Unit 2 Origins of United States Government

Origins of the United States Government Section 1: Early Influences

Ideas from England Limited Gov. Rep. Gov. Petition of Right Bill of Rights

4 English Ideas Explained 0 1. Limited gov. 0 One person does NOT have all the power 0 Magna Carta England 0 Citizens force King John to sign 0 Limited power of king 0 Rule of law—gov leaders must act according to a set of laws 0 2. Representative gov 0 Bicameral 0 Two houses of legislative branch 0 3. Petition of Right Parliament forces Charles I to sign it 0 Limited power of the monarch 0 Parliament (elected by people) had more power 0 4. English Bill of Rights 0 Citizens rights from gov violations

English Documents Explained 0 Magna Carta webpage Magna Carta webpage 0 Petition of Right Petition of Right 0 English Bill of Rights English Bill of Rights

Colonies 0 Charters 0 English monarchs gave settlers right to establish a colony 0 Most charters included limited and rep gov. 0 Governments 0 As number of colonies grew, each developed limited and rep gov.

Origins of United States Government Section 2: Independence

Searching for Unity 0 a. Tough to unite 0 i. Colonies formed for different reasons 0 1. Profit 0 2. Religion 0 3. Georgia: refuge for debtors 0 ii. Different economies and geography 0 1. New England: fishing and lumber 0 2. South: crops

13 Original Colonies

Attempts at Unity 1643 Vs. Indians Had little power Little cooperation among colonies New England Confederation Council of reps Levy taxes to raise army Regulate trade with Indians Colonies rejected the plan Albany Plan of Union

An Ocean Apart 0 a. Anger over British taxes unite the colonies 0 b. First Continental Congress 0 i. Protest British policies 0 ii. Send King George III the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress 0 iii. British tighten control 0 iv. Colonists declare independence in 1776

Origins of United States Government Section 3: The First National Government

Articles of Confederation Year Established 1777 How? All 13 states had to ratify. Done in 1781 How powerful? Not very. Most did not want a powerful national gov Legislative Powers Each state had 1 legislative vote majority rule 9 votes needed for major decisions Limits on power Could not tax Could not regulate trade No executive branch No judicial brandh

Articles of Confederation DID NOT WORK 0 Reasons: 0 1. each colony was very different including issue of slavery 0 2. size of new nation was large/communication was slow 0 3. states did their own thing—ignored federal laws and taxes 0 4. A of C HAD NO POWER!

What next? 0 Many felt we needed a strong federal government 0 Otherwise, we would have no country! 0 Example: Shays’s Rebellion

Origins of the United States Government Section 4: The Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention

General Info 0 *Delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation 0 *However, delegates moved quickly to form a stronger national gov. 0 *worked 4 months in a hot Phila summer in secrecy

8 singed Dec of Ind 7 on 1 st Cont. Cong. 7 state governors Wealthy/ educated The Delegates

Key People 0 George Washington 0 Benjamin Franklin 0 Alexander Hamilton 0 James Madison

George Washington

Benjamin Franklin

Alexander Hamilton

James Madison

Rival Plans Virginia PlanNew Jersey Plan Powers of National Government 1. Levy taxes 2. Make national laws 3. Regulate trade 1. Levy taxes 2. Regulate trade Executive BranchStrong executive chosen by legislature Weak executive controlled by the legislature Legislative Branch 1. Bicameral 2. Membership based on state population 3. 1 st house elected by people 4. 2 nd house elected by 1 st house 1. Strong unicameral 2. Each state has 1 vote 3. Reps chose by state legislatures Judicial BranchSupreme Court and lower courts Supreme Court with justices named by legislature

The Great Compromise Legislative Branch1. Bicameral legislative branch a. House: based on population b. Senate: 2 per state Executive BranchThe Electoral College Trade1. Congress could not ban import of slaves before Congress could not tax goods on exports Slavery1. North: believed it was wrong; also believed they should not count towards population 2. Southern states want slaves to count 3. 3/5 compromise: each slave counted as 3/5 of a free person

Finalizing the Constitution 0 Most signed the new Constitution, even though many still opposed.

Origins of the United States Government Section 5: Ratifying the Constitution

Federalists vs. Anti Federalists a. Federalists i. Constitution would protect rights and was necessary to hold nation together b. Antifederalists i. Did not want the new gov. ii. Constitution would create a gov. that would threaten people’s rights and state’s rights

RATIFICATION! 0 After a lot of debate, all states eventually ratified (passed) the Constitution