the constitution (a brief history)

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