from Britain • Common Sense of Democracy • 1776: Common Sense pamphlet argued case for break with England. • Thomas Paine: independence was “common sense” for colonists • Saw history of world hanging on outcome of colonies’ rebellion

15. Making Inferences According to Paine, why was independence “common sense”? Answer(s):It was “common sense” to break away from the abuse of English rule.

16. The Declaration of Independence • Armed conflict continued for months before independence officially declared • June 7, 1776: resolution proposed to Second Continental Congress to officially declare independence from Great Britain; resolution passed July 2 • Committee appointed to write formal statement justifying resolution • Thomas Jefferson wrote most of document, drawing on Virginia Declaration of Rights adopted by Virginia House of Burgesses one month earlier • Virginia declaration declared “all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights” that cannot be denied. • Echoed philosophy of John Locke that people have rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” • Also echoed idea of government as social contract based on consent of the people • July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence was adopted. Britain’s thirteen colonies ceased to exist as new nation emerged.

18. Self-Government Separation of Powers • All new state constitutions established republican governments with strong legislatures with elected representatives. • Voting rights varied from state to state. • Some states granted the right to vote to adult male taxpayers, others had property qualifications; only New Jersey allowed women to vote. • Three branches of government: legislative, executive, judicial • States had real power to govern. • Powers included conducting foreign affairs, declaring war • Most legislatures had two houses. • Some elected governors and judges. The State Constitutions By 1780, each of the 13 newly independent states had adopted its own written constitution. Each tested ideas about how to design a republican government that protected individual rights.

19. The State Constitutions (cont’d.) • Limited Government • Strong legislative bodies reflected general mistrust of monarchy. • Colonists did not grant unlimited power to legislatures. • Annual elections, term limits, separation of powers established as checks • Kept powers of governors deliberately weak, limited term • Individual Rights • Protecting people’s rights seen as way to protect from excesses of government • 1780: Massachusetts constitution included bill of rights to protect individual liberties. • Liberties included trial by jury, freedom of assembly, and speech.

20. Section 3 at a Glance • Articles of Confederation • 1777 SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS PASSED FIRST OFFICIAL PLAN FOR NATIONAL GOV:: ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. • After the Revolutionary War, weaknesses in the Articles led to conflicts among the states, sparking calls for a stronger national government.

21. Articles of Confederation Main Idea The states’ first attempt to build a national government, the Articles of Confederation, proved too weak to last. • Reading Focus • How was the first national government organized under the Articles of Confederation? • What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? • What events convinced some American leaders that a stronger national government was needed?

22. States Become Nation

23. First National Government • Articles of Confederation • June 1776: new model of government crafted to build “firm league of friendship” among states, retaining “sovereignty, freedom and independence” • June 12, 1777: Articles of Confederation adopted • Had to be ratified before going into force • A Delay in Ratification • Disputes over control of western lands delayed the ratification process. • Small states feared large states with claims to western lands would overpower them. • Articles were changed to allow Confederation control over western lands. • Articles finally ratified in 1781

24. First National Government (cont’d.) • Powers of the National Government • Created weak national government; did not provide for national court system • One-house Congress: power to act on matters of common interest; admit new states; settle disputes; coin money; raise army; declare war; conduct foreign policy • State Powers • States retained all powers not specifically given to Congress • Powers included: ability to collect taxes, enforce national laws • States required to contribute funds to national government as they saw fit

26. Summarizing How did national and state powers differ under the Articles? Answer(s):National powers were limited and specifically cited in the Articles of Confederation. State powers were all the other powers that were not specifically cited.

27. Weaknesses of the Articles • Articles gave Congress key responsibilities, but placed limits that kept it from effectively enforcing laws and policies • NO EXECUTIVE BRANCH LACKED MEANS TO CARRY OUT CONGRESS’S LAWS • NO NATIONAL COURT SYSTEM, Congress had to rely on state courts to apply national laws • MOSTLY IMPORTANTLY, NO POWER FOR CONGRESSTO TAX • Difficult to raise funds to repay money borrowed during Revolution • Lacked authority to regulate trade • Congress required to have 9 of 13 states to ratify laws, while only one state could raise objections to block changes in Articles—weakened Congress’s ability to act swiftly and decisively

28. Summarizing What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Answer(s):It had no executive or judicial branch; the Confederation could not levy taxes, enforce its laws, or regulate commerce between states; all states had to agree before the Articles could be changed.

29. Northwest Ordinance Dangers and Unrest • 1787: Northwest Ordinance planned for settling Northwest Territory • Included areas now in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin—disputed western lands that had delayed ratification of the Articles • Created system for admitting new states, banned slavery, included bill of rights • Most pressing problem: war debts • 1783: Congress tried to approve tax on imports but act never ratified and government went broke • Postwar depression struck • States pursued own interests, flouting national laws; like “13 sovereignties pulling against each other” Pressures for Stronger Government Its independence secured with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States faced a range of challenges that the national government was ill-equipped to meet. The shortcomings of the government created by the Articles of Confederation would lead to calls for a new plan of government.

