U.S. Government

1. U.S. Government

2. Need for Government • Needed a government because the states had been royal colonies with royal governors and royal charters • Individual states wrote a constitution- some were good, some weren’t • Learned what would be helpful for later when writing a constitution

3. Leaders worried about power- they didn’t want anything in America like a too-powerful king or parliament • Drafted state constitutions that that divided power between a state congress, a governor, and a law courts- they called it separation of powers • legislative branch (assembly) • executive branch (governor) • judicial (courts) • They didn’t want one branch to hold all of the power

4. Massachusetts’ Constitution • Elected people to a constitutional convention • All citizens of the state voted on it

5. Common Arguments • freedom of speech and press • the right of the majority to change government • freedom of religion • free education • voting rights • slavery

6. Problems with State Constitutions • 13 states weren’t united • Each state was printing its own money and making its own rules • States had their own navies • States were taxing on their own • States squabbling over boundary lines • States were jealous of one another

7. Articles of Confederation:1781-1789 • First constitution of the United States • Purpose: to provide government • Didn’t work well at all: • Too weak • Americans were afraid of political power- congress did not have much power, no president • No army, no court system • Congress went into debt- no power to collect taxes, couldn’t settle disputes among states

8. Shay’s Rebellion • MA farmers had a hard year in 1786 and couldn’t pay their taxes • Judges ordered them to sell their land to get the tax money which angered farmers • Daniel Shays led an armed rebellion • Shay’s rebellion was crushed by the state militia, but the national government had no army and could not stop a small group of angry farmers • Why it led to the Constitutional Convention: It scared people that the National Government had no power

9. Westward Bound • Northwest Ordinance- A law passed by government that provided a fair way for new territories to become states • Virginia gave up land which would eventually become Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota • Colonists were on their way west of the Appalachian mountains • Native Americans pushed from land- killed by guns, diseases, fled west, or joined white society

10. Northwest Ordinance • People who settled into the Northwest Territory were guaranteed freedom of religion, habeas corpus, no slavery,land for public schools,and trial by jury- they had bill of rights

11. Constitutional Convention-May 1787 • Those in attendance: • George Washington • James Madison- “Father of the Constitution” convinced others that a whole new constitution needed to be written, not just revise the Articles of Confederation. Also took notes • Benjamin Franklin- oldest delegate • Alexander Hamilton- wanted a strong central government, like Englands

12. Constitutional Convention Conditions • Some people say 1787 was the hottest summer in Philadelphia’s history • Big, biting flies and mosquitoes • Sanitation not important- showers, hygiene • Young deaths

13. Arguments • Virginia Plan had been a starting point for the Constitution- written by James Madison • The number of congressmen each state would have should be decided by population (favored the states with the most people) • New Jersey plan said each state should have an equal number of representatives in Congress

14. The Great Compromise • Roger Sherman, Georgia’s delegate: • One house of the legislature should reflect a state’s population (House of Representatives) • One house should have an equal number of representatives from each state (the Senate)

16. Checks and Balances • Since the delegates were afraid of power, the three branches were designed to check and balance one another • Check: To stop them from going too far and overstepping the limits of their authority • Balance: No branch was supposed to be stronger than the other • Example: The president is commander in chief of the army and navy, but cannot declare war. Only ongress can declare war

17. Individual Rights • The states of MA, VA, ad NY supported the Constitution- but only with the expectation that individual rights would be added • Ex. Freedom of: • Speech • Religion • Press • Speedy trial

18. Slavery • The Constitution recognized and protected slavery because it was the only way southern states would ratify it • Slaves counted as 3/5 persons for purposes of population (Congress) • Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808 • Prevented free states from making laws which would protect free slaves

19. Rights of States • How power should be divided between federal government and states • *How strong should the federal government be? • Federalists- strong federal government • Anti-Federalists- balanced federal and state government • Compromise- Federalists agreed to propose a bill of rights which would limit the powers of the new federal government • National government controls foreign affairs, business between states • States control schools, roads, and local government

20. More Arguments • …Three to act as president… • …legislature with one house… • …the president=“Your Mightiness?” • However, almost all delegates had done a lot of reading and studying and most had helped write their state constitutions

21. We agree! • Guarantee basic human rights and freedom (what Jefferson called “unalienable rights”) • Provide government by consent of the people- expected people to govern themselves through their representatives • Made the Constitution more powerful than any president, congress, court, or state • Made the Constitution the supreme law of the land

22. Amendments • The Constitution can be changed by amendments • Must be approved by Congress • 2/3 of the members of the members of Congress and 3/4 of the state legislatures must ratify it • 10,000 amendments have been suggested- only 27 have been approved

23. Preamble • We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure 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. • Gouverneur Morris’s words

24. Bill of Rights • The Constitution did not have a Bill of Rights, and many states, including MA, VA, RI, NC wouldn’t ratify the Constitution without these rights • A good bill of rights guarantees individual rights like freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press • James Madison wrote the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which are called the Bill of Rights

25. First Amendment • Guarantees freedom of religion • freedom of speech • freedom of the press • freedom to assemble (to protest when there are problems to solve)

26. Second Amendment • The right to bear arms

27. Third Amendment • Housing of soldiers • When the colonies were ruled by England, people were forced to house soldiers in their homes. They would have to give them a place to sleep and feed them meals. This amendment made it unlawful for a government to make a private citizen house its soldiers.

28. Fourth Amendment • Searches, Seizure and Warrants • Police can’t come and search your house unless they have proper legal papers

29. Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Amendment • Fair trials • A person cannot be tried more than once for that same crime • Receive a speedy public trial by a jury. This did not happen in England during this time. People were held in jail for years before their trial and often the trial was held in secret. • Unfair bail or fines

30. Ninth and Tenth Amendments • Any rights that the Constitution does not give to the federal government belong to the states or to the people • **You can find the Bill of Rights on page 199 in History of Us • **Constitution on pages 194-198

31. President Barack Obama

32. Role of President • Chief of State (inspiring example for the American People) • Chief Executive (decides how the laws are to be enforced and chooses officials and advisors to run the Executive Branch) • Chief Diplomat (decides what American diplomats and ambassadors shall say to foreign governments, makes the foreign policy) • Commander-in-Chief (in charge of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. All military generals and admirals take their orders from the President) • Chief Legislature (urge Congress to pass new laws or veto bills) • Chief of Party (helps members of his party get elected) • Chief Guardian of the Economy (in charge of unemployment, taxes, prosperity of US)

33. Chief Justice of Supreme Court • John G. Roberts Jr.

34. Chief Justice of Supreme Court • Check the actions of the President and Congress • Tell a President his actions are not allowed • Tell Congress a law is unconstitutional • Final judge in all cases involving laws of Congress

35. MA Governor • Deval Patrick

36. MA Governor to execute, enforce, and administer the state’s laws

37. MA Senators Elizabeth Warren (D)

38. MA Senator Ed Markey (D)

39. US Senate • Controls federal taxing and spending policies • Coining money. • Maintaining a military. • Declaring war on other countries. • Investigate the executive branch • Impeach an official and amend the Constitution • Agree to treaties • Confirm federal officials like Supreme Court Justices.

40. House of Representatives(MA has 9) • Decide if a government official should be put on trial if • he/she commits a crime against the country • introduce bills and resolutions • offer amendments • serve on committees.