Lrlk Wahlberg

SC 113 ChapLer 2
l 8efore Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
a WhaL ls a ConsLlLuLlon?
b 1oward lndependence
l Amerlcans belleved we had rlghLs of all brlLlsh sub[ecLs 8rlLaln lmposed Laxes
ll SugaL AcL of 1764 seL lLems only exporLed Lo 8rlLaln
lll SLamp acL of 1763 esLabllshed Lax on all forms paper
lv 8epealed SLamp AcL ln 1766 replace wlLh 1ownshed acL whlch lmposed Lax on
varlous lmporLs
v Samuel Adams led massachuseLLes leglslaLure Lo send leLLer saylng Lhe
Lownshed acLs was unconsLlLuLlonal
vl 1/6 brlLlsh allowed Lo voLe aL Lhe Llme
vll 2/3 amerlcan adulL males could voLe for colonlal represenLaLlves
vlll 1770 bosLon massacre
lx 8osLon 1ea arLy 1774 resulLed from massacre
x 8en[amln lranklln proposes a ConLlnenLal Congress
1 ConLlnenLlal Congress lnlLlal governlng over Lhe revoluLlonary war and
oLher common affalrs of Lhe 13 lndependenL sLaLes
c 1he ueclaraLlon of lndependence
l 1homas !efferson lnsLrucLed Lo drafL Lhls documenL
1 arL of wrlLlngs on [ohn locke (naLural undenlable rlghLs)
ll 1he conLlnenLlal congress needed legal auLhorlLy for lLs acLlon and proposed Lhe
ArLlcles of ConfederaLlon ln 1777
d 1he ArLlcles of ConfederaLlon
l lormally esLabllshed Lhe unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca
ll WlLh arLlcle sLaLes became one wlLh cenLrallzed conLrol
lll ArLlcles emphaslzed freedom from naLlonal auLhorlLy
1 8eLalned all power noL expressly granLed Lo congress under Lhe arLlcles
lv Congress had full auLhorlLy over forelgn mlllLary and lndlan affalrs declde
boundarles and dlspuLes beLween sLaLes coln money and esLabllsh posL offlces
1 noL auLhorlLy Lo regulaLe commerseor operaLe dlrecLlly over clLlzens
a Congress could noL Lax dlrecLly
v Covernlng was dlfflculL each sLaLe one voLe
vl Shay's 8ebelllon Led by massachuseLLes farmers agalnsL heavy debLs helped
convlnce sLaLes LhaL nelLher sLae nor federal governmenL were funcLlonlng
properly
ll 1he ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon
a uelegaLes charged wlLh maklng Lhe ArLlcles of ConfederaLlon beLLer
b 1he uelegaLes
l 33 delegaLes
ll 8epresenLed large and small sLaLes
lll noL all rlchnoL all poor All whlLe and all were male
c Large versus Small SLaLes
l vlrglnla plan madlson proposed sLrong cenLral governmenL
1 LeglslaLlve branch Lwo chambers lower chamber elecLed by people and
upper chamber elecLed by Lhe lower chamber
2 Lach chamber have proporLlonal represenLaLlon (represenLaLlon
accordlng Lo slze of sLaLe)
3 naLlonal execuLlve and naLlonal [udlclary boLh chosen by leglslaLure
4 Councll of revlslon composed of execuLlve and [udlclal members who
have approval over all leglslaLlve acLs
ll new !ersey lan
1 rovldlng congress wlLh auLhorlLy Lo regulaLe congress and dlrecLly Lax
2 naLlonal execuLlve chosen by leglslaLure naLlonal [udlclary chosen by
execuLlve
3 Lach sLaLe equal represenLaLlon ln congress
lll ConnecLlcuL Compromlse
1 Lower chamber (Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves) would be proporLlonal Lo
populaLlon // upper chamber (1he SenaLe) would represenL each sLaLe
equally
d naLlon vS SLaLe
l 8e[ecLed new !ersey lan
ll uld noL approve vlrglnla plan ln full
lll Congress noL granLed general leglslaLlve power granLed enumeraLed powers
1 LnumeraLed owers LlsLed ln ArLlcle l SecLlon 8 such as regulaLlng
commerce and colnlng money
2 1ax general welfare borrow money regulaLe commerce ln us and