31. Pressures for Stronger Government (cont’d.) • Shay’s Rebellion • September 1786: rebellion of Massachusetts farmers facing prospect of losing land • Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays led attacks on courthouses to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms. • Shay’s Rebellion swelled to nearly 2,500 by 1787. • Massachusetts legislature asked Congress for help; Congress had no money or forces • Shay’s Rebellion showed how feeble the Confederation Congress was and hastened moves to revise the Articles. • Calls to Revise the Articles • March 1785: Washington invites representatives from Virginia and Maryland to his home at Mount Vernon to discuss resolving trade dispute. • Led to meeting to discuss regulating commerce between all the states • February 1787: James Madison persuades the Confederation Congress to endorse meeting for “purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.” • May 1787: meeting to strengthen Articles held in Philadelphia

32. Identifying Cause and Effect What events caused leaders to want to revise the Articles of Confederation? Answer(s):Shays’s Rebellion; interstate trade disputes; inability to levy taxes and pay war debts

33. Section 4 at a Glance • The Constitutional Convention • At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, delegates debated competing plans—the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan—for how the new government should be organized. • To finalize the Constitution, delegates compromised on key issues.

34. The Constitutional Convention Main Idea Delegates at the Constitutional Convention compromised on key issues to create a plan for a strong national government. • Reading Focus • Why did the Constitutional Convention draft a new plan for government? • How did the rival plans for the new government differ? • What other conflicts required the Framers to compromise?

35. Crafting a More Perfect Union

36. Drafting a New Constitution • The Convention Meets • May 25, 1787: convention gets underway with representatives of 12 of the 13 states • Rhode Island, fearing weaker state powers, sent no delegation. • Delegates worked to draft the framework for a new government. • Meetings were held in strict secrecy without press or public. • Framers of the Constitution • 55 delegates, known as Framers of the Constitution • One-third had served in the Continental Army. • 8 had signed Declaration of Independence • George Washington, president of convention • James Madison a major influence Delegates gathered in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ended up with an entirely new plan for government.

38. Drawing Conclusions Why did the delegates want to keep the proceedings quiet? Answer(s):so delegates would be able to speak their minds freely

39. Rival Plans • The Virginia Plan • One of two rival plans for creating a new form of government which emerged at the convention • Based on the ideas of James Madison, The Virginia Plan called for a central government divided into three branches—legislative, executive, judicial—each branch with power to check the others. • Called for strong national government with power to make laws, levy taxes, control interstate commerce, override state laws • Called for bicameral legislature with membership based on state’s population; lower house members elected directly by the people; upper house members selected by state legislatures

40. Rival Plans • The New Jersey Plan • Delegates from small states concerned that Virginia Plan gave too much power to large states • The New Jersey Plan called for a strong central government made up of three branches, but was designed to stick closer to the Articles of Confederation. • Called for unicameral legislature • Each state would have one vote, with equal representation regardless of its population. • Despite support from small states, the plan was ultimately rejected at the Convention.

42. Contrasting How did the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan differ? Answer(s):Representation in both houses in the Virginia Plan’s legislature was based on population, whereas each state received one vote in the New Jersey Plan’s unicameral legislature.

43. The Great Compromise Compromise Over Slavery • June 30, 1787: Roger Sherman presented The Connecticut Compromise (The Great Compromise). • Elements of both plans • Bicameral legislature: lower house number based on state’s population, upper house with two members each • Lower house elected directly by the people; upper house selected by state legislatures • Key points: whether slaves should be counted as part of state’s population; whether importation of enslaved people should be allowed to continue • Counting slaves would greatly increase population and power of southern states • Three-Fifths Compromise: three-fifths of enslaved people would be counted to determine a state’s population. • Compromise on slave trade allowed it to continue protected for the next 20 years Conflict and Compromise For weeks after the rejection of the New Jersey Plan, the Convention was deadlocked. Tempers flared, and at times it seemed the Convention would fall apart. In the end, a series of compromises saved the Convention.

45. Conflict and Compromise (cont’d.) • Presidential Election • Some wanted president elected directly by the people; others by the state legislatures or the national legislature • Compromise: state electors • Number of state electors equal to number of representatives in both houses of Congress; chosen by popular vote • If no candidate received majority vote, House of Representatives would choose president • Finalizing the Constitution • Debated issues, settled disputes, made key decisions during summer of 1787 • Benjamin Franklin said document was as close to perfect as possible, to overlook parts they did not like and “act heartily and unanimously” in signing Constitution • Some delegates refused to sign because it did not include a bill of rights. • 39 delegates from 12 states signed Constitution • Convention adjourned September 17, 1787

46. Summarizing What compromises made the Constitution possible? Answer(s):Compromises included the Three-fifths Compromise, the Great Compromise, compromises over the Atlantic slave trade, and the election of the president.

48. Section 5 at a Glance • Ratification and the Bill of Rights • Ratification of the Constitution involved a heated debate between those who supported the Constitution and those who opposed it. • Antifederalists opposed the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights. • The Federalist Papers outlined the key ideas of the Federalists, who supported the Constitution. • The struggle for ratification took place in every state.

49. Ratification and the Bill of Rights Main Idea Before the Constitution could take effect, a heated debate between those in favor of the Constitution and those who opposed it took place in all the states. • Reading Focus • What were the main points of the disagreement between the Antifederalists and the Federalists? • What were the main arguments made by the authors of the Federalist Papers? • Why was the Bill of Rights important to the ratification of the Constitution?

50. The Fight for Ratification