Assignment on 9-11

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

Some Enlightenment Ideas Okay to reject traditions like kings, aristocracy, state religion

Okay for people to reason to their own conclusions about laws, taxes, etc.

Government should have the consent of the governed

Human beings have natural rights that cannot legitimately be denied them

People should be free to choose their own religion or no religion

Parts of the government should check and balance the powers of other parts of the government.

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, 2010

Mexico War of Independence

1810-1821

Mexico Map1821

Treaty of Córdoba1821

Constitution of the United

Mexican States1824

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 Populationby the end of the Mexican era. . .

Mexican PresidentVicente Guerrero

The Guerrero DecreeThe President of the United States of Mexico, know ye: That desiring to celebrate in the year of 1829 the anniversary of our independence with an act of justice and national beneficence, which might result in the benefit and support of a good, so highly to be appreciated, which might cement more and more the public tranquility, which might reinstate an unfortunate part of its inhabitants in the sacred rights which nature gave them, and which the nation protects by wise and just laws, in conformance with the 30th article of the constitutive act, in which the use of extraordinary powers are ceded to me, I have thought it proper to decree: 1st. Slavery is abolished in the republic. 2nd. Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free. 3rd. When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide.And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated. Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829. Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra

Political Leadership in Mexican California

Pio Pico

North American Landin 1770

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...."

1777/89 Articles of Confederation (1st U.S. Constitution)

Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation

1 The national government could not force the states to obey its laws.

2 It did not have the power to tax

3 It did not have the power to enforce laws

4 Congress lacked strong and steady leadership

5 There was no standing national army or navy

6 There was no system of national courts

7 Each state could issue its own paper money

8 Each state could put tariffs on trade between states. (A tariff is a tax on goods coming in from another state or country.)

Birth of the U.S.

Timeline1776 Declaration of Independence

1777/89 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 225 Years

Read the ConstitutionRead the Constitution

House CommitteesAgriculture

AppropriationsArmed Services

BudgetEducation

EnergyFinanceHealth

Homeland SecurityJidiciary

Nat. ResourcesScience

Small BusinessTransportation

Veterans AffairsEtc.

Senate CommitteesAgriculture

AppropriationsArmed Services

BudgetEducation

EnergyBankingHealth

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

How did the original US Constitution measure up to these criteria ?Group 1

everyone has a voice (rights)everyone equal no matter whatchecks and balanceselectionsequal opportunityupward control (power in lower class)

Group 2rights, protection of constitutional and basic

human rightslaws equally enforced-equal protectionstrong involvement of citizensdirect democracyopen ballot

Group 3informed citizens, no propagandaall votes have equal valuevoting is free of intimidationbasic human rights protectedfreedom of religion, speech/expressionequal under law

Group 4good political systemprotection of human rightsrule of law, no discriminationactive participationlimit the power of governmentfreedom of speechbeing able to criticize the government

The Original US Constitution

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

Established a constitutional, representative form of government

Entitled some people to vote for their representatives

Created a system for holding representatives accountable

Required federal government to publicly report on some of its proceedings.

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 property owners / 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