1. From Colonies to Constitution
Origins of the United States Government

2. The first President of the United States is…
Samuel Huntington

3. Early Attempts to Govern America
Magna Charta
Signed by King John in1215
Created limited government
Rule of law
All citizens are subject
Took the power from an individual and shared responsibility among many
First step toward representative government
Charters
Powers and land granted by the King to settlers of the New World
Allowed holders of the charter to make rules and laws

4. Early Attempts to Govern America
The Mayflower Compact
A crude governmental agreement agreed to by the Pilgrims upon arriving in the New World
Halted mutiny and rebellion
The New England Confederation of 1643
Mutual defense agreement among the early colonies
Pledged to work together to fight off natives and neighboring Dutch colonists.

5. Early Attempts to Govern America
Albany Plan of Union
Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754
An attempt to protect British interests from French encroachment
Colonists made an agreement with the natives
Colonist could raise taxes and an army
The would also regulate trade with the native tribes
Reject by Great Britain and never put into effect

6. Post Revolutionary Government
During the War, the Second Continental Congress raised taxes, created an Army, and made decisions for the thirteen colonies
No laws authority to do so
After the war, the Congress lost much of its authority
To give the nation government legitimacy, they created the Articles of Confederation in 1777
Gave authority to a limited central government
Loosely tied together the thirteen colonies
Ratified in 1781

7. The Articles of Confederation
Created a very loose confederation of states
Lawmakers feared the creation of a strong national government
Right of the people
Voice of the people
Opposed the creation of a strong central governing body

8. What did the Articles do?
Created a Congress
1 member chosen by each state assembly
Majority decision
9 votes for major decisions like war, taxes, and treaties
13 votes to amend the Articles
Could borrow money, establish and army, and mediate disputes between states
Provided for the colonies to effectively deal with the natives.

9. What the Articles didn’t do
Did not create an Executive Branch of Government
Feared too much power in one leader
No official to carry out Congress’ laws
Provide for a method for Congress to tax
Congress could borrow money from the states and other nations, but they could not tax the colonies
Taxes meant control

10. What the Articles didn’t do
Provide methods to regulate trade among the colonies
Colonies had their own money
Colonies taxed each other on trade goods
Provide a for a judicial system
No uniform interpretation of the laws
States courts must enforce national laws
Congress had no authority to compel states to obey Federal law.

11. Problems Cultural Differences Economic differences
Different religions and beliefs
Different heritages
Economic differences
Slavery or no?
Different crops
Different interests abroad
A solution was necessary…