A More Perfect Union

What happens in Philadelphia?

• 55 Delegates meet to “fix: Articles of Confederation

• They end up with a new government…The Constitution

Preamble

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.

Structure of Government

• Legislative: make laws

• Executive: Carry out/ enforce laws

• Judicial: Applies/interprets the laws

The Issues

• Representation- How did the A of C handle this?

• Slavery

• The President

The Constitution as a document of compromise.

• Representation

• Slavery

Virginia Plan (Big State)

• 2 house legislature (bicameral)

• Representation based on population– Big states would have more votes in

Congress– Slaves would count

New Jersey Plan (small state)

• One house congress (unicameral)

• Representation would be equal among the states

• Slaves would not count

The Great Compromise

• 2 houses

• One based on population

• One with equal representation

What about Slaves?

• Would count 3/5th of a white person

• Slave trade would last 20 more years

How was the Constitution balanced?

• Framers took care to provide a balance of power between individual states and the new national government

– supremacy clause: The Constitution is the supreme Law of the Land

– reserved powers clause: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

How was the Constitution balanced?

• Separation of Powers: Each branch has its own powers

• Checks & Balances: Each branch can stop another branches actions

• Compromise

• Balance

• Flexibility

Powers of each branchLegislative Executive Judicial

Override veto Veto bills Trials between states

Declare war Direct army Can void unconstitutional laws

Spend $$$ Make treaties

Impeach Pres Appoint judges

Tax…

The Constitution as a document of flexibility.

• Admission of new states (new land could become equal states)

• Amendments (Did not need 100% agreement)

• Necessary-and-Proper Clause

The Constitution as a document of flexibility.

• Necessary-and-Proper Clause– Article 1, Section 8

– gives Congress the power to "make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper" for the nation.

– Is this a good idea?

To take effect, the Constitution needed to be ratified

• popularly elected conventions in nine of the thirteen states

• Federalist and Anti-federalist candidates debated and campaigned against one another.

• eligible voters decided who to elect to their state ratifying convention.

• smaller groups of elected representatives decided whether their state should ratify the Constitution.

To take effect, the Constitution needed to be ratified

• Federalists – support the idea of the Constitution…why?– Who were the Federalists?

To take effect, the Constitution needed to be ratified

• Anti-federalists: – At first against the Constitution- Why?– Would accept the Constitution with

amendments– Who were the Anti-federalists?

– Most supported the Constitution with the addition of the Bill of Rights (First 10 amendments to the Constitution)

Jefferson v. Hamilton

Support

First Test

• Divided into at least 3 parts– Multiple Choice– Identifications– Essays

Identifications

• Three parts– What is it?– How or why did it come about?– What effect did it have?

Identifications• Boston Tea Party:

– A demonstration by the Sons of liberty against the British. The colonists threw boxes of tea into Boston Harbor.

– This event took place as a result of the Tea Act which gave the East India Co. a monopoly on tea sales in N. America.

– As a result of the Tea Party, England passed the Intolerable Acts to punish the colonies.

Identifications• Articles of Confederation

– Government created to address the needs of the colonies as they separated from England. Power to make war, coin money, make treaties, etc.

– Created by the Second Continental Congress.

– The weakness of the Articles demonstrated a need for a new form of government. This would be the US Constitution.

Essays

• Read the question.

• Answer the whole question.

• Use specific examples!!!!!!!!

• Question: Did the French & Indian War lead to or cause the American Revolution? Why or why not?– Yes it did because,

• England raise taxes to pay for the war. The colonists felt this was unfair.

• The colonies were used to taking care of themselves and liked it (Salutary Neglect)

• Forbid western settlement to keep an eye on colonists. (Proclamation of 1763)

Essays

• The Articles of Confederation were a government set up to be deliberately weak. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What evidence can you offer to support your position?