America Political Beginnings

• Colonial Period & The Colonial Mindset:– Ordered Government• Organized government institutions/roles

– Limited Government• Government is NOT all powerful.

– Representative Government• Government served the will of the people

The Road to Independence

• King George take the British throne in 1760 – New taxes & more taxes on the colonies– Colonists feel as if they are being mistreated– Taxation without representation!– Protests, organized resistance, etc. (Boston

Massacre, Boston Tea Party).

The Road to Independence

The First Continental Congress – 1774 in Philadelphia– 1774 British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts in response to the troubles in Boston– Delegates from every colony except Georgia– Discussed the situation – Boycott British goods– Sets up the Second Continental Congress

The Road to Independence

The Second Continental Congress – 1775 in Philadelphia– British government has refused to compromise– Revolutionary War had already begun– All 13 colonies sent representatives– Army is created and Georgia Washington

appointed commander in chief– Adopts the Declaration of Independence in 1776

After Declaring Independence

• First State Constitutions• Articles of Confederations

Problems with the Articles of Confederations

• Powerless to lay and collect taxes• Powerless to regulate foreign and interstate

commerce• Couldn’t enforce act of congress• No national court system• 9/ 13 required to pass laws• Shay’s Rebellion is the last straw for the

Articles of Confederation

Need for a Stronger Government

• Constitutional Convention (May 1787)– Virginia Plan• Population-based representation in Congress• Bicameral Congress• 3 Branches

– New Jersey Plan• Equal representation in Congress• Unicameral Congress

The Great Compromise

• The Great Compromise leads us to what we have today:– Bicameral Congress, 3 Branches of Government.• House of Representatives: Population• Senate: Equal Representation

• 3/5th’s Compromise: Slavery.– Slaves count as 3/5’s of a person towards

population.

Ratifying the constitution

• Federalists• Anti- federalists

The Constitution“Supreme Law of the Land”

• Outline of the Constitution– Sets out the basic principles & framework of

government• Preamble– Introduction

• Articles– Outline basic organization and powers– Relationship w/states– Requirement for ratification

Six Principles

1. Popular Sovereignty2. Limited Government 3. Separation of Powers4. Check and Balances5. Judicial Review6. Federalism

Amendments• A change to the constitution • Four methods of adding an amendment.– 1st proposed by 2/3 in congress, ratified by ¾ of

states– 2nd proposed by congress, ratified by convention in

¾ of states– 3rd proposed by a national convention called by

congress at the request of ¾ of the states, ratified by ¾ of state legislatures

– 4th proposed & ratified by a national convention in ¾ of the states