The Constitution: Rights and Race Intertwined Chapter 2

A Revolution for Independence The road to revolution Between 1739 and 1763, Great Britain was engaged in a variety of costly wars The British Parliament worked to generate more revenue from the colonies to cover the nation’s debt

A Revolution for Independence The road to revolution Selected Parliamentary acts American Revenue Act (Sugar Act): 1764 Quartering Act: 1765 Stamp Act: 1765 Declaratory Act: 1766 Townshend Acts: 1767 Tea Act: 1773

A Revolution for Independence Declaring independence The colonists resisted Parliament’s actions through boycotts, demonstrations, and colonial congress meetings In 1775, the Second Continental Congress raised an army against the British, but did not declare independence from Britain

A Revolution for Independence Declaring independence The combination of war with Britain and increasingly widespread familiarity with classical liberal and classical republican theories led to increasing calls for independence from Britain In 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a declaration of independence July 4, 1776: The Second Continental Congress officially announced its Declaration of Independence

First Attempt at National Government: The Articles of Confederation A limited national government The original founders were concerned about a unitary form of government They opted for a confederation “Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union” Articles of Confederation A unicameral form of government with limited powers

First Attempt at National Government: The Articles of Confederation Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787) Demonstrated the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Congress could authorize raising an army to aid Massachusetts but could not raise revenue to support the army Altering the Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent of all 13 states

Second Attempt at National Government: The Constitution 1787: Convention to revise Articles of Confederation called in Philadelphia Three crucial procedural decisions George Washington to preside over sessions Secret sessions held Draft a new government instead of revise the Articles of Confederation

Second Attempt at National Government: The Constitution The Great Compromise Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan Connecticut Compromise (the Great Compromise) House of Representatives based on state populations Equal representation in the Senate for each state

Second Attempt at National Government: The Constitution The Great Compromise There was still a question regarding how state populations would be counted for representation in the House Three-Fifths Compromise Each slave was to be counted as three-fifths of a person for representational purposes

The Effect of the Three-Fifths Compromise on the Political Power of the South

Second Attempt at National Government: The Constitution Debate over ratification September 17, 1787: Convention forwarded the draft of the Constitution to the Continental Congress to pass it to the states Approval required from three-fourths of states for ratification This differed from the Articles of Confederation, in which one state could veto any change Reaction to the Constitution Proponents: Federalists Opponents: Antifederalists

Second Attempt at National Government: The Constitution The Bill of Rights First 10 amendments of the Constitution Ratified in 1791 Primarily focuses on civil liberties and basic rights

National Government Under the Constitution National supremacy Supremacy clause Ensured that national laws took precedence over any conflicting state laws Of particular importance, national government is significantly more powerful under the Constitution than it was under the Articles of Confederation

National Government Under the Constitution The legislative branch Enumerated powers Implied powers Necessary and Proper Clause (elastic clause)

National Government Under the Constitution The executive branch The Articles of Confederation did not have an executive Under the Constitution, the Founders created an executive branch with a single executive that was to be elected indirectly

National Government Under the Constitution The judicial branch There was no judicial branch under the Articles of Confederation The Framers of the Constitution created the federal judiciary as the third branch of government, which included lower federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court

Planning for Potential Pitfalls Separation of powers Varying terms of office Selecting national government officials Congress, the Senate, and the Seventeenth Amendment Electoral College Nomination of federal judges

Planning for Potential Pitfalls Qualifying for national office Age, citizenship, and residency requirements vary by office Checks and balances