The Articles of Confederation -The first government of the United States - Confederation of Thirteen...
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Transcript of The Articles of Confederation -The first government of the United States - Confederation of Thirteen...
The Articles of Confederation- The first government of the United States
- Confederation of Thirteen States – weak federal government, state governments have most power
- Congress ran government- no federal executive or judicial branch (one branch)
- Each state had one vote
- Bills needed 2/3 majority to become laws, Amendments (changes) needed unanimous decision, deliberately slow and powerless
Problems with the Articles
1. No power to tax - could request money from the states
- $50 million debt after Revolution
2. No power to enforce treaties or laws- British in the Northwest, Spain and Florida
3. No power to regulate commerce- tariffs
- states quarrel over boundaries and taxed goods from neighboring states
- hindered trade throughout the nation
4. The National Economy - Taxes, Money Supply and Shays’s Rebellion in Massachusetts
A Success of the Articles: The Northwest Ordinance
- Lands Northwest of the Ohio River
- Land Ordinance of 1785 and 1787 - Divided into towns of 36
square miles
- 36 lots of one square mile (- one lot reserved for schools- outlawed slavery in entire
area and ensured freedom of religion and trial by jury
- when population 60,000 could become state
The Constitutional Convention- May 1787 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- 55 Delegates representing the states- Decided to write a new constitution – Republic –
strengthen the federal government- George Washington serves as president
A. Representation – New Jersey (Small States) and Virginia Plans (Large States) – The Great (CT) Compromise - Bicameral Congress
B. Presidential Elections – Federalists v. Antifederalists - Electoral College
C. Slave Trade – North v. South - 1808
D. Counting Slaves – North v. South - 3/5 Compromise
E. Commerce – North v. South - Cannot regulate exports, only imports, tariffs
F. Taxation – Federalists v. Antifederalists - Imports not Exports, Excises not Incomes
- Needed 9 of 13 States to approve at special conventions- Two Sides – Federalists and Anti-federalists- Why was it ratified?
- Articles ineffectiveness- Federalists had a plan- The Federalist Papers – 85 Essays- Hamilton, Madison,
and Jay- George Washington
- One Final Compromise – The Bill of Rights – First Ten Amendments – Limits Government Power and Protects Rights
Federalists Anti-Federalists
Federalists Anti-Federalists
America’s history-
Representation - Virginia House of Burgesses, Mayflower Compact
Civil Liberties – Freedom of Religion
Enlightenment Ideas –
John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Voltaire
British History – Magna Carta, Bill of Rights
Ancient Greece and Rome
- Supreme Law of the Land- Rule by Law- Popular Sovereignty- Federal Republic
– Representative Democracy- Federalism – Division of powers between levels of government (State and Federal)- Three Branches - Separation of Powers
- Legislative – Congress
- Executive – President and VP
- Judicial – Federal Court System
- Limited Powers – Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, Bill of Rights
Congress – Senate and House of RepresentativesHouse – 435 Representatives/Congressmen
- based on population –census every 10 years
- direct election- 25 years old, 7 years citizen, resident- Two year Terms- Elect Speaker of the House
Senate – 2 from each state, 100 Senators- six year terms- chosen by state legislators until 17th
amendment – now direct election- 30 years old, 9 years citizen, resident- VP is president
1. Levy and Collect Taxes + Borrow Money
2. Regulate Commerce
3. Regulate Naturalization
4. Coin Money
5. Establish Post Office
6. Declare War and Raise and Support Army and Navy
7. Make all Laws ‘necessary and proper’ for carrying out these powers – ‘elastic clause’
8. May not suspend the privilege of Habeas Corpus
9. Make all expenditures public
- The President, Vice President, and Cabinet- Serve for four year terms, Maximum of Two
Terms(22nd)- must be a natural-born citizen, a resident for
fourteen years, and 35 years old- President is elected through the electoral college
- the number of electoral votes each states receives is the total number of congressmen and
senators in the state - Winner takes all electoral votes in each state- 270 electoral votes needed to win
