U.S. Constitution

Establishing a Form of Democracy

Historical Periods

in Western

Civilization

Birth of the United StatesBirth of the

United States

The Intellectual Roots of America

The Age of Enlightenment1600s-1700s

The Status Quo• Tradition• Orthodoxy• Faith• Religious Dogma• Monarchy/Aristocracy• Inequality• Obedience to Authority

The New Age• Innovation/Exploration• Reason• Science• Religious Toleration• Democracy• Equality• Liberty/Freedom

Just a FewEnlightenment Thinkers

In Europe• John Locke• Isaac Newton• Adam Smith • David Hume• Mary Wollstonecraft• Catherine Macaulay• Immanuel Kant• Voltaire• Jean-Jacques Rousseau• Montesquieu• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe• Johann Sebastian Bach• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

In the Americas• Francisco Javier Clavigero• Simón Bolívar• Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla• Thomas Paine• Thomas Jefferson• Benjamin Franklin• James Madison

1776-1830The Americas rebel against 300+ years

ofEuropean

colonial control !

1776

Grito de Dolores "Cry of Dolores”

September 16, 1810

Miguel Hidalgo y CostillaParaphrase of the call to independence:

My children: a new dispensation comes to us today. Will you receive

it? Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen three

hundred years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards?

We must act at once… Will you defend your religion and your rights as true patriots? Long live our Lady

of Guadalupe! Death to bad government! Death to the

gachupines!

‘Grito’ Mexico City, September 16, 2012

Mexico War of Independence

1810-1821

Mexico Map1821

CaliforniaTerritory of Mexico1821-1848

CaliforniaTerritory of Mexico1821-1848

Treaty of Córdoba1821

A Few Developments in

Mexican California1821-1847

• Mexico shut down the California mission system in 1834.

• Mexico gave the CA mission lands to well-connected Mexicans to create 800 very large cattle ranches or ‘ranchos’.

• To populate the vast area, Mexico encouraged foreigners to settle in and develop California.

• Mexico and the California Territory experienced constant political turmoil and instability.

Mexico decided the CA Missions were …

• Ineffective

• Expensive

• Offensive to the spirit and values of the new country

Mexican California Ranchos

California Rancho

Monterey County PopulationWhen the US took over CA . . .

Diversity in Spanish California

Diversity in Spanish California

Foreigners in Mexican California

• Trappers & Hunters

• Ranchers

• Farmers

• Businessmen

• Sailors

• Political Envoys

Mexican California Population 1845

Native Peoples < 100,000

Mexicans 11,500

Foreigners 2,500

Political Leadership in Mexican California

Pio Pico

MexicoUnited States

Who Gets California?

Birth of the U.S.

Timeline1776 Declaration of Independence

– "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness...."

1781 Articles of Confederation (1st U.S. Constitution)

1783 Treaty of Paris U.S. granted independence by England

England gave US land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River

Birth of the U.S.

Timeline1776 Declaration of Independence

1781 Articles of Confederation (1st U.S. Constitution)

1783 Treaty of Paris U.S. granted independence by England

England gives US land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River

1787 New Constitution Written

1789 U.S. Constitution Ratified

1791 Bill of Rights Added (Amendments 1-10)

Contents of the

U.S. ConstitutionThe Preamble Article 1: The Congress (Senate and House of Rep) Article 2: The Executive (President) Article 3: The Judiciary (Supreme Ct. and Lower Cts.) Article 4: The States Article 5: Process to Amend the Constitution Article 6: Constitution is Supreme Law of the Land Article 7: Process to Ratify this Constitution

Amendments 1-10 (Bill of Rights) Amendments 11-27

10 Pages

27 Amendmentsin 220 Years

Read the ConstitutionRead the Constitution

House CommitteesAgriculture

AppropriationsArmed Services

BudgetEducationEnergy

FinanceHealth

Homeland SecurityJidiciary

Nat. ResourcesScience

Small BusinessTransportation

Veterans AffairsEtc.

Senate CommitteesAgriculture

AppropriationsArmed Services

BudgetEducationEnergy

BankingHealth

Homeland SecurityJidiciary

Nat. ResourcesScience

CommerceTransportation

Veterans AffairsEtc.

Executive DepartmentsState Dept.

Treasury Dept.Defense Dept.Justice Dept.Interior Dept.

Agriculture Dept.Labor Dept.Health Dept.

Housing Dept.Education Dept.

Homeland Security Dept.Veterans Affairs Dept.

Lower Federal Courts

Circuit Courts (12)

District Courts (94)

The U.S. Government Organization

A system of

Checks & Balances

is built into the structure.

A system of

Checks & Balances

is built into the structure.

The Essential Elementsof Democracy

Just One View

How did the original

US Constitution

measure up to these

criteria ?

The Original US Constitution

Components of Democracy “We the People…” (made a bold philosophical statement)

Established a constitutional, representative, democratic form of government

Entitled some people to vote for their representatives

Created a system for holding representatives accountable

Separated and placed checks on the government’s exercise of power

Read the ConstitutionRead the Constitution

The Original US Constitution

Limitations on Democracy Document debated and written by elite white males Allowed and supported the practice of slavery Senators selected by state legislatures, not directly by the people President selected by Electoral College, not directly by the people Judges selected by President & Senate, not directly by the people Voting rights limited to white, male taxpayers Provided little protection for minorities from the will of the

majority Made no provisions for publicly-funded, mass education

Read the ConstitutionRead the Constitution

Almost immediately…Amendments 1-10…in 1791

Bill of Rights1. Freedom of religion, speech,

press, assembly, petition2. Right of people to bear arms3. Soldiers shall not be quartered

in private homes4. Right to be secure in their

persons, houses, papers, etc., and against unreasonable searches

5. Right to notice of charges, protection from double jeopardy, testifying against oneself, and punishment without due process of law

6. Right to speedy trial by jury, to confront witnesses, to counsel

7. Right to trial by jury8. Protection against excessive

bail, and cruel and unusual punishment

9. These stated rights do not mean that people could not have other rights, as well

10. Powers not given to the US in the Constitution are reserved for the States

How have changes or amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Impacted Democracy ?

Have amendments to the US Constitution

restricted or expandeddemocracy?

Amendments 11-27Amendments 11-27