Creating a Government - Kyrene
Transcript of Creating a Government - Kyrene
CREATING A GOVERNMENT
The United States Constitution
“Let us not be afraid to view with a steady eye the dangers with which we are surrounded. Are we not on the eve of a war, which is only to be prevented by the hopes from this convention?
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Who: The founders (55 delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies)
What: A meeting to revise the Articles of Confederation
Where: Philadelphia
When: May 25, 1787
Why: Fear of a rebellion was spreading throughout the states
Rhode Island was the only state that didn’t send delegates (it wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation)
All 55 delegates were white male landowners
Most were businessmen, lawyers, bankers, shippers, and plantation owners
IMPORTANT PEOPLE
George Washington: Elected president of the convention
James Madison: Provided ideas to the Virginia Plan and wrote the Bill of Rights
Thomas Jefferson: Insisted a Bill of Rights (a summary of citizens’ freedoms) be included
Patrick Henry: One of the most vocal opponents of the Constitution
1. 75% served in the Continental Congress
2. Most had helped write their state constitutions
3. 8 had signed the Declaration of Independence
4. 7 had been state governor
5. 21 had fought in the Revolutionary War
Not everyone supported this plan. Patrick Henry stayed home saying he “smelled a rat… tending toward monarchy.”
James Madison is often referred to as “the father of the Constitution”
GEORGE WASHINGTON
JAMES MADISON
THOMAS JEFFERSON
PATRICK HENRY
KEY ELEMENTS
Popular Sovereignty
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
The Great Compromise
Three-fifths Compromise
Limited Government
Slavery?
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
Popular Sovereignty: A government system in which the people rule The people—not the king, dictator, or president—are supreme
“Not only the cornerstone, but the foundation of the fabric.”
This had become an American tradition with the Mayflower Compact (consent of the governed) and John Locke’s view of a social contract
SEPARATION OF POWERS
Three branches Executive: Enforce the laws (carries out the
laws)
President, Vice President, President’s Cabinet
Legislative: Create the laws
Bicameral (two houses)
House of Representatives
Senate
Judicial: Interpret the laws
Supreme court and other federal courts
The founders took this idea from Charles de Montesquieu
CHECKS AND BALANCES
Checks and Balances: the power of each branch of government is balanced and checked by the other branches
“All power in human hands is liable (likely) to be abused.”
THE GREAT COMPROMISE
The Virginia Plan STRONG national government
Bicameral (two houses in Congress)
Representation by population
The New Jersey Plan Weak national government
Unicameral (one house in Congress)
Equal representation
The Great Compromise: The Legislative Branch would be split in two
The House of Representatives (law-making house w/ representation by population)
The Senate (law-making house w/ equal representation)
“That the proportion of suffrage (votes) in the first branch should be according to the respective numbers of free inhabitants (representation by population), and that in the second branch or Senate, each State should have one vote and no more (equal representation).”
ACTIVITY: THE VIRGINIA PLAN V. THE NEW JERSEY PLAN
THE THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE
The Three-Fifths Compromise: Three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for representation
Why did slave states want slaves to count toward their population?
With slaves counting toward their population, how did this also hurt slave states?
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
Limited Government: the Constitution limits the National government’s power
Control trade
Raise an army
Declare war/make peace
Print money
Grant patents/copy rights
Create federal courts
Govern territories
Admit new states
Run the postal service
Control immigration
Collect taxes
Borrow money
Make and enforce laws
Create banks
SLAVERY?
Slavery had been banned in several Northern states
Delegates from South Carolina and Georgia refused to agree to the Constitution if slavery was banned
Compromise: Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808
AGREEMENT
September 17, 1787: Congress signed the Constitution and sent it to the states to be ratified
DISAGREEMENT
Federalism: a system of government in which power is shared between the national government and state governments Federalists called for a strong national
government (supported ratifying Constitution)
Anti-federalists didn’t want a strong national government (opposed ratifying Constitution)
THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
The Federalist Papers, written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, explained why a strong national government was necessary
THE DEBATE
Federalists
“I am persuaded that a firm union is as necessary to perpetuate our liberties as it is to make us respectable; and experience will probably prove that the national government will be as natural a guardian of our freedom as the state legislatures.” – Alexander Hamilton
Anti-Federalists
“Your president may easily become king: Your Senate is so imperfectly constructed that your dearest rights may be sacrificed by what may be a small minority; and a very small minority may continue for ever unchangeably this government, although horridly defective. Where are your checks in this government?” – Patrick Henry
Rural areas (low population) feared a BIG government would increase taxes
Large states with strong economies wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation
What groups do you think opposed the new Constitution?
ACTIVITY: THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
Read The Federalist “Number 51” on page 255 and the Objections to the Constitution on page 256 and answer the following questions with complete sentences.
1. Why does James Madison believe that the Constitution should be ratified?
2. According to James Madison, how could abuse by the majority be prevented?
3. What does George Mason fear?
4. In what ways does George Mason believe the government will abuse its power?
5. Compare both arguments.
6. Whose argument do you think is most convincing? Why?
RATIFICATION
1. To convince Anti-Federalists, the Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights
2. States began ratifying the Constitution
3. In June 1788 9/13 states had ratified the Constitution
4. Two of the most populated states (New York and Virginia) had yet to ratify it 1. Virginia feared the shift from 9/13 to a simple majority (7/13)
2. New York wanted to wait until a Bill of Rights was added
5. In 1790, Rhode Island became the final state to ratify the Constitution
Why do you think Virginia feared this?
THE BILL OF RIGHTS
“I like very much the general idea of framing a government, which should go on of itself… but I do not like, first, the omission (leaving out) of a bill of rights… Let me add that a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular; and what no just government should refuse.” – Thomas Jefferson
THE BIGGEST STRENGTH?
Congress had the power to amend (change) the Constitution The first change: Adding the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments)
Why is this so important?
ACTIVITY: THE BILL OF RIGHTS
STRENGTHS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT
1. Congress could collect (levy) taxes
2. Congress had the power to control interstate and foreign trade
3. It created a national court system
4. It created a branch to enforce the laws
5. It had a balance between equal representation and representation by population
6. Congress could change the Constitution with a 2/3 vote
7. Congress could pass laws with a majority vote
Articles of Confederation: 100% needed Constitution: 66% needed
Articles of Confederation: 69% needed Constitution: 51% needed
ACTIVITY: STRENGTHS OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION