Historic American Documents Blueprints for Our Nation and its People.

Historic American

DocumentsBlueprints for Our Nation and its People

The Standards

TOPIC: HISTORIC DOCUMENTSSome documents in American history have considerable importance for the development of the nation. Students use historical thinking to examine key documents which form the basis for the United States of America.

Historical ThinkingTOPIC: HISTORICAL THINKING AND SKILLSStudents apply skills by utilizing a variety of resources to construct theses and support or refute contentions made by others. Alternative explanations of historical events are analyzed and questions of historical inevitability are explored.

CONTENT STATEMENTS:1. Historical events provide opportunities to examine alternative courses of action.2. The use of primary and secondary sources of information includes an examination of the credibility of each source.3. Historians develop theses and use evidence to support or refute positions.4. Historians analyze cause, effect, sequence and correlation in historical events, including multiple causation and long- and short-term causal relations.

The Standards

CONTENT STATEMENTS:5. The Declaration of Independence reflects an application of Enlightenment ideas to the grievances of British subjects in the American colonies.

6. The Northwest Ordinance addressed a need for government in the Northwest Territory and established precedents for the future governing ofthe United States.

The Standards

7. Problems facing the national government under the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting of the Constitution of the United States.The framers of the Constitution applied ideas of Enlightenment in conceiving the new government.

8. The Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers structured the national debate over the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

The Standards

9. The Bill of Rights is derived from English law, ideas of the Enlightenment, the experiences of the American colonists, early experiences of self-government and the national debate over the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

The Documents

● Declaration of Independence● Northwest Ordinance● Articles of Confederation● United States Constitutiono Bill of Rights

● Federalist and Antifederalist Papers

Why Study these Documents?● To understand the laws of our country

o past and present

● To study the history of our countryo How we got to this point in timeo Why our laws exist as they are

● To be successful and responsible citizenso “Freedom is not free”o Our rights and responsibilities

The Declaration of Independence

● Declaration- a formal or explicit statement or announcement.

● Independence- condition of a country in which its residents exercise self-government over the territory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-government

The Declaration of Independence● Colonization of North America

o Columbus - 1492o Various nations follow and set up colonies

● By 1763 in North America:o 13 British colonies (East Coast, Canada)o French Territory (Midwest, Northwest)o Spanish Territory (Southwest)o Native Americans live throughout MAP


● Who is declaring independence from who?o American Colonies from Great Britain

● Why do colonies want to be independent?o No representation in Parliament

Taxes, new and old Paying for Wars with French, Spanish, Natives Aggression from British military and Parliament


● Major events lead to Declaration:o Proclamation of 1763o New taxes on sugar, stamps, more…1763-1776o Townshend Acts of 1767o Boston Massacre of 1770o Tea taxes to save BEIC ---->Boston Tea Party 1773o “Intolerable” Acts of 1774o First Continental Congress of 1774o Lexington and Concord in April of 1775

The Declaration of Independence● Congress moves forward

o Second Continental Congress, May 1775

● Fighting continues through 1775 and 1776o Battles in Canada, North Carolina, then everywhere

● Some colonists are still loyalists● Others separate as patriots

The Declaration of Independence● Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, John

HancockLead patriotic groups, Sons of Liberty

● January 1776 - Thomas Paine’s Common Senseo “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

● Late June 1776 - Thomas Jefferson’s drafto July 4, 1776 - Declaration accepted by 13 colonies

The Declaration of Independence● The document: 3 parts

o Preamble: declaring independence, describing good government

o Indictments: what King George III, Parliament has done wrong

o Conclusion: consequences of actions Signatures

● Uses ideas and language from Enlightenment

Locke’s ‘Natural Rights’, Hobbes' ‘Social Contract’

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/bdsdcc:@field(DOCID+@lit(bdsdcc02101))

Declaration of Independence● Enlightenment philosophy included:

o Natural or “Unalienable Rights”: life, liberty, propertyo Government for the good of the peopleo Government by consent of the people

● Effects of Declaration of Independence:o Revolutionary Waro Independence for United States at conclusiono Precedence for other national revolutions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS-tshQ9sys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS-tshQ9sys

Articles of Confederation & Constitution

● After Declaration and beginning of war, Continental Congress realizes that they need a code of law

● How do you make federal laws for a group of separate states?


