Chapter 2Our Political Beginnings

Why / How / What did the “Framers” of the United States

Constitution utilize in “History” to

Set the ground work for our Constitution?

3 main ideas from the English settlers

• 1) Ordered government-rules to help people get along

• 2) Limited government-government not all powerful, can be restricted

• 3) Representative government-should serve the will of the people

English Documents

• Magna Carta– 1215– Only applied to

nobles– Trial by jury– Due process – Power of monarchy

is not absolute

English Documents

• Petition of Rights– Limited the King’s power– No quartering of troops– Trial by peers– No martial law in time of peace

English Documents

• English Bill of Rights– No standing army in time of peace– Free parliamentary elections– No excessive bail– No cruel & unusual punishment

Timeline to the Constitution

• 1775-April-American Revolution begins

• 1775-May-2nd Continental Congress meets

• 1776-July-Declaration of Independence

• 1781-end of War of Independence

• 1781-Articles of Confederation

• 1787-U.S. Constitution

Articles of Confederation

• 1st legal government

• Government could coordinate, not control the actions of the states

• Unicameral Congress

• Equal votes per state

• No executive or judicial branch

• Provided for common defense

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• No power to tax• No power to regulate

commerce• All 13 states to

amend• 1 vote per state

regardless of size• No enforcement

branch• No judicial branch

From Articles to Constitution

• Economic Chaos

• Different state money

• Debts not paid

• Shay’s Rebellion

• Massachusetts state militia

• Mount Vernon trade meeting

• Constitutional Convention

WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A“MEETING TO REVISE & AMEND”

THE ARTICLES OF CONF.

http://teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist/thumbnail94.html

“FATHER OF THECONSTITUTION”

Virginia Plan

• 3 separate branches-legislative, executive and judicial

• Bicameral legislature

• Representation based on population or money given to government

• House chosen by the people

• Senate chosen by state legislatures

• Strong central government

New Jersey Plan

• Unicameral legislature

• Closely limited power to tax & regulate trade

• Federal executive of more than one person

• Federal judiciary-single Supreme tribunal

• Equal representation

Major area of disagreement

• representation

Great Compromise aka Connecticut Compromise

• Bicameral legislature

–Senate-equal representation per state (2)

–House of Representatives-representation based on population of state

Other Issues

• Slavery• Export Tax• Selection of President• Structure of court

system• Amendment process

3/5’s Compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5’s of a person for both representation in the House and for tax purposes

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

• Congress forbidden the power to tax any exports from any state

• Congress forbidden the power to interfere with the slave trade for

20 years

Ratification of Constitution

• Required 9 out of 13 states

• 2 groups emerged

• Federalists-for ratification

• Anti-federalists-against ratification

• 2 issues– power of central government– Lack of a Bill of Rights

Federalists

• James Madison• Alexander Hamilton• John Jay

• 85 newspaper essays published in New York to promote ratification

Anti-federalists

• Patrick Henry

• John Hancock

• Samuel Adams

• Wrote essays under the name Brutus to argue against