Chapter 2 Our Political Beginnings Why / How / What did the “Framers” of the United States...
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Transcript of Chapter 2 Our Political Beginnings Why / How / What did the “Framers” of the United States...
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.
“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