The American Constitution

Constitution Test 10/24/2014

Republic

• Republic: A government in which citizens rule through elected representatives

• Monarchy: A government in which….

Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation

• States had too much power

• Congress was too weak

• No national army/navy

• Only white people count (pop.)

• President only has 1 year term

• Executive is WEAK

• 9/13 need to agree

• No federal court system

• NOT united

• “Confederacy”

(Pg. 140) Big Question: Why was the Constitution drafted?

• Topic: Why did Nationalists want to strengthen the government?

• Sub-Topic: Call for Convention

• VIP: Only 5 states went to the first convention

• VIP: Shay’s Rebellion convinced more states to attend

• Sub-Topic: Convention Highlights• VIP: Held in Philly in 1787

• VIP: 55 delegates—well educated men

Groups for textbook VIPs (Pg. 142-144)

• #1: Big States Versus Small States

• #2: Slavery-Related Issues

• #3: Division of Powers

• #4: Separation of Powers

• #5: Creating the Constitution

Textbook Review

Big States vs. Small States• Delegates from the small states

objected to the Virginia Plan because it gave more power to states with large populations

• Great Compromise offered a 2-house Congress to satisfy both big and small states

Textbook Review

Slavery and Related Issues• Questions about whether

slaves are counted as people

• 3/5 Compromise: slaves count as 3/5 of a person

• A division between North & South

Textbook Review

Division of Powers• Federalism divided power between

national government and state governments

• Powers that control foreign affairs, national defense, regulating trade, and money national gov’t

• Power to control education, marry people, and trade within the state state gov’t

Textbook Review

Separation of Powers• Created 3 branches: Legislative,

Executive, and Judicial

• Established a system of checks and balances to prevent one branch from dominating the others

• Delegates in Congress protected the rights of the states

Textbook Review

Creating the Constitution• Delegates provided a means

to change the Constitution: amendment process

• GW was uncertain about the Constitution

• They sent the final draft to Congress for approval

8th Period

Textbook ReviewBig States vs. Small States

• Madison’s Virginia Plan favored large states (representation based on population)

• The New Jersey Plan favored small states (equal representation regardless of population)

• Great Compromise made a bicameral legislature

Textbook Review

Slavery Related Issues• Representation based on

population raised the question—are slaves counted as people?

• 3/5 Compromise said 3/5 of slaves would be counted

Textbook Review

Division of Powers• Federalism: political system that

divided power between national government and state government

• National Government: Foreign affairs, money, trade

• State Government: Trade within state, education, marriages, LOCAL issues

Separation of Powers• Made the 3 branches of

government: Executive, Legislative, Judicial

• Checks and balances—so one branch can’t dominate

• Electoral college would decide elections

Creating the Constitution• 4 months of debate

• GW didn’t think it would last

• Constitution sent to Congress for approval (ratification)

Problems of Population

• 1. What problems will population differences cause in the new government?

• 2. Why does the slave population matter in terms of the new government?

• What was the 3/5 Compromise? How did it help to solve the issue of determining state population?

• 3. What was the Great Compromise? How did the Great Compromise help to solve the issue of different populations in states?

Population

• Population different levels of representation *voting* in Congress

• PROBLEM: need to settle the NJ vs. VA Plan debate for representation

• SOLUTION: Great Compromise *BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE*

• PROBLEM: slaves didn’t count as people, but Southern states had many slaves

• SOLUTION: 3/5 Compromise *3/5 of slaves count toward population*

Homework: Read and complete the VIP outline process for pages 145-146

• Big Question: What were the main issues Americans debated about the proposed Constitution

• Topic: Who were the federalists and antifederalists?

• Sub-Topic: Controversies over the Constitution• VIP

• Sub-Topic: The Opposing Forces• VIP

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: Use your notes to answer the following questions

• 1. What does ‘ratification’ mean?

• 2. Who were the Federalists? What did they believe?

• 3. Who were the Anti-Federalists? What did they believe?

• 4. Who wrote the Federalist Papers? What did the papers say?

Bill of Rights (Pg. 147)

• Why was this necessary for ratification?

• Bill of Rights: formal statement of the rights of the people

• This allowed anti-federalists and federalists to agree to ratify (approve) the new Constitution

The Legislative Branch

• Turn to Page 154-155

• Read the Sections ARTICLE 1 to answer the questions in the packet

• ARTICLE 1 is about the LEGISLATURE

#21: Bill vs. Law

• Bill is a draft/proposal

• Law is made official

#22: Veto Power

• Executive check on the legislature

#23: Steps to make a bill into a law

• Overview:

• Bill arises in Congress

• Both houses of Congress discuss/debate

• Both houses agree on one draft

• Both houses send the one draft to the President

• President approves or vetoes

#24: Sections 8-9 of Article 1

• The Elastic Clause: (clause 18) “necessary and proper”

• Declaration of War: Congressional power

• Habeas Corpus: “you have the body”—you can’t be arrested or jailed without reason; you can appear in court to plead your case

• Ex Post Facto law: after the fact

Constitution Review Sessions

• Wednesday in 317 (Mr. Bouchard)

• Thursday in 318 (Ms. Cantacessi)