● November 1776 - Continental Congress adopts Articles in order to have a code of law

● 1781 - during last years of war, all 13 colonies adopt Articles of Confederation


● Good parts of Articles:o United the states during war

Even though Doi describes them as separate

o Helped establish the Treaty of Paris treaty that ends Rev. War. in 1783

o Helped settle peaceful settlement of Western lands Northwest Ordinance and other laws


● Problems with AoC o land claims w/ pioneers and between states

led to Northwest Ordinance of 1787o Trade problems not addressed

British and Spanish boycottso Difficult to pass or change legislation

9 states needed to pass laws, 13 to amendo No power to tax, print money, regulate trade

different state currency, trade laws


● More Problemso States demand changes

Economics hurt by lack of government support● Between states and with other countries’ laws

o Shay’s Rebellion Farmers in Massachusetts rebel

● Shows weakness of military and state relations

o National government too weak to enforce law, order No national courts, agencies, military


● Need for new Constitution:o 1787 - Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia

55 American leaders, choose Washington to lead

o First, they wanted to “adjust” Articles too many changes needed to be made instead decided to make a brand new document different states had different ideas


● Different Planso New Jersey Plan (Small State Plan)

each state gets one vote in congress much more state-friendly, separate needs one large Congress with less power

o Virginia Plan (Large State Plan) states get votes based on population stronger central, federal government various branches including national courts

Articles of Confederation & Constitution● Compromises and New Ideas:

o Two houses of Congress - “Great Compromise” Senate - 2 reps. from each state House of Reps. - reps. based on population

o Three-Fifths Compromise South wanted slaves to count for reps., not taxes North said that it was unfair

o Executive and Judicial Branches Executive - President, enforcement of laws Judicial - Supreme Court, circuit courts

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

● Ordinance - an authoritative order or decree

● Where is the Northwest?o Todayo In 1787


● Why did they need the NwO?

o Problems with the Articles of Confederation Who can settle in NW Territory? Protection from native americans two states fight over same lands Spanish had claim to much of southern territory


● Land developing companies asked for helpo wanted to sell land to pioneers moving westo Confederation Congress saw way to make $$$

● Thomas Jefferson makes a plano first draft of NWO in 1784o Congress passes his new plan in 1787


● What did it do?o No fewer than three, or more than five, states would

be formedo Admission to the Union would be available when the

number of free inhabitants reached 60,000o Civil rights and liberties be guaranteedo Education be encouragedo Slavery and involuntary servitude be prohibited


● What new states were created?o Ohio - 1803o Indiana - 1816o Illinois - 1818o Michigan - 1837o Wisconsin - 1848


● Why else was the NwO important?

o Voting rights and office-holdingo Slavery forbidden in the Northwest Territoryo Individual rights preservedo Surveying and division of the lando Public land sales


● Effects of NwO:

o Northwest Indian Waro massive estates came to dominate south and easto increased tension between slave/non-slave states

helped fuel Civil War in 1860s

Northwest Ordinance of 1787The wisdom of abolition was clearly seen in the relative prosperity of the Midwest. On his tour of the United States -- nearly fifty years

after the Ordinance -- Alexis de Tocqueville discoursed at length about the differences between Ohio and Kentucky. This article

concludes with his prescient words:

"The State of Ohio is separated from Kentucky just by one river; on either side of it the soil is equally fertile, and the situation equally

favorable, and yet everything is different.

Here (in Ohio) a population devoured by feverish activity, trying every means to make its fortune; the population seems poor to look

at, for they work with their hands, but that work is the source of riches. There (in Kentucky) is a people which makes others work for

it and shows little compassion, a people without energy, mettle or the spirit of enterprise...

The population of Kentucky, which has been peopled for nearly a century, grows slowly. Ohio only joined the Confederation thirty

years ago and has a million inhabitants. Within those thirty years Ohio has become the entrepot for the wealth that goes up and

down the Mississippi; it has opened two canals and joined the Gulf of Mexico to the North Coast; meanwhile Kentucky, older and

perhaps better placed, stood still.

These differences cannot be attributed to any other cause but slavery. It degrades the black population and enervates the white. Its

fatal effects are recognized, and yet it is preserved and will be preserved for a long time more..."

http://www.americanhistoryusa.com/northwest-ordinance-1787-effects/

http://www.tocqueville.org/oh3.htm

Federalist and Antifederalist Papers

● The Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia submitted a draft of the Constitution for each state to review

● Major issues were brought up between large and small stateso ***federalists and anti-federalists***


● Federal = system of government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and constituent political units

● Federalists - Those who supported the Constitution

● Anti-Federalists - Those who did not support the Constitution


● Who was on each side? (Just a few):

Federalists Anti-Federalists

Alexander Hamilton Patrick Henry James MadisonSamuel Adams John Jay Richard Henry Lee


● The Federalists:o wealthy, well-educatedo desire for a powerful, centralized governmento leaders were George Washington and Benjamin

