Orgins of American Government

Understand the English Influence on the American Government

The American government is based on English ideas of limited government, representative democracy, common law, and individual rights, but without a monarchy.

Bicameral

two camber legislature

Limited Govt.

Magna Carta

Rule of man to rule of law

individual rights

Monarchs need approval from Parliament

Limited govt. taxes, imprison, military rule

English Bill of Rights

Free speech, protection from cruel and unusual punishment

Which American political ideas derived from English political culture

Limited government

Representative government

Individuals rights

Jamestowns House of Burgesses (1619)

Representative govt.

Mayflower Compact (1620)

Majority rule

Fundamental Orders of CT (1639)

limited power of govt

MA Body of Liberties (1641)

individual rights of citizens

Proprietary

land grant

royal colonies

controlled by a kings via a appointed governor

Understand why the articles of confederation failed

power, government, protection, taxes, military, independence

in 1777

Americans wrote their first plan for the government called articles of confederation

What’s a confederation

A confederation is a group of individuals united together     for a purpose

The First Attempt

Each state was independent and had its own government

Each state would send representatives to the congress of the confederation

The Congress was the only central government. There was no President

In Congress, each state got one vote

The first attempt at articles of confederation

Power, independence, government, military, protection, taxes

Under the articles of confederation, a president would lead the country

false

The Articles of Confederation were easy to change

false

The more people a state had, the more votes it got in Congress

False

Congress did not have the power to collect taxes

True

Congress could pass laws and force states to follow them

False

The Articles of Confederation created the first american government

true

States had different needs

Some states depended on fishing, while others mostly grew crops

Different opinions

Some people feared a central government, others thought it was necessary

Everybody thought the central government should have more power.

false

Some people were afraid states might lose their independence.

true

States got along with each other

false

The government created by the Articles of Confederation had everything under control among the states.

false

Articles of Confederation

1 branch

Legislature-makes laws

New Idea

3 branches

Legislative

makes laws

Executive

enforces laws

Judicial

judges laws

How many votes should each state get in the legislature

2

Each state gets to send representatives to the legislature. Which states would have the most power if…The more people a state had, the more representatives it got?

The more people, the more power!

Each state gets to send representatives to the legislature. Which states would have the most power if…Each state got one vote, no matter how small?

People in the small states would have more power.

The Virginia Plan

has 2 chambers

numbers of votes for each state depends on states population

agree states have more power

New Jersey Plan

1 Legislative chamber

each state gets 1 vote

smaller states would have more power

Understand how members of the Constitutional Convention compromised to create a plan for a strong national government.

Repsentation

executive power

slavery

Senate

Each state gets 2 votes

House of Representatives

the more people the state has, the more votes

Great Compromise

agreement during the U.S. Constitutional Convention that created a two-part (bicameral) U.S. Congress

Three-Fifths Compromise

3/5 enslaved people would be counted

The Constitution requires each state to treat ________ of other states the ______ as it treats its own citizens.

citizens, same

How many states had to agree in order for the Articles of Confederation to be changed?

all states

The Constitution can be changed if ________________ of the members of Congress and ________________ of the states agree.

two-thirds2/3,

three-fourths 3/4

Did the Articles of Confederation require states to follow the laws Congress passed?

No

The Constitution says that the laws passed by Congress are _________ to laws passed by the _______.

Superior, states

Laws passed by congress are what to state laws

superior

Congress has

2 chambers

Each state gets two votes in the

senate

A change to the Constitution must be approved by

¾ of the states

Understand the issues that the Constitutional convention created

representation, federal power, slavery, and executive authority.

To ratify how many states of the 13 had to accept

9

Federalists

did not protect individual rights

anti federalists

protected individuals rights

James Madison

Federalist Papers

Why were the Federalist Papers written

To explain and defend the new system of government

Bill of Rights 10 amendments

Freedom of speech, press, religion, due process, right to fair trial, trail by jury

How did the promise to add a bill of rights to the Constitution influence the ratification process?

Ensured that their rights could not be taken away and provided security