forglen naLlons declalr war ralse armles malnLaln a navy
3 uld noL geL ablllLy Lo veLo laws buL naLlonal law SLaLe law
e norLh versus SouLh
l AbollLlon of Slavery huge lssue
ll Compromlses necessary and falllng
lll ConvenLlon compremlse prohlblLed congress from sLopplng slave Lrade unLll
1808
lv 1hreeflfLhs formula exLra represenLaLlon ln house of rep based on number of
slaves aL Lhe raLlon 33
f CaLes agalnsL opular lnfluence
l 1787 consLlLuLlon provlded dlrecL and lndlrecL gaLeways for popular
lnvolvemenL
ll LlecLoral College resldenLlal elecLors selecLed Lo represenL Lhe voLes of Lhelr
respecLlve sLaLe who meeL every 4 years Lo casL Lhe elecLoral voLes for
presldenL and vlce presldenL
lll Lach sLaLe geLs # elecLors based on populaLlon
lv unLll 1913 sLaLe leglslaLure also selecLed uS SenaLors
1 17
Lh
amendmenL ln 1913 changed Lhls
g 1he 8aLlflcaLlon rocess
l Chose noL Lo lnclude a blll of rlghLs
ll needed meLhod of raLlfylng
1 roblem was one leglslaLure could slmply repeal whaL anoLher
leglslaLure accompllshed
lll eople represenLaLlves aL convenLlons had excluslve auLhorlLy Lo esLabllsh
consLlLuLlons
lv ConsLlLuLlonal convenLlon soughL approval from Lhe people of Lhe unlLed sLaLes
v 1787 flnal sLeps were Laken and convenLlon voLed on Lhe flnal documenL
1 39 slgned Lhe documenL wlLh only 3 refuslng Lo slgn
lll CovernmenL under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
a 1he SLrucLure of CovernmenL
l 1he LeglslaLlve 8ranch
1 8lcameral congress (Lwo chambers)
a Lower chamber house proporLlonal Lo populaLlon
b upper chamber conslsLed of 2 senaLors from each sLaLe
l ueslgned Lo serve as check on popular wlll
ll Chosen by respecLlve sLaLe leglslaLures unLll 17
Lh

amendmenL granLed people of each sLaLe rlghLs Lo voLe
for each senaLor
lll Congress can overrlde Lhe presldenLlal veLo by a 2/3
ma[orlLy ln each chamber
c ArLlcle l SecLlon 8 of consLlLuLlon
l LlmlLs congresses auLhorlLy Lo a llsLlng or enumeraLlon
of cerLaln powers ln 18 paragraphs
1 lrlsL one ls Lo Lax pay debLs and provlde
common defense and general welfare Lo unlLed
sLaLes
2 217 granL addlLlonal powers such as borrowlng
and colnlng money regulaLlng commerse and
ralslng an army
3 18 granLs Lhe auLhorlLy Lo pass all laws
necessary and proper for carrylng lnLo
execuLlon Lhe foregolng powers
d 1he SenaLe
l ConsLlLuLlon gave SenaLe has sole auLhorlLy Lo Lry cases
of lmpeachmenL wlLh 2/3 voLe house auLhorlLy Lo
lmpeach
ll Also has auLhorlLy Lo raLlfy LreaLles also 2/3 voLe
ll 1he LxecuLlve 8ranch
1 Slngle presldenL 4 year Lerm by elecLoral college
2 LlecLoral college chosen ln manner seL by leglslaLure ln each lndlvldual
sLaLe
a Lvery sLaLe gave people power for people Lo voLe for elecLors
b Lach sLaLe recelves # elecLors Lo # represenLaLlves + senaLors
3 lf no person recelves ma[orlLy Lhen elecLlon goes Lo Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves where each sLaLe geLs 1 voLe
4 Also chooses v who presldes over SenaLe
lll 1he !udlclal 8ranch
1 resldenL appolnLes [udges wlLh advlce/consenL of senaLe
2 1hey serve llfe Lerms lf on good behavlor"
3 Pears cases perLalnlng Lo
a unlLed sLaLes ambassadors or oLher publlc mlnlsLers
b SulLes beLween Lwo or more sLaLes or clLlzens from dlfferenL
sLaLes
c CerLaln classes of cases (consLlLuLlon laws and LLreaLles of Lhe
unlLed SLaLes)
