Roots of American Government

July 1776

Declaration of Independence

May 1787

Constitutional Convention

September 1787

Constitution Signed

Bill of Rights

First 10 Amendments to the Constitution

Limited Government

Government is NOT all powerful

Stamp Act

First Tax imposed by King George III

Articles of Confederation

First form of government in the states

Connecticut Compromise

created a bicameral legislature

Preamble

Introduction to the Constitution & the GOALS of the Founding Fathers

Article 1

Legislative Branch

Article 2

Executive Branch

Article 3

Judicial Branch

Amendments

ability to change the Constitution

Declaration of Independence

Break Up letter with Great Britain

Separation of Powers

Power divided among the 3 branches

Checks & Balances

Each branch exercises some control over the others

Federalism

Power is divided between Federal, State and Local

27

number of amendments to the Constitution

First Amendment

Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press

Second Amendment

Right to Bear Arms

Representative Government

People elect delegates to make laws and conduct government

Oligarchy

small group of people hold the power in a government

Autocracy

ONE person hold all the power (monarchy or dictatorship)

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army

Thomas Jefferson

Main author of the Declaration of Independence

James Madison

wrote the basic outline of the Constitution

Unicameral Legislature

One House

Bicameral Legislature

Two Houses

Senate

2 members from each state

House of Representatives

Representation based upon state population

1789

Congress met for the 1st time in New York City

1791

Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution