Warm Up

Take out the Atlantic

Articles
What was the premise
of the article?
Discuss with your table
group what you
thought about the
article?
How does this prove
that our Constitution is
a living document?
 AP Notes
Constitutional Underpinnings
Unit 1.2
 Type of Governments
Monarchy
Power is vested in hereditary kings and queens who govern in the
interest of all.
Totalitarianism
Power resided in a leader who rules according to self-interest.
Oligarchy
The right to participate in government is conditioned on the
possession of wealth, social status, military position, or achievement.
Democracy
The rule of the many
Direct Democracy
Members of the society (polity) meet and make decisions with
majority rule.
Representative Democracy
Members of the society vote for representatives who make decisions
on their belief.
 Philosophical Origins of American
Government
Thomas Hobbes
Humanity was naturally at
war. We need government
(Monarchy) necessary to
restrain humanitys bestial
tendencies. Life without
government was a state of
nature
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The social contract: It is the
agreement of free and
equal people to abandon
certain natural rights in
order to find freedom in a
single body politic
committed to the general
good.
 Philosophical Origins of American
Government
John Locke Montesquieu
Natural Law is the law of God. Argued for the separation of
Under natural law people powers in the government.
were born free and equal. Law
is acknowledge through
human sense and reason. He
also argued for rights (Life,
Liberty and Property) and
obligated people to rebel
against kings that did not
respect the right of the
governed (Social Contract
Theory)
Roots of a New Nation
 English Colonies Form
In the early 17th century, colonist came to the
New World for economic opportunity and to
escape religious persecution.
Most colonist agreed the kind rules by divine
right. The monarch gave colonist much more
freedom ( such as self-government, religious
practices, economic organization) than subject
in England.
Things were OK for almost 140 years.
13 Colonies
 England Enhances Control of the
Colonies
England increase taxes (Sugar and Stamp Act)
and restrict settlement (Proclamation of
1783).
They increased taxes to pay for the Seven
years War (French and Indian War was a
segment that took place in North America.
They restricted settlements to prevent having
to pay for future conflicts with Native
American tribes and European rivals.
 England Enhances Control of the
Colonies
England and the colonies would go back and
forth for years regarding new control. England
would back down on some things and crack
down on others.
King George III pushed for the Intolerable Acts
(shutting down Boston Harbor until the tea
was paid for from the Boston Tea Party) and
reinforcing the Quartering Act (forced colonist
to give food and shelter to Redcoats).
 The Colonist First Steps Towards
Independence
Stamp Act Congress
Representatives met in 1765 to draft a document
listing how their rights were violated (They through
they deserved representation in Parliament)
Sons/Daughters of Liberty
Some boycotts were successful with English citizens
applying pressure to Parliament
Committees of Correspondence
Kept each other aware of developments with Great
Britain.
 The Colonist First Steps Towards
Independence
First Continental Congress
56 delegates came together so they could iron out their
differences with England. They drafted a Declaration of Rights
and Resolves
(which included the right to petition and assembly, trial by peers,
freedom from a standing army, and a selection of representative
councils to levy taxes)
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Redcoats are coming, the Redcoats are coming to ger out
weapons. This was in 1775 and was the start of the
Revolutionary War.
Second Continental Congress
Olive Branch Petition (last chance Great Britain). It also put
George Washington in charge of the Army.
Declaration of Independence
Break Up Letter to the British Government.
 The Declaration of Independence
First Paragraph
God gives peoples the right to break away from
government.
Second Paragraph
All men are created equal
Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness
It is OK to abolish government
27 Paragraphs
27 reasons they hate King George
Last Few Paragraphs
The United States of America declare that the colonies
are free and independent states.
 Americas Governments