4 !udlclal 8evlew AuLhorlLy of courLs Lo declare laws passed by congress
and acLs of Lhe execuLlve branch Lo be unconsLlLuLlonal
lv 1he AmendmenL rocess
1 2 aLh for changlng consLlLuLlon
a 2/3 voLe ln each chamber of congress followed by approval of
of Lhe sLaLes
l SLaLe approval can be Lhrough elLher sLaLe leglslaLure or
Lhrough sLaLe raLlfylng convenLlons as dlrecLed by
congress
b 2/3 of sLaLes Lo requesL a naLlonal consLlLuLlonal convenLlon
LhaL could propose amendmenLs whlch go lnLo effecL when
approved by of sLaLes
l Same meLhod of approval as Lhe flrsL paLh
c ConsLlLuLlon prohlblLs amendmenLs LhaL would deny any sLaLe
an equal voLe ln Lhe SenaLe or any amendmenLs LhaL would
have allowed a bannlng of Lhe forelgn slave Lrade prlor Lo 1808
d SLaLes have nLvL8 called a consLlLuLlonal convenLlon Lo amend
Lhe 1787 ConsLlLuLlon however Lhey have senL 33 proposed
amendmenLs Lo Lhe sLaLes for raLlflcaLlon
e Congress senL Lhe 21
sL
amendmenL (Lhe repeal of rohlblLlon) Lo
sLaLe raLlfylng convenLlons buL all oLher proposed amendmenLs
wenL dlrecLly Lo sLaLe leglslaLure
f Cf 33 amendmenLs proposed 27 recelved accepLance from
3/4
Lh
of Lhe sLaLes
l 8lll of rlghLs 110
ll 3 Clvll war amendmenLs whlch abollshed slavery and
aLLempLed proLecLlon of former slaves
lll Lqual rlghLs amendmenL Ceorge WaLson favored dld
noL pass
lv roposed 1978 amendmenL granLlng dlsLrlcL of
Colombla represenLaLlon ln congress
v 26
Lh
amendmenL dld
v 1he arLlLlon of ower
1 ConsLlLuLlon places addlLlonal llmlLs on boLh federal and sLaLe powers
2 lererallsm SysLem of governmenL ln whlch soverelgnLy ls
consLlLuLlonaly dlvlded beLween naLlonal and sLaLe governmenLs
a SpllLs power beLween naLlon and sLaLe
b ConsLlLuLlon places addlLlonal llmlLs on boLh federal and sLaLe
powers
3 SeparaLlon of powers auLhorlLy ls dlvlded among branches
a ulvlded Lhose powers LhaL remalned ln naLlonal governmenL
among Lhe 3 branches of governmenL
4 Checks and 8alances each branch shares powers wlLh oLher powers
a Clves each branch some auLhorlLy over Lhe powers of oLher
branches
b LxecuLlve
l Checks leglslaLlve by proposlng and veLolng leglslaLlon
ll Checks [udlclal by appolnLlng [udges and pardonlng
crlmlnals
c !udlclal
l Checks leglslaLlve by declalrlng federal laws
unconsLlLuLlonal
ll Checks execuLlve by derermlnlng legallLy of execuLlve
branch acLlons
d LeglslaLlve
l Checks execuLlve by lmpeachmenL convlcLs and
removals advlses execuLlve appolnLmenLs and
overrldes veLoes
ll Checks [udlclal by esLabllshlng courLs lmpeaches
convlcLs and removes advlses on and consenLs Lo
[udlclal appolnLmenLs
3 LlmlLs on ower
a ConsLlLuLlon llmlLs sLaLe auLhorlLy ln several ways
l Makes federal law supreme over sLaLe laws
ll CaurenLees sLaLes provlde a republlcan form of
gocernmenL
lll 1he consLlLuLlon seLs knuLs lb sorL of leglslaLlon LhaL ls
allowed Lo pass
lv SLaLes prohlblLed from colnlng money engaglng ln
forglen affalrs passlng bllls or aLLalnders or prosecuLe
lndlvlduals under ex posL facLo laws
1 Also prevenLs passlng laws LhaL dlsregard
obllgaLlons of conLracLs
2 CannoL suspend wrlL of habeas corpus
a Pabeas corups rlghL of lndlvlduals who
have been arresLed and [alled Lo go
before a [udge who deLermlnes lf Lhelr
lmprlsonmenL ls legal
lv 1he 8aLlflcaLlon uebaLes
a MosL of debaLe concerned exLenL of naLlonal power under consLlLuLlon
b lederallsLs and AnLlfederallsLs
l lederallsLs
1 More naLlonallsLs" Lhen federallsLs
