SOCIAL STUDIES REMEDIATION FOR THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAM

1. SOCIAL STUDIES REMEDIATION FOR THE ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAM THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

2. GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR • Following the Revolutionary War, thirteen independent states were left to figure out how to govern themselves. Colonists were loyal to the state they lived in. Each state established its own government. Most state constitutions included a bill of rights that guaranteed certain important rights. These rights included freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to trial by jury.

3. FOUNDATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT • Magna Carta (1215)= written document protecting the rights of English nobles. Made the king’s power not absolute. • John Locke= English philosopher who believed government should derive its power from the people whom it governed. • The Great Awakening= a general revival of evangelical Christianity in the American colonies, reached its peak in the early 1740’s. Contributed to a sense of American nationality before the Revolution.

4. FOUNDATIONS CONTINUED • Jacques Rousseau= French philosopher who wrote The Social Contract in 1762. Believed the right to rule should come from the people and not a king. The Social Contract Theory expressed the idea that there should be an agreement between the people and the government that limits the rights and duties of each. Thomas Jefferson agreed with this theory, and it became one of the philosophies for colonial separation from England expressed in the Declaration of Independence (1776).

5. FOUNDATIONS CONTINUED • Baron de Montesquieu published The Spirit of the Laws in 1748. In this book, he expressed that government should possess legislative, executive, and judicial authority. Government must make, enforce, and interpret the laws of the land. He thought the functions of government should be divided into 3 branches and powers should be defined and separated so no branch acquired too much power. • The challenging life on the frontier taught the colonists the values of independence and self-reliance.

6. FOUNDATIONS CONTINUED • Freedom of religion= Many people came to the thirteen colonies seeking freedom from religious persecution. • House of Burgesses= the first colonial assembly, established on July 30, 1619 in Jamestown to represent the colonists in Virginia. Symbolized the authority of the people to limit the power of the king. • The First and Second Continental Congress= brought together delegates from each of the 13 colonies except Georgia. Meetings were a model for forming U.S government. • The Declaration of Independence= established principles of human rights. Foundation for government to establish equal rights.

7. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • Following the Declaration of Independence the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a national constitution. • This was the first constitution. • It was ratified, or approved, by all 13 colonies in March, 1781, before the Revolutionary War ended later that year.

8. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • The Articles of Confederation proposed an alliance between the 13 independent states. A congress much like the Continental Congress made up the central government. The following summarizes the powers of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

9. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • GAVE CONGRESS THE POWER TO* declare war and make peace* raise an army and navy* make foreign treaties and alliances* coin and borrow money* regulate weights and measures* establish a post office* regulate Indian affairs* pass laws by 9 of the 13 states* make amendments only with a unanimous vote of all states

10. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • PREVENTED CONGRESS FROM* Levying taxes* Regulating foreign or domestic trade* Settling disputes among states* Collecting state debts owed to the central government* Enforcing any of its powers

11. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • STRENGTHS= states retained rights and the central government established a post office. • WEAKNESSES=*loose bonds developed between independent states*one vote in Congress was given to each state*there was no executive or judicial power*amendments required a unanimous vote

12. THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION • It became clear by the spring of 1787 that the Articles of Confederation needed to be changed if the United States of America was going to survive as a nation. Congress called on the thirteen states to send delegates to Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Twelve states sent a total of 55 delegates (Rhode Island did not). The convention in Philadelphia was called the Constitutional Convention (1787).

13. The delegates feared that a strong central government would compromise state power, but they knew it was necessary. They wanted a republic in which the citizens would elect representatives to make and enforce laws. They also wanted a written constitution that spelled out the powers of the government.

14. The Virginia delegates presented a plan for the new government. Under the Virginia Plan, representation in Congress would be based on a state’s population. This plan satisfied states with large populations, but angered small states who would have less representation. • Delegates from New Jersey also made their own proposal. In the New Jersey Plan, each state would have an equal voice in Congress. This proposal satisfied the smaller, who wanted representation equal to the larger states. However, the larger states were upset by this proposal, feeling that this proposed congress would not reflect the nation’s population.

15. THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, CONTINUED • After much debate, the delegates arrived at the Great Compromise which divided Congress into two houses. In the upper house, the Senate, each state was represented by two senators. In the lower house, the House of Representatives, each state had representatives in proportion to its population.

16. The Great Compromise= How should slaves in the Southern states be counted? • Northern states said slaves should not be counted in the population since they were considered property. Southern states wanted them to be counted in the population in order to increase their representation in the House of Representatives. As a compromise, it was agreed that each slave counted as 3/5 of a person. For example, if a state had 5,000 slaves then it would only count 3,000. This policy set a belief that the government believed a black slave was only worth 3/5 of any other person

17. Another conflict b/w northern and southern states was the issue of slave trade with Africa. The north wanted to abolish slave trade, but the south insisted that it was a vital part to the southern economy. Congress agreed not to interfere with the slave trade for 20 years. • To keep harmony b/w the north and south, delegates also agreed to prohibit export taxes and to require a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate to pass any treaty. This kept the states from passing taxes or treaties that would be harmful to another region.

18. U.S. GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION • After many compromises, the delegates of the Constitutional Convention wrote the United States Constitution (1789). The Constitution spreads the power between the national and state governments. • The Constitution gives some powers to the national government, lets some powers stay with the state, and lets both share some powers. This practice of dividing power is called federalism. Federalism keeps any one of the governments from gaining too much control.

19. CONSTITUTIONALISM • This term refers to a government in which power is divided among various groups, but all groups obey a system of laws called a Constitution.

20. THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT • LEGISLATIVE= Congress makes the laws • EXECUTIVE= The President carries out the laws or puts them to use. • JUDICIAL= The Supreme Court and other courts interpret or explain the laws.

21. CHECKS AND BALANCES • Knowing that the limits of the powers and responsibilities of each branch were not always clear, the writers of the constitution developed a system of checks and balances to keep the branches equal in power.

22. The system of checks and balances include the following: • The President can choose cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors, but the Senate must give advice and can approve or reject the President’s choice. • The Congress can pass a bill, but the President can veto it, preventing it from becoming law. • The President can make treaties with other countries, but the Senate must give advice and can approve or reject these treaties. • The Congress can pass a bill, and the President can sign it into law, but the Supreme Court can interpret the law in a way different from what Congress intended. This system slows the process of making decisions which is good b/c it gives citizens time to learn about the issues. It also gives the government time to think about the effects of any new law.

23. THE CONSTITUTION • The Preamble states the purpose of establishing a new government under the Constitution. • Article 1 establishes the Legislative Branch (law-making branch). This branch consists of a two-house Congress. The two houses are the Senate and House of Representatives.Section 8, Clause 18 of Article 1 is known as the Elastic Clause. The Elastic Clause gives Congress the power to pass legislation that is “necessary and proper” for doing its job. It allows Congress to stretch the meaning of its delegated powers outlined in Section 8, Clauses 1-17.

24. THE CONSTITUTION • Article 2 outlines the Executive Branch. It gives executive power to the President of the United States who is responsible for enforcing the laws passed by Congress. • Article 3 explains the Judicial Branch. The judicial branch of the federal government is the federal court system. The Constitution establishes the Supreme Court which is responsible for interpreting the laws made by Congress.

25. THE CONSTITUTION • Article 4 gives the Relations Among the States and Between States and Federal Government. It ensures that each state recognizes the acts of other states. For example, a state must recognize a marriage license issued by another state. • Article 5 provides for amendments to the Constitution. • Article 6 covers other miscellaneous provisions like prior public debts, supreme law of the land, and oaths to support the Constitution. • Article 7 explains ratification of the Constitution. Ratification of 9 out of the original 13 states would establish the Constitution as law in those states.

26. RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION • The delegates of the Constitutional Convention were mostly pleased with the government described by the United States Constitution. However, before the Constitution became law, it had to be ratified, or approved, by the states.