The President can be impeached for treason, bribery, or other crimes
1. Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
2. Chief Diplomat - Negotiate all treaties, approved by Senate
3. Chief Executive - Make all appointments- ambassador, supreme court justices, and other officials – approved by Senate
- Must see that laws are executed
4. Head of State - Must receive ambassadors
5. Must deliver a State of the Union
6. Power to issue pardons
7. Power to veto all bills
8. Party Leader and Chief Legislator
`
- All Federal Courts – Three Levels: District Courts, Appellate Courts, Supreme Court
- Hears all cases:- about Constitutional Law or United States Law (Judicial Review)
- between the United States and someone else- between a State and someone else or between two states
- Appointed by the President approved by the Senate
- Supreme Court Justices serve for life- Supreme Court has nine Justices (Not in Constitution)
- Chief Justice is head of Supreme Court
SUPREME COURT JUSTICESAlmost all have been white, male, protestant, all have been
lawyers
Today: 1 African American, 1 Hispanic, 3 Women
- 6 Catholics (24%), 3 Jewish (2%)
Chief JusticeJohn RobertsC- 2005
Antonin ScaliaC- 1986
Anthony KennedyC - 1988Clarence
ThomasC- 1991
Ruth Bader GinsbergL- 1993
Stephen BreyerL- 1994
Samuel AlitoC- 2006Sonia
SotomayorL- 2009
Elena KaganL -2010
Step 1: Bills are proposed in either the House or the Senate (Revenue (tax) Bills must start in the House)
Step 2: Bills are assigned to a Committee – Committee reviews bill, holds hearing, marks up bill, and votes on whether or not to present (Most bills are never presented and die in committee)
Step 3: Bills presented are placed on calendar and there is a floor debate
- Filibuster, Quorum Call- Vote is held – majority needed to pass
Step 4: The entire process must be repeated in the other chamber – if both chambers don’t pass the same bill, the bill dies
Step 5: The Bill goes to the President - if he signs the Bill it becomes law, if he vetoes the Bill…
Step 6: It goes back to the Congress, if both houses pass it with a 2/3 majority, they override the presidential veto
Supreme Court and Judicial Review - Constitutionality
Each branch of government must check and balance the other branches of the government – examples:
1. Presidential Veto over congressional acts
2. Congressional override with 2/3 majority
3. Impeachment of the President by Congress
4. Supreme court’s power of judicial review
5. President appoints Supreme Court Justices and other officials, Senate approves appointment
6. Congress declares war, President is commander in chief
7. President negotiates treaties, Senate ratifies
8. Congress makes all laws, President executes
Division of powers between the Federal and State governments.
Three types of powers:
Delegated Powers: Powers of the federal Government listed in the Constitution
Reserved Powers: 10th Amendment – powers not delegated to the federal government, so therefore reserved for the states (10th Amendment)
Concurrent Powers: powers that belong to both the federal government and the states
Amendments are changes to the constitution.
The constitution can be amended, but it is a slow, deliberate process –
Amendments must:
- Be approved by 2/3 of the House
- Be approved by 2/3 of the Senate
- Be approved by 3/4 of State Legislatures
Amendments generally reflect social and political atmosphere at the time
First ten amendments – approved during Washington’s presidency. Overall they limit the power of the government and protect civil liberties.
First - Freedom of Religion (Free Exercise and Establishment clauses)
-Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Assembly (right to petition for redress of grievances)
Second –Right to Bear Arms
Third – No Quartering of Troops without the consent of the owner
Fourth – No unreasonable searches and Seizures
The Bill of Rights
Fifth – Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, right not to bear witness against yourself, cannot be deprived of property without due process
Sixth – Right to a speedy and public trial, know the charges, confront the witness, counsel, and jury of peers
Seventh – Right to a jury in a civil case
Eighth-No excessive bails, No cruel and unusual punishments
Ninth – People cannot be denied of rights not listed in the constitution
Tenth – All Powers not listed are reserved for the States and/or the people- States Rights Amendment