Foundations of American Government

Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Wonder Woman,

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James

Madison

Political Beginnings & Independence

• English Colonists brought ordered, limited, and representative government• Ordered: Justice of the Peace, Sheriff,

Counties, etc.• Limited: Restricted power and individual

rights• Representative: Government serves the will

of the people

Tenants of Representative Government

• 1215: Magna Carta granted Englishmen certain rights• Power of the monarchy was not

absolute• 1492: Christopher Columbus

– discovery of the new world• 1607: Jamestown becomes 1st

permanent English settlement in the new world

Significant Events & Influential Documents

Significant Events & Influential Documents

• 1619: Virginia House of Burgesses – 1st elected legislative assembly in the New World

• 1620: Mayflower Compact – 1st example of a self government (social contract) in the new world

• 1638: Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – 1st written “constitution” describing a structure of government and its powers

Significant Events & Influential Documents• 1643: New England Confederation – a

“league of friendship” for defense against the Native Americans (dissolved in 1684)

• 1689: English Bill of Rights written to prevent abuses by the King/Queen (right to a fair trial, no excessive bail, no cruel and unusual punishment)

• 1689: John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government is written

Significant Events & Influential Documents

• 1754: The Albany Plan – Benjamin Franklin proposed the formation of an annual congress of delegates form each colony (not approved by the king)

• 1st proposal to unite the colonies

• 1764: Sugar Act-• Taxes on Sugar &

Molasses

Stamp Act & Stamp Act Congress

• 1765: Stamp Act • This law required all legal

and commercial document to carry an official stamp

• It effected everyone in the colonies

• The Sugar Act effected only merchants

• Stamp Act Congress • “No taxation without

representation”

• 1770: Boston Massacre• 1772: Committees of

Correspondence (organized resistance)

• 1773: Boston Tea Party• 1774: Intolerable Acts• 1774: 1st Continental

Congress – sent a Declaration of Rights protesting colonial policies (denied)

Significant Events & Influential Documents

• 1775: (April) American Revolution starts with the Battles of Lexington and Concord

• 1775: (May) 2nd Continental Congress – some say this was the 1st government

• 1776: (July 4th) Declaration of Independence – 13 Colonies became independent states

Significant Events & Influential Documents

By the rude bridge that arched the flood Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled Here once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Concord Hymn

Click on the picture to watch the writing of the Declaration of Independence with Thomas

Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams

Assembly Room, Independence Hall

Declaration of Independence

• Parts of the D.O.I.• Natural Law• Right to Revolution -

Unalienable Rights, Liberty, Equality & Popular Sovereignty

• Grievances against the King

• Unsuccessful attempts at redress

• Declaration of independence

Dunlap Broadside – Click on the picture to watch a performance of the Declaration of Independence

• Natural Rights: rights inherent in human beings (life, liberty & property)

• Consent of the Governed: government gets its authority from the people

• Limited Government: restrictions should be placed on the government to protect the natural rights of the people

John Locke

Natural Rights/Unalienable Rights

• Life: everyone is entitled to live once they are created.

• Liberty: everyone is entitled to do anything they want to so long as it doesn't conflict with the first right.

• Property: everyone is entitled to own all they create or gain through gift or trade so long as it doesn't conflict with the first two rights.

Comparisons – Natural Rights/ Unalienable Rights

• John Locke• “The state of nature has a

law to govern it”• “Life, Liberty and

property”

• Thomas Jefferson• “Laws of Nature and

Nature’s God”• “Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of happiness”

Click on the picture to watch the passage of the Declaration of Independence

Significant Events & Influential Documents

• 1777: Battle of Saratoga• Turning point of the war

• 1781: Battle of Yorktown• British surrender• End of the War

• 1783: Treaty of Paris• Ends the American

Revolution

1st GovernmentArticles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation, November 15, 1777

• Structure: 1 body-Legislative, 1 House (Unicameral)

• Powers: Make war/peace, ambassadors, make treaties, borrow money, set-up monetary system, post office, navy, army from states (ask), uniform weights and measures, settle disputes among states