Franklin. o orderly, efficient government that could protect their

economic statuso controlled elections of ratifying conventions with their

power and influence


● The Anti-Federalists:o were farmers, debtors, and other middle class

people o were loyal to their state governmentso leaders included Samuel Adams and Patrick Henryo wanted Bill of Rights, basic liberties for publico feared the powerful central government, especially

powers of taxationo believed a republican government could not rule a

nation as large as America


● Why the federalists were successful:o Hamilton, Madison, and Jay worked together

Anti-federalists did noto Federalists had money and influence

$$$ makes people agreeo Celebrity leadership

Washington won the Rev. War, will be Pres. Franklin was THE celebrity of his day because he

was THE Renaissance man


● Constitution passes:o needed 9 states to be ratified - June 1788

needed support of big states Virginia, New York ratify in June, July 1788

o ratified by all 13 (May of 1790)

● Bill of Rights added in 1791o Amendments 1-10, made small states happy


● Effects of F/AF Papers:o compromise in Constitutiono continued debate about federal/state governmentso Bill of Rights added to Constitutiono future amendmentso formation of first political parties

● Ratification of Constitution

Bill of Right and US Constitution● Constitution explains structure of

government

● What about rights/responsibilities for citizens?

● Bill of Rights suggested in 1789 and added in 1791 to explain individual freedoms

Bill of Right and US Constitution

● Bill of Rights is not a new concept:

● English Bill of Rights (1689) o Magna Carta (1215)o Petition of Right (1628)

● The English Bill of Rights limited the power of the English monarchy, was written as an act of Parliament


● Who wanted Bill of Rights?o Federalists came up with the idea to help Anti-feds

trust and ratify the Constitutiono People who wanted the guarantee of a number of

personal freedomso People who wanted to limit the government's power

in judicial and other proceedingso People who wanted to reserve some powers to the

states and the public


● What is the Bill of Rights?o 10 amendments to the original Constitution

there are now 27 amendments, 1-10 only in BoR

● 10 of the most important rights of Americanso without Bill of Rights, America would not be America


● Where did idea of Bill of Rights come from?o English Bill of Rights

Most Americans of English descent at this time

o Enlightenment philosophers Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire

o Experiences during British rule and Rev. War


● Amendments 1-5

o 1st - Individual freedoms of expression, religion, etc.o 2nd - Right to bear armso 3rd - Protection from housing soldierso 4th - Protection from unlawful searcho 5th - Due process of law if accused of crime


● Amendments 6-10

o 6th - Right to a fair trialo 7th - Rules for civil lawsuitso 8th - Right to fair punishment if convicted of crimeo 9th - Allowance of rights not specified in Constitutiono 10th - Rights given and maintained by states, people


● Effects of Bill of Rightso Made Anti-feds happy

They did not like the Constitution but lived with it because Bill of Rights

o Precedence for more amendments There are now 27 amendments to Constitution

o Constitution is a “living document”*** Citizens, states, federal government know the

laws/rights of each entity

Declaration of Independence

Document on Library of Congress Website

Homework: Read: Chapter 6, sections 1 and 3 in the United States history textbook (p.108-110, 114-116)

Do: #1-5: p.110 and 116


Declaration of Independence

● Document on Library of Congress Website● http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=2

Homework: Read: Chapter 7, sections 1 and 2 in the United States history textbook (p.130-138)

Do: #1-5: p. 134, 138


http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=2

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NorthAmerica1763-A.png


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsSlpZX8DOQ

The document on ourdocuments.org

HomeworkRead: chapter 7, section 3 and 4 in the United States history textbook (p. 139-144)

Do: # 1-5, p. 140, 144


http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=3


The Northwest

Today

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_United_States


TheNorthwest Territory

1787

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/the-northwest-ordinance

Northwest Ordinance

Document on Library of Congress Websitehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgS2Ar4QBxE

Homework: Read: Chapter 7, section 5 in the United States history textbook (p.145-149)

Do: #1-5: p. 149


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgS2Ar4QBxE


Federalist Papers #10 and #51 on ourdocuments.orghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsSlpZX8DOQ

Homework: Read: Document-Based Reading “The Northwest Ordinance” on p. 150

Do: #1-5: p. 150



Bill of Rights and US Constitution

Bill of Rights on ourdocuments.orghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmLosRzNRqA

Homework: Do: #1-20 on p.152-153 Due: Wednesday, 2/11 (No late points)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmLosRzNRqA

Historic American Documents Blueprints for Our Nation and its People.

Documents

Transcript of Historic American Documents Blueprints for Our Nation and its People.