CONSTITUTION

VOCABULARY1. Constitution2. Bicameral3. Confederation4. Ratify5. Great Compromise6. Three-Fifths

Compromise7. Electoral College8. Federalisms9. Federalism10.Anti-Federalists

11.Preamble12.Legislative Branch13.Executive Branch14.Judicial Branch15.Amendment16.Popular sovereignty17.Separation of Powers18.Checks and Balances19.Expressed Powers20.Reserved Powers21.Concurrent Powers

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Unicameral legislature where each state had

one vote. Could Could not Make laws - Tax Control military - Enforce laws Organize treaties - Regulate

trade Establish national

courts- Control money

supplyFederal system: Power is divided between

national and state governments.

AOC’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ordinance of 1785

Divided the land into townships and allowed Congress to raise money by selling the land to settlers.

Northwest Ordinance Laid the basis for the organization of new

territorial governments and set a precedent for the method of admitting new states to the Union. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin

THE END OF THE AOC The Articles proved to be too weak for

the country. Shay’s rebellion: A group of farmers in

Massachusetts were in debt because of heavy state taxes. 1200 rebelled but were defeated. Showed the founders of our government

that a stronger central government was needed.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION May 25, 1787 55 delegates from 12 states

met in Philadelphia. The purpose of the meeting was to revise the

Articles of Confederation. The delegates agreed on four things:

1. Throw out the articles.2. Each state had one vote regardless of the amount of delegates.3. Keep it secret for 25 years.4. George Washington would be in charge.

PLANS OF GOVERNMENTVirginia James

Madison1. Bicameral legislature based on population.2. Strong Executive Branch3. National Court System

New Jersey

William Patterson

1. Unicameral legislature with equal representation.2. Strong Executive Branch3. National Court system

Connecticut

Roger Sherman

1. Bicameral legislature: Upper house equal and lower house based on population.2. Strong Executive Branch3. National Court system

CONSTITUTIONAL COMPROMISESCompromise DetailsGreat Compromise

Bicameral legislatureUpper: Equal (Senate)Lower: Based on population (House of Rep)

Three-Fifths One slave equals three-fifths of a person for the purposes of taxation and representation.

Slave trade and commerce

Congress can control all aspects of foreign and interstate trade, but they can not stop the slave trade until it is re-addressed in twenty years.

Executive The Executive branch will be lead by one individual called “President” and will be elected every four years by the Electoral College (that is their sole purpose)

RATIFICATION Nine out of 13 states had to ratify the

Constitution. It was signed by the delegates on September

17, 1787. Federalists supported the Constitution. They

wrote a series of essays called the Federalist papers that were published in newspapers across the country. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay were the writers defending the Constitution.

Anti-federalists were those that opposed the Constitution. They felt that too much power was given to the National government. They wanted a bill of rights.

June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Rhode Island was the 13th state to ratify it in 1790.

CONSTITUTION Supreme law of the land.

Provides the framework for government in the United States.

All powers of each branch of government are in the Constitution.

Constitution Preamble – an introduction that states the goals and purposes of the government.

“We the people of the United States , in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

6 Purposes1. To unite2. To create equality3. To maintain peace4. To provide defense5. To promote healthy and happy life6. To guarantee basic rights of all citizens

(present and future)

CONSTITUTION BREAKDOWN1. Preamble

2. Seven Articles:I. Legislative BranchII. Executive BranchIII. Judicial BranchIV. Relations among statesV. Amending processVI. National SupremacyVII. Ratification process

3. Twenty-seven amendments

CHECKS AND BALANCES The powers of the government are divided

into three branches: (Rock Paper Scissors) Legislative: Congress-Make laws (House

of Reps. And Senate) Executive: President. Enforce laws. Judicial: Supreme Court. Interpret laws.

The system of checks and balances keeps one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES The Constitution was designed on four

basic principles: Popular Sovereignty Limited Government Federalism Separation of powers

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY The right of the people to rule

themselves (vote).

Voters elect representatives and through the Electoral College, they elect a president.

The president and representatives are there to serve the people.

LIMITED GOVERNMENT A danger is that the majority may deny

rights to the minority.

The Constitution protects the rights of all Americans.

The Bill of Rights was added later to secure the rights of the people.

SEPARATION OF POWERS Montesquieu believed that executive,

legislative, and judicial powers should be separated.

The constitution separates powers and incorporates a system of checks and balances.

FEDERALISM National government shares power

with the states.

This gives Americans freedom to provide for their own needs.

The main reason is sectional differences.

FEDERALISM CONTINUED Types of Power:

Enumerated: Powers given to the national government. Can be expressed or implied (Elastic clause).

Reserved: Powers given to the state governments.

Concurrent: Powers shared between national and state.

AMENDING PROCESS Process to formally change the Constitution.

An amendment must be proposed and ratified.

An amendment can be proposed by a 2/3 vote from both houses of Congress or by a national convention called by 2/3 of the state legislatures. The national convention has never occurred.

An amendment can be ratified by the approval of ¾ of the state legislatures or by special ratifying conventions that pass in ¾ of the states. The ratifying convention has occurred only once.

INTERPRETATION Loose interpretation: Congress can make any

law that the constitution does not specifically forbid

Strict interpretation: Congress can only make laws that the constitution gives them direct authority over.

The Supreme Court interprets the constitution and can declare laws unconstitutional.

Writing Prompt What was the biggest obstacle the

delegates faced when getting the Constitution approved? How did Federalists and Anti-Federalists view the role of the federal government differently, and how did they feel about the Constitution as a result?

Please write legibly. There are several detailed questions in the prompt, all must be addressed.

WARM UP Writing Prompt:

In your own words answer the following: What does it mean to say that governments derive their power from the “consent of the governed,” and how did belief in this principle help justify the American Revolution and our independence?

Please write legibly. There are several detailed questions in the prompt, all must be addressed.