• State Obligations: obey Articles of Confederation, supply troops, surrender fugitives, allow open travel

• Weaknesses: 1 vote per state, couldn’t collect taxes, couldn’t regulate trade, no executive branch to enforce acts of Congress, no National court system, full agreement on amendments, 9/13 agreement on laws

Articles of Confederation, November 15, 1777

• Need for a Stronger Government

• Philadelphia Convention, May, 1787

• Delegates agreed to create a new government

• 55/74 delegates attended, 12/13 States attended

• Framers (all had distinguished backgrounds and most had education)

• Independence Hall – Sworn to Secrecy – Extremely HOT!

Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention

James Madison, “Father of the Constitution”

Virginia Plan

• 3 Branches (Legislative, Executive, & Judicial)• Legislative: Bicameral, decided by

population & monetary contributions, House – popular election, Senate – House elected

New Jersey Plan

• 3 Branches (Legislative, Executive, & Judicial)• Legislative: Unicameral, Each state

has equal representation

How should the States be represented in Congress?

• Connecticut Compromise• Bicameral Legislature: House – Population,

Senate – equal representation• Sources of the Constitution

• British tradition, State Governments, and John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government

Date Finished: September 17, 1787

• Federalists vs. • Favored ratification • Madison & Hamilton • Federalist Papers

Anti-Federalists • Opposed ratification • Jefferson • Believed National

Government was too powerful

• Wanted Bill of Rights

October 1787 – August 1788:

Federalist Papers, a series of 85 articles, were written to support the ratification of

the Constitution. The Federalist papers still remain a primary source for the

interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Many of these documents explain the

structure and workings of the 3 branches of government.

• September 13, 1788: 11/13 States ratified the Constitution

• New York City – Capital, Congress located on Wall Street

• April 30, 1789: George Washington took the oath of office

Ratification of the Constitution

Click on the picture to watch Washington’s inauguration.

The Seven Principles of the Constitution

• Outline of the Constitution – separated by Preamble and Articles• Preamble – Purposes of Government• Article I – Legislative Branch• Article II – Executive Branch• Article III – Judicial Branch• Article IV – Relations among the states• Article V – Amending the Constitution• Article VI – National Debt, Supreme Law of the Land, and

Oaths of Office• Article VII – Ratifying the Constitution

Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution

1. Popular Sovereignty: The people are sovereign – “We the People of the United States…”

2. Limited Government: The government can only do those things that the people have given it the power to do

• “Rule of Law”: Government and its officials are always subject to the law (not above it)

3. Separation of Powers: Three branches of government

• Legislative Branch – Law-making body• Executive Branch – Enforces the law• Judicial Branch – Interprets the law

4. Checks & Balances: Insures no one branch is stronger than the other two

Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution

5. Federalism: Division of power between central government and regional government

• National – State – Local

6. Republicanism: Government is controlled by the people who hold the power and elect representatives; Elected officials are given power to make and enforce laws

7. Individual Rights: Rights guaranteed to individual citizens by the Bill of Rights and other amendments

Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution

Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10)

• 1st: RAPPS• 2nd: Right to Bear Arms• 3rd: No Quartering of

Troops• 4th: No Illegal Search &

Seizure• 5th: No Self-Incrimination,

Due Process, Just Compensation & Double Jeopardy

• 6th: Trial by Jury, Speedy Trial, Right to Counsel, & Public Trial

• 7th: Civil Trial by Jury• 8th: No Cruel & Unusual

Punishment and No Excessive Bail or Fines

• 9th: Enumerated Rights• 10th: Rights of the States

& People

Notable Amendments

• 13th: Free No Slavery

• 14th: Citizens Citizenship

• 15th: Vote Can’t deprive citizen the right to vote based on race

Economic System – Free Enterprise SystemPrivate/Corporate Ownership of Goods

• Doesn’t rely on government• Relies on economic concept of

supply and demand• Based on the concept of

individual freedom• Government Roles

• Protect the public• Preserve private enterprise