1. Second Continental Congress (1775-1781)

2. Articles and Confederation (1781-1789)
3. Constitution (1789-Today)
 The Second Continental Congress
Unofficial government. It handled the creation
of the Declaration of Independence, and the
handing of the Revolutionary War until an
official government was created.
 Articles of Confederation
This government came into effect about 2
years left of the Revolutionary War. It was an
official document written out much like
todays Constitution. It did not last because it
had a weak central government.
 Articles of Confederation:
Government Structure
Sovereignty
The nation was considered a firm league of
friendship. Each state had ultimate authority within
its territory.
Passing Laws
It took 9/13 states to agree to pass a law.
Amendments
To amend the articles, it took all 13 states in
agreements
Selection/Payment of Delegates
Each state could pay and send up to 7 representatives
or delegates but they only had one vote per state.
 The Articles of Confederation:
Strengths
Post Office
Negotiations with Native American Tribes
Acted as one nation for foreign disputes
Creek Tribe
Make Peace
Ended the Revolutionary War
 The Articles of Confederation:
Weaknesses
Money Issues
National government did
coin money.
But states will still coin
their own money
States then try to make
deals with other nations.
Tax Issue
National government
could not tax and only
asked for money
No Executive
 The Articles of Confederation:
Weaknesses
No Judicial
States would fight about
borders
No Respect for National
Decisions
States would ignore the
Treaty of Paris by allowing
citizens to postpone paying
debts to Britain and not
giving land back to loyal
supporters of Britain.
Shays Rebellion
The national government
tried to raise funds to pay for
a militia to put down a
rebellion in Massachusetts.
 The Constitution
Was written at the Constitutional convention
in 1787. It is called a living document (because
it can be changed), it has been around for over
200 years.
 Constitutional Convention:
Compromises
Purpose of Convention
They were supposed to revise the Articles of Confederation, but
they just made up a new government instead.
Rhode Island did not attend
Presiding Officer
George Washington was unanimously voted the presiding
officer. He was a beloved war hero. Everyone wanted him to
become the nations president.
Father of the Constitution
All of the framers (55 delegates are called the Founding Fathers,
but James Madison is referred to as the Father of the
Constitution.
Oldest Member
Benjamin Franklin (81) Was involved with the 2nd Continental
Congress, Articles of Confederation and Constitution.
 Constitutional Convention:
Compromises
Political Experience and Background of the
Delegates
Most were in their 20s and 30s
s had served in the Continental Congress
Several helped draft their States Constitutions
8 Signed the Declaration of Independence
21 Fought the Revolutionary War
17 owned slaved
31 went to College
34 Lawyers
 Virginia Plan
Favored large states
Strong Central Government with 3 Branches
Bicameral (two house) legislature larger house elected
by the people (House of Representatives, and a smaller
house that was selected by larger house (Senate)
A legislature with the power to select the executive and
judiciary
(This would change in the 17th Amendment)
 New Jersey Plan
New Jersey Plan
Agreed with strong central governmentBUT
mostly wanted to strengthened the articles.
Congress would be unicameral (one house) with
states having equal votes
Did not want large population states to dominate
the legislature
Created a Supreme Court with members appointed
for life.
 Great Compromise
(Connecticut)
A bicameral legislature in which the House of
Representatives membership apportioned according
to the state populations, plus 3/5 the slave population
An upper house, the Senate, which would have two
members from each state, elected by the state
legislature (popularly elected today)
Dividing power between the nation and state
governments, national power would be supreme.
3 branches of Government.
 Counting Slaves when Determining
Representation in Congress
South North
People in the South wanted People in the North felt since
slaves cant vote they should not
to count slaves as people be use din determining the
when determining how number of seats the state gets in
many seats their state got in the House of Representatives.
the House of New England Colonies
New Hampshire
Representatives. Massachusetts
Southern Colonies Rhode Island
Connecticut
Maryland
Middle Colonies
Virginia New Jersey
Georgia New York
Province of Carolina Pennsylvania
Separated in 1712 NC & SC Delaware
 Counting Slaves when Determining
Representation in Congress
3/5s Compromise
Five slaves would count as 3 people when determining
population of a state for congressional representation.
This gave the South 47% of the House of Representatives
 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty power to govern belongs to
the people. A government based on the consent of
governed.
Separation of Powers division of government
divided by branches: executive, legislative and judicial.
Checks and Balances a system where branches
have some authority over others.
Limited Government government is not all-powerful,
and it does only what citizens allow.
Federalism division of power between central
government and individual states.
Judicial Review The Supreme Court can declare
government acts unconstitutional