the constitution (a brief history)
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The Constitution(A Brief History)
Colonial Policies
•King controls the colonies, Parliament has little control
•2,000 miles away- too hard to govern▫Colonies become used to self-governing
•Federal relationship•More taxation
Colonial Unity
•Albany Plan▫Ben Franklin’s idea: yearly congress of
delegates Raise defense Trade Criminal matters
•Stamp Act Congress▫Act requires stamps on all paper products▫Delegates to New York- draft grievances
against King
First Continental Congress
•Intolerable Acts•Delegates to Philadelphia
▫Low turnout▫Urge boycott and creation of local
committees •Call for a second congress the following
May
The Second Continental Congress•1775- after Lexington and Concord•Representatives
▫All colonies send representatives▫George Washington attends and is elected
to lead the army•Becomes our first national government
▫Served for 5 years until Articles of Confederation
▫All powers in a unicameral legislature
The Articles of Confederation
•Approved in 1777 ratified in 1781•Government structure:
▫Unicameral congress▫One state-one vote▫One member to be the presiding officer
•This is a Confederate form of government▫Very weak central government
Critical Period
•States don’t support the federal government ▫Make agreements with other nations▫Form their own militaries
•Taxed each others goods•Printed own money•Shays’ Rebellion
▫Group of debtors lead a force to close the state courts
▫Attack federal arsenal
Independence
•Committee of 5 drafts Declaration of independence- largely the work of Jefferson
•First state Constitutions▫Common features:
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
The Constitutional Convention
•The Framers▫12 states send delegates: not ______________▫Average age: 42, most in their 30s
•Procedure▫George Washington elected
____________________________________________________________________
▫Worked in secrecy▫The decision:
________________________________________________________________________
The Virginia Plan
•Madison•_________________________________•_________________________________•Power of veto•_________________________________•Considered radical
The New Jersey Plan•Unicameral Congress•Each state
_________________________________•_________________________________•Limited powers for tax and trade
Compromises
•Connecticut▫Two house congress
__________________________________ __________________________________
•Three-Fifths▫____________________________________________
________________________•A bundle of compromises
Ratification•_________________ the Constitution is
signed•__________ ratify however they need a key
state such as ___________ or __________•__________- finally ratified and becomes
the new national government
SEVEN BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION Popular Sovereignty- the governments right to rule comes from the people Limited Government- the government has only the powers that the Constitution
gives to it Separation of Power-the Constitution divides the government into three branches: Congress-legislative branch makes laws President-executive branch carries out the laws Courts-judicial branch explains and interprets the laws Checks and Balances- each branch of government has the power to check or limit
the actions of the other two Federalism-division of power between the federal government and the states. Republicanism- citizens elect representatives to carry out their will Individual rights-The Constitution protects individual rights such as freedomof speech, freedom religion etc
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