2 SupporLed consLlLuLlon
3 Alexander PamllLon founded Lhe federallsL parLy
a WroLe Lhe lederallsL papers
b lederallsL papers Serles of essays wrlLLen by !ames Madlson
Alexander PamllLon and !ohn !ay argulng for Lhe raLlflcaLlon of
Lhe consLlLuLlon
l WrlLLen anomyously under Lhen name ubllus"
ll 1wo mosL famous essays number 10 and 31
ll AnLlfederallsLs
1 Cpposed Lhe consLlLuLlon
2 ubllshed Lhelr aLLacks on consLlLuLlon under 8ruLus and Cld Whlg"
c ConsolldaLlon of lederal AuLhorlLy
l AnLlfederallsLs argued ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon vlolaLed arLlcles by movlng
beyond mere ammmendmenL and proposlng a new governmenL LhaL dld noL
requlre unanlmous consenL of Lhe sLaLes
ll Worrled sovergnLy (ulLlmaLe lawmaklng auLhorlLy) could noL be spllL naLlonal
law supreme over sLaLe law
lll 8LvlLW 1PlS A8AC8AP
d 1he Scope of LxecuLlve AuLhorlLy
l WlLh no Lerm llmlL on execuLlve ln orlglnal consLlLuLlon AnLlfederallsLs feared
presldenL Lurnlng lnLo a monarch
1 resldenL could poLenLlally use pardon on hls crlmlnal parLners
e 1he Scope of LeglslaLlve AuLhorlLy
l 2 rovlslons ln ArLlcle 1 SecLlon 8 of consLlLuLlon alarmed anLlfederallsLs
1 Ceneral welfare clause Clves congress power Lo Lax and provlde for Lhe
general welfare
2 necessary and proper clause Clves congress power Lo pass all laws
necessary and proper Lo Lhe powers enumeraLed ln secLlon 8
ll Madlson responded Lo Lhese concerns ln lederallsL 41
1 Argued power Lo Lax was noL general granL of power Lo Lax for any
purpose raLher a power Lo Lax for Lhe enumeraLed powers LhaL
followed
lll CponsLlLuLlon creaLes somewhaL greaLer auLhorlLy for lmplled powers
1 lmplled powers powers noL expllclLly granLed Lo Congress buL added
Lhrough Lhe necessary and proper clause
f 1he Lack of a 8lll of 8lghLs
l lederallsLs argued noL necessary slnce congress had only powers granLed by
consLlLuLlon
1 Lven clalmed blll of rlghLs could be dangerous slnce lf cerLaln rlghLs
were llsLed buL noL oLhers Lhe lmplecaLlon would mean Lhose rlghLs noL
llsLed could be abrldged
ll uoes congress have Lhe rlghL Lo abrldge Lhe rlghL Lo assemble?
1 lederallsLs say no because congress only has enumeraLed powers and
llmlLlng freedom of assembly ls noL one of Lhem
2 AnLlfederallsLs say yes because Lhe power was noL prohlblLed
v 1he 8esponslve ConsLlLuLlon
a MosL promlnenL ls developmenL of pollLlcal parLles
b 1he 8lll of 8lghLs
l lederallsLs agreed Lo propose a blll of rlghLs once new consLlLuLlon was raLlfled
ll Madlson selecLed 12 proposed ammendmenLs
c 1he Clvll War AmendmenLs
l AfLer clvll war congress raLlfled 3 ammendmenLs
1 13
Lh
prohlblL slavery
2 14
Lh
almed Lo proLecL newly emanclpaLed slaves all people born ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes clLlzens of Lhe unlLed SLaLes
a Also prohlblLs sLaLes from denylng due process of law equal
proLecLlon of Lhe law or Lhe prlvleges and lmmunlLles of
clLlzens
3 13
Lh
rohlblLs sLaLes from ddenylng anyone rlghL Lo voLe on accounL of
race or prlor sLaLus as slaves
4 1hese ammendmenLs radlcally changed sLrucLure of federal governmenL
by glvlng naLlonal governmenL auLhorlLy over lnLernal maLLers of Lhe
sLaLes
d AmendmenLs 1haL Lxpand ubllc arLlclpaLlon
l 17
Lh
Cave people rlghL Lo voLe for senaLors dlrecLly
ll 19
Lh
granLed women rlghL Lo voLe
lll 23
Lh
granLed resldenLs ln dlsLrlcL of Colombla Lo voLe ln presldenLlal elecLlon
