1. Miss Smith 7th Grade Civics *pgs. 43-48 Civics in Practice
A New Constitution
Miss Smith
7th Grade Civics
*pgs Civics in Practice

2. The Constitutional Convention and History
The U.S. Constitution is the oldest constitution still governing a country today

3. British Principles Influence the Delegates
Magna Carta
Guaranteed that free people could not be arrested, put in prison, or forced to leave their nation unless they were given a trial by a jury of their peers
English Bill of Rights
Guaranteed rights such as: the right to petition/request the government to improve or change laws
The right to a fair punishment if a citizen were to be found guilty of a crime
Parliamentary Government
Parliament- the lawmaking body of Great Britain. It is bicameral (has 2 parts or “houses”)
Each house can check the work of the other
The head of Parliament is the Prime Minister
What rights did the Magna Carta guarantee for English people? Free people could not be arrested, put in prison, or forced to leave their nation without a trial by jury of their peers. Citizens of England would be judged by English law only
What might be some benefits and challenges of having a bicameral lawmaking body? The two houses can check each other and improve each other’s work, but conflicts between the two houses can delay the passage of important laws

4. British Principles Influence the Delegates
The Mayflower Compact
First document to establish self government in the colonies
The Enlightenment
Philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Believed that government exists only by the “consent of the governed”
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Written by Thomas Jefferson
Argued that government has no right to impose or interfere with religious practice

5. Delegates hold Their Meetings in Secret
James Madison is considered the Father of the Constitution
His journals are the only source that tells us what happened during the Constitutional Convention

6. Writing the Constitution
Federalism- system of government that divides powers between national and state governments
Compromise- agreement in which each side gives up part of its demands in order to reach a solution to a problem
The Great Compromise- delegates compromised when they created 2 houses of Congress
Senate: states have equal representation
House of Representatives: each state is represented according to population size
Why did the framers of the Constitution establish a federal system? To balance the powers of the states and the national government so both could work effectively

7. Government Becomes Stronger
Congress now has power to:
Coin/print money
Raise armed forces
Regulate trade (among states and with foreign countries)
Set taxes
The president can carry out laws
Supreme Court interprets laws

8. The Constitution is Completed
September 17, 1787 the Constitution was signed by 39 out of 42 framers/delegates
Why did Benjamin Franklin believe that the framers had written the best constitution possible? Because compromises had made most delegates feel satisfied about most of the constitution

9. Approving the Constitution
Ratification- official approval
The Constitution had to be ratified by 9 out of the 13 states
Once the Constitution was written, what needed to happen before it could go into effect? It had to be ratified by at least 9 of the 13 states

10. Federalists, Antifederalists, and Ratification
Federalists- supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government
Antifederalists- people who opposed the new Constitution and the federal system of government
How might the federalists be able to convince the anti-federalists to support the Constitution? By adding protections for the people’s and the states’ rights

11. The Constitution is Ratified
The Bill of Rights was added to ease the minds of citizens so the Constitution would be approved
The Constitution was put into effect in March 1789
George Washington was sworn in as president on April 30, 1789
Who was the first president of the united states? George Washington
Why did some people oppose the new Constitution? The believed it would not protect the people’s freedoms and rights