27. Supporters of the Constitution= Federalists • Federalists believed that the United States needed a strong national government. • They recognized the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation where individual states could reject national policy. • Many prominent federalists such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of newspaper articles that became known as the Federalist Papers. They were written to persuade the people of New York State to support the Constitution.

28. Opponents of the Constitution= Anti-Federalists • Anti-Federalists thought the national government would be too powerful and wanted more power for the states. • They believe the method for electing the President and Senate was far too removed from the people. • They opposed the longer terms of office outlined in the Constitution b/c longer terms of office might make representatives less responsive to voters. • Argued that the Constitution lacked a specific bill of rights that protected individual liberties.

29. Despite all opposition, all states eventually ratified the Constitution in 1788.AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION • Changes in the Constitution can be made through amendments. The writers of he Constitution recognized the need to amend the document in order to keep the government flexible and current as circumstances changed. Proposing an amendment to the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote in Congress or a special convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The amendment must then be ratified by the legislatures of ¾ of the states or by a special convention.

30. BILL OF RIGHTS • Once the Constitution was ratified, Congress began working on changes to the Constitution to insure individual rights. Congress wrote ten amendments to the Constitution to insure basic rights and freedoms for American citizens. The first ten amendments are called The Bill of Rights.

31. THE BILL OF RIGHTS • 1. Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition • 2. Right to keep arms-guns • 3. Quartering of troops in homes only with people’s permission • 4. Search and seizure- police need a warrant to search your home • 5. Rights of accused persons- such as the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer • 6. Right to a speedy trial • 7. Right to a jury trial in civil cases • 8. Rights concerning bail, fines, and punishments • 9. Powers reserved to the people • 10. Powers reserved to the states

32. OTHER IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS • 13TH= Slavery is abolished in the United States and its territories (1865) • 14th= The Civil Rights of all people born or naturalized in the United States are guaranteed (1868) • 15th= All male citizens have the right to vote regardless of race or color (1870) • 19th= Women are guaranteed the right to vote (1920)

33. THE FIRST GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION • The electoral college (a group of people representing each state) elected George Washington as the first President (1789-1797). President Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, as Secretary of State, and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. James Madison was a leader in the House of Representatives. Hamilton’s goal was to build a strong economy, but he met with opposition in fulfilling his goals, especially from Madison.

34. INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION • Alexander Hamilton favored a loose interpretation of the Constitution. He felt that the government had more powers than were actually listed in the Constitution. Supported a strong central national government. • Thomas Jefferson favored a strict interpretation of the Constitution. He cited the 10th amendment which stated that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or to the people. His literal interpretation of the Constitution meant that the national government only had the powers specifically listed in the Constitution. Jefferson supported states rights more.

35. GEORGE WASHINGTON’S FAREWELL ADDRESS. • President Washington left office in 1797. In his farewell address he provided wise advice on several subjects. • He emphasized that the United States should stay neutral and avoid permanent alliances with other nations. • He spoke about the dangers of forming political parties. He warned that political parties would cause people to work for their special interests rather than for the public good. • He believed that good government is based on religion and morality.

36. FORMATION OF PARTIES • Despite Washington’s warnings, political parties arose in the United States quickly after he left office. Alexander Hamilton led one party supporting a strong federal government. They called themselves Federalists. Thomas Jefferson led the opposing party supporting strong state governments. They called themselves Democratic-Republicans. Political parties helped people to united on common issues.

37. John Adams, a Federalist, became the second President of the United States in 1797. Adams appointed John Marshall, also a Federalist, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall became one of the most influential people to hold that office. He established the supremacy of the national government over the states. His decisions showed that the Constitution could adapt to the changing size and needs of the nation.

38. IMPORTANT COURT CASES • MARBURY VS. MADISON 1803= John Marshall established the Supreme Court’s right of Judicial Review. The court now had the right to declare whether laws passed by Congress were constitutional or not. • GIBBONS VS. OGDEN 1824= the Supreme Court ruled that Congress alone had the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. This decision allowed the building of roads and canals to increase without the restrictions of state monopolies.