Chapter 2:Origins of American government

Chapter 2:Origins of American government

Section 1: Our political beginnings

Section 1: Our political beginnings

I. Basic concepts of governmentA. ordered government- 1. need orderly regulation of their relationships w/ one another 2. still have sheriff, coroner, assessor, justice of the peace, grand jury, counties, & townships

B. Limited Government 1. government is not all powerful 2. idea planted in the land of EnglandC. Representative Government 1. gov. should serve the will of the people 2. people should have a voice in gov

Section 1: Our political beginnings

II. Landmark English Documents A. Magna Carta

1. King John, Runnymede in 12152. trial by jury3. due process of law4. did away with absolute power5. Parliament protected

Section 1:Our political beginnings

B. The Petition of Right1. further limited the king’s power2. no quartering of soldiers3. no longer punish or imprison people w/o trial by jury of peers/ law of land4. no martial law during peacetimeC. English Bill of Rights

Section 1: Our political beginnings

1. 1688 Glorious Revolution2. free elections for Parliament3. no standing army in peacetime (unless Parliament said so).4. right to a fair trial5. no excessive bail6. no cruel and unusual punishment

Section 1: Our political Beginnings

III. The English Colonies A. Royal colonies

1. direct control by the crown 2. controlled by governor 3. bicameral rule- 2 house

B. Proprietary colonies 1. established with land grants

Section 1:Our political Beginnings

2. unicameral-one houseC. Charter colonies

1. self-governing2. given charter to operate

Section 1:Our political Beginnings

CHAPTER 2:origins of american government

Section 2:the coming of independence

I. Britain’s Colonial PoliciesA. controlled by GB 3,000 miles awayB. power of purseC. paid few taxesD. did not want the royal gov. meddling in their local affairs

II. Growing colonial unityA. New England Confederation - league

Section 2: coming of independence

that came together for defense against Native AmericansB. Albany Plan of Union

1. delegates (representatives) from each of the 13 colonies would

meet to raise military & naval forces, make war & peace with Native Americans, regulate trade with them, tax, & collect custom duties

Section 2: coming of independence

2. proposed by Ben Franklin3. meets annually

C. Stamp Act Congress1. Stamp Act of 17652. had to have a stamp on legal documents, certain business agreements, & on

newspapers

Section 2: coming of independence

D. Intolerable Acts passed to punish colonistsE. 1st Continental Congress met to discuss what to doF. 2nd Continental Congress met & actually took action

Section 2: coming of independence

II. The Declaration of IndependenceA. 1775- fighting broke out between

Great Britain and the colonists.B. 1776- Continental Congress met in

Philadelphia; established a committee to draft the DOI

C. Most of it written by Jefferson

Section 2: coming of independence

D. Believed that the power of the government comes from the consent of the governed

E. If a government ignores the will of the people, the people have a

legitimate right to change the government

F. Basic human rights- life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness

Section 2: coming of independence

Section 3: The Critical Period

CHAPTER 2: GOVERNMENT

I. The Articles of Confederation A. original plan of gov.

B. confederation- loose association of statesC. did not want a strong central gov.D. one legislative body -the CongressE. wanted to preserve states’

Section 3: the Critical Period

.

sovereignty (absolute power)F. Did not want to establish a national court system to interpret the laws & to punish lawbreakers

II. Weaknesses of the Confederation A. Congress had trouble passing laws because 9 out of 13 states was needed to pass important measures

Section 3: the Critical Period

B. No officials to ensure that the laws passed by Congress were carried out.

C. There were no means of interpreting the laws or judging those who broke them.

D. Changes in the Articles required the unanimous vote of all 13 states.

Section 3: the Critical period

E. the Congress lacked the power to collect taxes

1. Congress could not pay the country’s debts

2. could not pay the soldiers who had fought in the Revolutionary War

F. could not control trade between the states or with foreign nations

Section 3: The Critical period

G. no stable national currency or banking system

III. Need for ChangeA. main problem with the AOC- did

not give the national government enough power to operate

effectivelyB. citizens lacked a national identityC. 1787- meeting held to strengthen the

AOC

Section 3: the critical Period

CHAPTER 2:origins of american government

Section 4: Creating the constitution

I. FramersA. 12 states choose 74 delegates; only

55 showed upB. Ben Franklin was the oldest 81C. Independence Hall in Philadelphia,

PAD. George Washington President of the

Philadelphia Convention

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

II. Secret MeetingsA. agreed to hold the meeting secret so that delegates could speak freelyB. James Madison kept a journal of the proceedings of each meeting

III. Writing the ConstitutionA. established federalism1. divides power b/w national & state gov

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

IV. The Virginia Plan A. Madison plan B. 3 branches of gov- legislative, executive, & judicial C. Congress bicameral D. representation based on $ or population E. HOR chosen by popular vote F. Senate chosen by state legislatures

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

V. The New Jersey Plan A. proposed a unicameral legislature B. states equally represented C. federal executive of more than one person

VI. The Connecticut Compromise A. aka the Great Compromise

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

B. agreed to a bicameral gov. C. the Senate was based on equal representationD. the House was based on population

VII. The 3/5 CompromiseA. should slaves be counted as people for

population & representation?B. slaves counted as 3/5 a person

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

C. regulate trade D. set and collect taxes

VIII. Federalists & AntifederalistsA. Federalists supported a strong national governmentB. leading Federalists- John Jay, James Madison, & Alexander HamiltonC. Antifederalists opposed the Cons.

Section 4: Creating the Constitution

D. Key antifederalists- Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock

IX. RatificationA. 1st to ratify was DelawareB. 9th to ratify was New HampshireC. 10th state- VirginiaD. 11th state- New York

Section 4: Creating the Constitution