Origins of American Government

Ratification and the Bill of Rights

Pressures for Stronger Government

Federalist- supporters of the Constitution

Antifederalists- those who opposed the Constitution, wanted guaranteed rights (Bill of Rights)

Federalist papers- collection of essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay drawing support for the Constitution.

Ratification occurred first in smaller states, but harder in bigger states until there was promise of a Bill of Rights.

Creating the Constitution

Northwest Ordinance- one of the few successes of the Articles. Created a system and plan for settling new territories and admitting new states to the Union. Will guide westward expansion for next 125 years.

Government went broke by 1787 due to lack of funds from states. States would even ignore some laws passed by Congress and the terms of foreign treaties. Some states even negotiated directly with foreign powers and raised their own armies.

Shays's Rebellion- farmers rebelled at the prospect of losing their lands. Stormed Springfield military arsenal. Congress had no funds or military to help. Hastily assembled Militia finally ended the rebellion.

New Jersey Plan

or

Virginia Plan

• Strong Federal Government
• Three Branches
• Checks and Balances
• Unicameral Legislature
• equality (1 vote)

Do Slaves Count Towards Population?

Southern states say yes, Northern States say no

Can Slaves Continue To Be Imported?

Presidential Election?

The 55 delegates to the convention were to revise the Articles, instead they quickly agreed that a new government needed to be formed.

• Strong Federal Government
• Three Branches
• Checks and Balances
• Bicameral Legislature
• based on population

Articles of Confederation

June 12, 1777

Nation's first constitution. Had to be ratified by all of the states.

National Government- no executive office or national court system. One house Congress with each state having one vote. 9 states have to agree to pass legislation. Could admit new states and organize the division of new lands. Declare war, settle disputes between states, organize a postal service, coin and borrow money, appoint military officials and raise an army, declare war, make peace and conduct foreign policy.

States- retained all powers not specifically given to Congress, including power to collect taxes and enforce national laws. National government relied on states to provide funding.

Weaknesses- relied on states to enforce national laws, no power to tax (states rarely gave money to the national government) which made it difficult to raise and pay a national army or repay soldiers or loans from Revolutionary War, could not regulate commerce between states, states also had the power to coin money, and 9 of the 13 states rarely agreed on legislation.

Learning Objectives

Origins of American Government

Events Leading to the American Revolution

July 4, 1776

• Learn how the Framers of the Constitution drew on their personal beliefs and their knowledge of political ideas to create a representative democracy.
• Learn how English political heritage affected the development of democracy in the United States.
• Learn how the delegates at the Constitutional Convention debated about the plan for a strong national government.

Declaration of Independence

Intellectual Influences

Political Philosophers

Republicanism refers to a broad set of ideas about representative government that can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome.

Highly values citizen participation, public good, and civic virtue-- "Common good over private interests"

Aristotle- Ancient Greek Philosopher, "It is not easy for a person to do any great harm when his tenure of office is short, whereas long possession begets tyranny."

British Influence

Machiavelli put forth a theory of a republic based on civic virtue.

A republic could survive only so long as its citizens actively participated in government and put the good of the republic before their own needs.

Had to represent the interests of three levels of society: the monarch (the one), the aristocracy (the few), and the people (the many).

Representative Government

British Parliament was, and still is, bicameral.

House of Commons

House of Lords

Limited Government

"Separation of Powers"

1215- English Nobles forced King John of England to sign the Magna Carta, known as the "Great Charter."

The Magna Carta prevented the monarch from violating certain individual rights and guaranteed other rights.

First, only to Nobles, but gradually to all citizens.

Influenced by Judeo-Christian religious heritage.

Law and individual rights are being of divine origin.

Protestant Reformation- 16th century reform movement, developed ideas about individual responsibility, the freedom to worship as one chooses, and self-government.

Individual Rights

Petition of Right- signed in 1628, required monarchs to obtain Parliament's consent before levying new taxes, could not unlawfully imprison people, force citizens to house soldiers in their homes, or establish military rule during times of peace.

English Bill of Rights- signed in 1689, monarchs could no longer be able to enacts laws, raise taxes, or keep an army without Parliament's consent. Guaranteed free speech and protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

English Colonies

Experiments in Early Governance

• Mayflower Compact- form a society governed by majority rule and based on the consent of the people.
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- set of laws that limited the power of government and gave all free men the right to choose people to serve as judges.
• Massachusetts Body of Liberties of 1641- first code of law in New England, protected the individual rights of citizens in the Bay Colony.

England established 3 types of colonies in North America- proprietary, royal, and charter.

Proprietary colony- based on a grant of land by the English monarch to a proprietor, an individual or group who financed the start of of the colony. Proprietor represented the Crown and could appoint all officials and make laws for the colony.

Royal colonies- directly controlled by the king through an appointed governor. Each royal colony would eventually obtain a bicameral legislature.

Charter colonies- operated under charters agreed to by the colony and the king. Charter colonies enjoyed the most independence from the Crown.

Types of English Colonies