THE CONSTITUTION: Revolutionary Roots of the Constitution
Jan 13, 2016
THE CONSTITUTION:Revolutionary Roots of the Constitution
FREEDOM IN COLONIAL AMERICA
Though British subjects, the colonists enjoyed more freedom than those living in EuropeTraditions, feudalism, religious intoleranceColonists enjoyed near complete freedom
of speech, press and assembly By 1763, Britain & the colonies had a
reached a compromise between royal rule and self governmentKing & Parliament controlled foreign
affairs; domestic issues left to colonies
ROAD TO REVOLUTION
British government needed to pay for the French & Indian War. Led to taxes on the colonies TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
A series of taxes were imposed and this led to a boycott of British goods in the colonies
ROAD TO REVOLUTION
Boston Tea Party (1773) Coercive (Intolerable) Acts (1774)
Closed Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for Gave royal governors the power to quarter
soldiers in private homes Battle became British demand for order vs.
American demand for liberty
REVOLUTIONARY ACTION
First Continental Congress (Sept. 1774) met to restore harmony between Britain & the colonies
Second Continental Congress convened after a military skirmish between British and colonial troops in Massachusetts Remained in session to serve as the government
for the colony-states
WHAT WAS AT STAKE??
Should the colonists prepare for war? Should they try to reconcile with Britain? Declaring their independence meant treason.
Failure to win independence would mean death by hanging, drawing and quartering
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Written by Thomas Jefferson, echoed many of the words spoken by John Adams in the Continental Congress
Underlying principles derived from John LockeConsent of the governedSocial contract theory – people agree to
establish rulers for certain purposes, but they have the right to resist or remove rulers who violate those purposes
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Jefferson found inspiration in the Virginia Declaration of Rights
He listed the grievances the colonists had against the KingSlavery was in the original draft, but later
omitted when South Carolina & Georgia objected
Signed by 55 delegates of the Second Continental Congress
DEMOCRACY IS BAD, M’KAY
The Framers feared a pure participatory systemDemocracy = mob rule and instability
The revolutionaries were more concerned with limiting government power
To ensure they had a government with strictly defined powers, they put everything in writing
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Established a weak central government that could only coordinate, not control, the actions of the sovereign (independent) states
Articles reflected the delegates’ fear that a strong government would resemble British rule
FEATURES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Each state had one vote in the Congress, regardless of size
Voting on important issues required the consent of 9 of 13 states
No executive branch or court system
FAILURES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION National government did not have the power
to tax Congress had to beg states for money
No leader to direct the government President simply presided over the powerless
Congress To the delegates, president = monarch
National government could not regulate foreign or interstate commerce (trade)
Amending the articles required consent of all states States could veto any proposed changes