O RIGINS OF A MERICAN G OVERNMENT Chapter 2 Notes and Review.

ORIGINS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Chapter 2 Notes and Review

OUR POLITICAL BEGINNINGS (2.1)

Our nation’s original English colonists brought with them a rich history of political experiences and ideas

Those experiences and ideas would help to shape the political landscape of our nation, both then and now

THREE BIG IDEAS1. Ordered Government

An orderly regulation of the relationship between themselves and their government

2. Limited GovernmentGovt. should not be all powerfulProtection of rights

3. Representative Govt.Govt. should “represent” the will of

the peoplePeople should have a voice in what

their govt. does

LANDMARK ENGLISH DOCUMENTS

Magna Carta (1215) First documents outlining basic individual rights Trial by jury Due process of law Protection of life, liberty and property

Petition of Right Freedom to criticize the king; could not be

imprisoned without jury trial No martial law during peacetime No quartering of soldiers

English Bill of Rights No army during peacetime Free elections Fair and speedy trial Excessive bail / cruel punishment

UNICAMERAL AND BICAMERAL

Unicameral – a one house legislature (law making body)

Bicameral – a two house legislature

WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

(1774)

Sent a declaration of rights to King George III

Urged all colonies to boycott English goods

Local committees to enforce the boycott

WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

(1775)

First real National GovernmentContinental army and navy was

formedAdopted the Declaration of

IndependenceFought a warCreated a Monetary systemMade treaties with foreign powers

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

Our Nation’s first constitutionVery weak document and was not

effectiveHad no strong central

government to enforce policies between the states

A new constitution would be necessary

A NEW CONSTITUTION WAS NECESSARY!

Problem: How should the States be represented in Congress?

Some States were large with many people and some were small with few people

What about slaves?

THE VIRGINIA PLAN

States would be represented in Congress based upon their population or the amount of money sent in support of the Central Govt. (Taxes)

Virginia loves the plan, they are a big state

Small states hate the plan

THE NEW JERSEY PLAN

All States were to be equally represented without regard to population or availability of money

New Jersey was a small state & loved the plan

Large States like Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania hated the plan

THE CONNECTICUT COMPROMISE(AKA “THE GREAT COMPROMISE”)

A bicameral legislatureThe smaller Senate would be

represented equallyThe larger House of

Representatives, representation would be based on population

Oh NO!!! What about slaves? Are they to be counted as population? Another major battle!

THE THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE Southern slave states wanted slaves to be

counted as population (even they had no rights)

Northern non-slave states objected

Compromise “All free persons are to counted, and so should

three-fifths of all other persons” Reality: A slave only counted as 3/5 of a person An ugly part of our history to be sure, but it

settled the dispute 3/5 Comp. was abolished along with slavery

later on.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION WAS COMPLETED!

Now it had to be sold to the people for approval!

FEDERALISTS AND THEIR MAIN ARGUMENT

Federalists – favored ratification (formal adoption) of the new constitution

Stressed the weakness of the Articles of Confed.

All of those problems could be fixed by the new constitution

ANTI-FEDERALISTS AND THEIR ARGUMENT

Objected to the ratification (formal adoption) process

Objected to the absence of the word God

Denial of some previously held states rights

TWO MAIN ISSUES BEING ARGUED OVER THE NEW CONSTITUTION

1. The greatly increased powers of the central government

2. The lack of a Bill of Rights

Solutions: The “Federalist Papers” were

distributed to help explain the limited power of the new central government

The adoption of the first ten amendments; the Bill of Rights

FINALLY A NEW CONSTITUTION WAS WON AND HAS LASTED FOR

OVER 200 YEARS!!!