Foundations of the American Government

1600s-1770s

Each colony was loyal to Great Britain but was responsible for forming its own government, taxing and defending itself.

• The government and constitution of each colony used ideas adopted from:

– English Law

– English Religion (Christianity)

– English Tradition

MAJOR INFLUENCES ON COLONIAL GOVERNMENTSWritings of John Locke (1660’s)

• Man is born with three basic rights which cannot be unjustly taken away: Life, Liberty and Property.

• Government power comes from the people (popular sovereignty).

English Legal Documents

– Magna Carta (1215)

• First document to limit the King’s power.

• Established Due Process and the Rule of Law.

–Petition of Right (1628)

• Government could not tax without consent.

• Government could not quarter troops in your house w/o permission.

– English Bill of Rights (1689)

• Parliament replaced dominant power of King (legislative supremacy)

• Guaranteed a trial by jury

• No cruel and unusual punishment

• Right to bear arms

Britain (the Mother Country) and the 13 colonies

had a good arrangement going.

French & Indian War

Britain sends its army to help the colonies defend

themselves from the French.

It decides to make the colonies pay taxes to pay

for it.

BIG PROBLEM: Britain cannot legally force the

colonies to pay taxes because they aren’t

represented in parliament (Britain’s congress).

ACTION REACTION

FRENCH & INDIAN WAR (1756-1763)Britain & the colonies fight to drive the French out of N.

America

Britain is forced to tax the colonies to pay for the war.

SUGAR ACT (1764)The British tax sugar, wine and cloth and make English

sugar the only legal sugar to import.

Colonists get angry, grow their own sugar and boycott (refuse to purchase) English sugar.

STAMP ACT (1765) British force every legal document, contract, will,

pamphlet, letter, deck of cards must have a government stamp for which the colonists must pay a tax

Tax affects everyday life. Riots break out

Mobs attack tax collectorsPeople in different colonies begin discussing via secret

letters how to resist the tax.

TOWNSHEND DUTIES (1766-1770)British impose taxes on imported tea, glass & paper.

Colonists smuggle tea into the coloniesProtests grow

Boston Massacre

TEA ACT (1773)Only the British East India Company (A government

company) may sell tea in the colonies.

Boston Tea PartyDressed as Mohawk Indians, the Sons of Liberty throw

342 tons of English tea from ships into Boston Harbor in protest.

ACTION REACTION

INTOLERABLE ACTS (1773)Boston Port Act & Quartering Acts

•Boston Harbor is closed until Massachusetts pays back the cost of the ruined tea.

•The government of Massachusetts is dissolved.•King George III replaces Massachusetts’ government with an army general backed up by several thousand

British soldiers•British soldiers are authorized to quarter themselves in

people’s homes whether they liked it or not.

The colonies form the Continental Congress in an effort to unite the colonies and get their rights as British citizens back.

They send a petition to the King asking him to convince parliament to repeal the Intolerable acts.

He refuses.

THE POWDER ALARM (1774)•The British begin seizing weapons and gunpowder from

armories in Massachusetts.•British soldiers begin searching private homes for

weapons without a warrant.•All meetings and gatherings in Massachusetts are

outlawed.

Other colonies begin urging people to arm themselves in case a war with Britain breaks out.

LEXINGTON & CONCORD (1775)700 Redcoats under the command of Major John Pitcairn

left Boston and attempt to seize American arms at Lexington and Concord.

The Massachusetts militia confronts the British and a battle breaks out.

The British retreat back to Boston and are shot at by small groups and individuals along the way.

This is the first battle of the War of Independence.

Written by Thomas Jefferson

I. Explains to the world why the American colonies

would no longer submit to British Rule.

II. Explains how the government of Great Britain

has violated the rights of the colonials.

III. Explains that the colonies tried to solve the

problem but had no other choice.

Articles of Confederation

• America’s first constitution 1781-1789

One branch of government (Legislative)

WEAKNESSES

• No way of settling disputes between states (no Judicial branch)

• No Executive Branch (There was a President)

• Could not regulate trade between states

• No national army

• No national currency (each state had their own)

• Amending required unanimous vote

• New laws required 9 of 13 to vote in favor.

John Hanson

1ST POTUS?

Constitutional Convention• Shays’ Rebellion illustrates that the national government is unable

to handle a crisis-the Articles of Confederation need serious revision

PHILADELPHIA 1787

• 55 delegates from 12 states meet to revise the Articles of Confederation– Wealthy, white males

– Average age is 42, 2/3 lawyers, 1/3 owned slaves

– Had political experience, from cities.

• No John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Sam Adams, John Hancock, or Patrick Henry!

• Father of the Constitution– James Madison of Virginia

– Spoke over 200 times

Don’t write the pink!

The discussions revolved around several key issues, the most critical of which were:

• How much power should the federal government have over the states

• How should states be represented in congress?

• How much power should the people have?

• Should slavery be abolished?

MAJOR ISSUES

Virginia Plan– Strong national government

– Three branches of government

• (legislative, executive, judicial)

– Two houses of congress, based on population

– Big states like it!

• VA, Penn, NC, Mass, NY, MD

JUST before was voted on, NJ introduced a new plan

New Jersey Plan– Three branches (same three)

– ONE house – equal representation

– Two executives (presidents)

You don’t need to take

notes on this one, but I

want to discuss it!!!

Constitutional Compromise

Constitutional Compromise

The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

• Divided congress into two houses (bicameral legislature)

• House of Reps based on state population (Big States Happy)

• Senate has two representatives per state (Small States Happy)

• One executive, popularly elected

***BONUS: Splitting up Congress diffuses government power, making it harder to pass unjust/unpopular laws.

SlaverySlavery

• Slave states argue that slaves should count as part of their population.

• More population=more representatives in Congress.

• Non-slave states=If they can’t vote, they shouldn’t count.

Madison comes up with a solution

– 3/5 Compromise

• 3/5 of slaves were counted, for representation purposes

• Ended the slave trade coming into the country in 20 years (1808)

Anti-FederalistsOpposed ratifying the new Constitution

MAJOR CONCERNS

1. Federal government would be too distant from the people and strip power from the states

2. Federal government could tax and spend too much.

3. No Bill of Rights existed to restrain government power.

Sam Adams

Patrick HenryGeorge Mason

FederalistsSupported ratifying the Constitution because:

1. It corrected the failings of the A of C.

2. Without a strong, central government uniting the states, the country would break apart.

3. Believed no BoR was needed

Washington Madison Adams Hamilton