What is a constitution?

- A constitution presents the fundamental principles of a gov and establishes the basic structures and procedures by which the gov operates to fulfill those principles

- Constitutions may be written or unwritten- Foundational structures

o The US constitution describes 3 foundational gov bodies- legislative, excetive, judicial branches- and articulates the responsibilities of each body as well as the relationships among these bodies

- Essential processes o Incl those used to select national gov

Colonization and Governance of America

- In 1600s waves of Europeans colonized North America- Diversity of ppl and mix of economic classes migrated to colonies incl slaves- 2-tier system of governance

British Policy Incites a Rebellion

- 7 yr war- the French and Indian war (1756-1763)- The British Parliament turned to coloines for inc revenues

o Sugar act (1764)o Stamp Act 1765o Quartering Act 1765o Declaratory Act 1766o Townshend Duties 1767

Boston Massacre

- 1770- British soldiers living in American homes and looking after jobs that Americans wanted- British soldiers who shot into the crowd: 5 dead and 6 wounded- Samuel Adams condemned the event as the Boston Massacre (March 5)

A Massacre And A Tea Party

- The tea act 17773- The boston tea party event- Dec 16, 1773- Parliament responded with The Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts), which closed the port of Boston- Martial law, suspension of state Assembly, bar on town meetings

The Continental Congress’s Demands for Political Rights

- First Continental Congress, Spet 1774- Congress adopted and sent to the king the Declaration of Rights and Gruevances

Common Sense

- 2 central principles- that all men are equal and have rights that are unalienable and that all gov must be based on consent of the governed

The State Constitutions

- In may 1776, the continental congress encouraged the legislative assembly of each colony to write a state constitution establishing independence from great Britain

- By 1843 all the states had enacted state constitutions- They were each a single written doc that established the principles, structures and operating

procedures of the gov established by consent of ppl

The Articles of Confederation 1781-1789

- Ppl and the delegates to Second Continental Congress distrusted strong, distant central gov- They nevertheless recog need for a united authority to engage in international trade, foreign

affairs, and defense- The Articles of Confederation established a confederation a union of independent states in

which each state retains its sovereignty rights and power, which is not by their agreement expressly delegated to a central governing body

Structure and Authority of Confederation

- The articles created only 1 governing body, a congress- The congress was a unicameral legislative- Each state had from 2-7 delegates in congress, but only 1 vote- Approving policies and ratifying treaties required 9 affirmative votes- There was no judicial branch, executive branch, or chief executive order

Weakness of confederation

- All power to State for commerce- State taxed goods from other countries and states- State issued own money- Policies caused eco hardship- Need for stronger central gov

Crafting the constitution: comprimse, ratification, and quick amendement

- Convention called to addres the defects in the articles of confederation was held in PA from may 25- spet 17, 1787

- All states went except rhode island- Most ppl were lawyers, business ppl

Consensus

- Dual Sovereignty o Sovereignty shared btw a central gov an regional gov

- National supremacyo Article IV of constitution that states that constitution ant treaties and laws made by nat

gov in compliance with const are supreme law