BEGINNINGS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

From Colonies to Constitution

English Influence

• Limited Government: the power of the monarch was limited, not absolute

• Representative Government: Parliament is divided into two houses: House of Lords and House of Commons

• Documents: Magna Carta (1215); Petition of Right (1628); English Bill of Rights (1689)

The Thirteen Colonies

• Colonial gov’t: most colonies got a charter from the king which allowed them to exist– Royal Colonies: under direct control of the

king (GA, MA,NH,NJ,NY,NC,SC,VA)– Proprietary Colonies: controlled by a

proprietor (owner), not the king (PA, DE, MD)

– Charter Colonies: almost self-governing (CT, RI)

Colonial Discontent

After 1763, many colonists upset by stricter laws passed by Parliament

Stamp Act 1765 Townshend Acts 1767 First Continental Congress 1774 Second Continental Congress 1775-1776

Colonists BOYCOTTED British goods as a form of protest!!!

Colonial Discontent

• Declaration of Independence (1776):– Listed the many grievances (complaints) the

colonists had against Britain– Called themselves “The United States”– “…all men are created equal….with

inalienable rights…life, liberty, pursuit of happiness…”

– Revolutionary War fought until 1781

Ideas in the Declaration of Independence

• Many ideas Jefferson included were from the writings of Englishman John Locke

• 1. Natural Rights: life, liberty, property• 2. Consent of the Governed: people

must agree on who their rulers will be• Jefferson also included the idea that all

men are “equal”

Articles of Confederation

• 1781-1789: first written plan of gov’t in the United States

• Confederation: weak or loose union of more powerful states

• The Confederation gov’t only had one branch (legislative) and no successful way to either raise money or enforce laws

• A special convention was held in 1787 to fix these weaknesses …………

Why do you suppose the Americans who created the Articles of Confederation made them so weak??????????

Constitutional Convention

• Philadelphia, 1787: Secret meetings of 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 states

• Delegates argued over many topics and soon they decided to scrap the AOC and write a new plan of gov’t

Issues and Compromises

• Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan: big states favored the Virginia Plan, which said that the number of representatives in Congress should be determined by a state’s population -- -- -- small states favored the New Jersey Plan, which said each state should have an equal number of reps. in Congress

Issues and Compromises

• “The Great Compromise” offered by Roger Sherman of Connecticut:– A bi-cameral (two-house) Congress– House of Representatives: number of reps.

according to state population– Senate: each state would have the same

number of reps. (2)

Issues and Compromises

• Three-Fifths Compromise: Southern states wanted to count their slaves as people to get more reps. in the House; the Northern states disagreed

• The compromise: three-fifths of the slaves would count as people

THE CONSTITUTION

• The Constitution was finally drafted and it included a very strong central (federal) gov’t

• It also included THREE branches of gov’t:– Legislative: to make the laws– Executive: to enforce the laws– Judicial: to interpret the laws

R A T I F I C A T I O N

• After the Constitution was written, each state had to ratify it

• As soon as 9 out of 13 states ratified the document, it could take effect

• Arguments erupted in some states between those who favored the Constitution (Federalists) and those who opposed it (Anti-Federalists)

Federalists Anti-Federalists

• A strong central (federal) gov’t is necessary

• The new gov’t will not abuse individual rights and liberties

• The states would lose too much power under the new gov’t

• A Bill of Rights MUST be added to insure people’s rights are protected

Constitution Takes Effect

• The Constitution was finally ratified by the 9th state (NH) in 1788

• George Washington was inaugurated (sworn in) as the nation’s first President in 1790

• A Bill of Rights was added (first ten amendments) in 1791 in order to satisfy the Anti-Federalists

S U M M A R Y

• The United States government evolved from its English colonial heritage

• Colonial governments: practicing self-government

• Declaration of Independence stated the birth of the USA

• The Articles of Confederation: our first government

• The Constitution: a strong federal gov’t with three branches