lv 24
rd
prohlblLs sLaLes from seLLlng poll Laxes as a requlremenL of voLlng ln
federal elecLlons
v 26
Lh
CuaranLee rlghL Lo voLe for Lhose age 18 or older
e ConsLlLuLlonal lnLerpreLaLlon
l Congress's auLhorlLy Lo regulaLe commerce beLween sLaLes ls so large lL covers
vlrLually all commerclal acLlvlLy
ll CrowLn of naLlonal auLhorlLy conflrms LhaL AnLlfederallsLs were rlghL on
lnslsLlng a blll of rlghLs
f luLure AmendmenLs
l Changes on consLlLuLlon slnce blll of rlghLs have been cenLered on greaLer dlrecL
parLlclpaLlon
ll AnoLher suggesLlon ls replacemenL of Lhe elecLoral college wlLh some form of
popular voLe
g CLher Changes
l ollLlcal parLles mosL noLable change
ll Larly dlvlslons beLween pollLlcal ellLes led groundwork for Lhe flrsL seL of
opposlng pollLlcal parLles
lll Slnce congress and presldenL check eachoLher Lhe only separaLlon really exlsLs
when presldenL and ma[orlLy parLy ln congress are dlfferenL parLles
1 1hls ls known as ulvlded CovernmenL SlLuaLlon when one parLy
conLrols Lhe execuLlve branch and Lhe oLher parLy conLrols Lhe
leglslaLlve branch
vl ollcy Maklng ln a ConsLlLuLlonal SysLem 1he ueaLh enalLy
a lnconslsLencles ln our governmenL generaLe lnequallLy ln Lhe appllcaLlon of Lhe deaLh
penalLy
l SeperaLlon of powers ls llmlLed by sysLem of checks and balances whlch adds
complexlLy for pollcymaklng proceses
ll lederallsm allows each sLaLe wlLhln Lhe bounds of Lhe consLlLuLlon Lo persue lL's
own pollcles
b Checks and 8alances
l LxecuLlve branch becomes key player ln pollcy maklng
ll !udlclary can sLrlke down laws passed by leglslaLlve branch
lll !udlclary can nulllfy acLlons Lhe execuLlve branch Lakes
lv 1hus all 3 branches of governmenL can have say ln pollcy maklng
c lederallsm
l Lach sLaLe has own seperaL governmenL and seL of laws furLher compllcaLes
pollcymaklng process
d 1he ueaLh enalLy
l ConsLlLuLlon conLalns a degree of amblgulLy abouL Lhe deaLh penalLy
1 Several places seems Lo allow caplLal punlshmenL
a 14
Lh
amendmenL due process clause suggesLs LhaL llfe llberLy
and properLy may be Laken so long as Lhe sLaLes follow due
process
b 3
Lh
amendmenL declares no person shall be held for a caplLal
crlme wlLhouL lndlcLmenL by a grand [ury
2 Several places seem Lo prohlblL caplLal punlshmenL
a 8
Lh
AmmendmenL prohlblLs cruel and unusual punnlshmenLs
l Supreme courL lnLerpreL Lhls means Lhe
consLlLuLlonallLy of punlshmenLs are sub[ecL Lo evolvlng
sLandards of [usLlce and Lhe deaLh penalLy may vlolaLe
Lhose sLandards
3 rlor Lo 1972 mosL sLaLes allowed caplLal punlshmenL
4 1976 Lhe Supreme CourL ruled 72 deaLh penalLy wlLh guldellnes dld noL
consLlLuLe cruel and unuslual punlshmenL under Lhe consLlLuLlon
3 CurrenLly 33 sLaLed permlL caplLal punlshmenL
6 rohlblLs offenders under 18 from caplLal punlshmenL
7 lnconslsLency of deaLh penalLy ralses quesLlon abouL equallLy under Lhe
consLlLuLlonal sysLem and serves as one of Lhe mosL lmpornLanL
examples of Lhe unlnLended consequences of consLlLuLlonal deslgn
vll 1he ConsLlLuLlon and uemocracy
a CovernmenL under 1787 consLlLuLlon would be deemed severely lacklng ln boLh
democracy and equallLy
l 8lghL Lo voLe was regulaLed by sLaLes slaves noL allowed Lo voLe however
sLaLes dlffered as Lo weLher free blacks women and Lhose wlLhouL properLy
could voLe
ll Allowed for a remarkable amounL of parLlclpaLlon by common person
1 Was due Lo smaller populaLlon