A New Government
Enlightenment MIND
Problems solved through reason and science (mind)
Intellectual movement that started in Europe during the 18th C. (17 hundreds)
Focused on reason, science, and individual rights over tradition and religion
Example: discovery of gravity
(1) People started to question the things happening around them
Enlightenment placed a premium on “useful” knowledge
Knowledge that could improve the condition of humanity
Enlightenment was about challenging old ideas
Medical procedures
X-ray, biopsy, CAT Scans
Telescope
We used to not question things around us, now we study things in other galaxies
Lightning Rod
Lighting rod kept houses and barns from catching on fire
Colleges in colonies
Enlightenment directly contradicts the ideas taught by religion and the Great Awakening
How?
GA: Don’t think just believe
E’ment: Don’t believe just think
American revolution, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution are all products of the E’ment
We would have not questioned the king without the E’ment, nor would we have though we could have created a better government
Articles of Confederation (First Government)
“Thrown together” for of government that was put in place during the revolution to fight Great Britain
Attempted to create a national government to unite 13 VERY DIFFERENT colonies
Difference: Slavery
III.Main Summary of Clip
Background info leading up to Revolution
Letter to King/Colonists raising Army
Franklin Plan= Articles of Confederation
Congress had no power over the states and must trust the states to fund the federal government voluntarily
Congressional Powers
Conduct foreign affairs (other countries)
Congress controls the Army
WEAK National Government
No executive branch (president)
No national court (Supreme Court)
IV.Articles of Confederation needed MUSCLE!
States regularly ignored laws of Congress
Shay’s Rebellion
A of C. Proved to be too weak because the Federal Government could not defend itself against angry farmers
All states had to agree unanimously (ALL) on any change of the original articles
Congress authorized a convention to meet in Philadelphia in May 1787 to consider all the defects off the Articles of Confederation
Meeting leads to…
The Constitutional Convention
People of the convention: “an assembly of demigods”
James Madison- “Father of the Constitution”
First delegate to reach Philadelphia
Virginia Plan was mostly his ideas
Very important man in getting the Constitution written and ratified
George Washington
Most highly respected American of his time
His participation in the convention added dignity to the proceedings
President of the convention
Ben Franklin
“Elder statesman of the country”
Very respected
Chair and quote from pg 198- “rising sun”
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
Were absent during the convention
Serving as ambassadors overseas
George Mason
Refused to sign because of lack of Bill of Rights
Patrick Henry (Give me Liberty or give me death)
Refused to attend because he did not want to weaken the state’s power by strengthening federal government
Proposing a New Government
The Virginia Plan “Big State Plan”
Two House Legislature
Give house seats based on total population per state
The New Jersey Plan “Small State Plan”
Counter-plan proposed after the Virginia Plan
One house legislature
Each state with equal representatives
Similar to A of C but Congress could tax
The Connecticut Compromise
Settled dispute over legislature
Equal vote in the upper house, proportional in the lower
Slaves equal 3/5ths of a person
Ratification Debate
T- Chart
Anti-federalists Federalists
A. Opposed to the constitution A. Supported the Constitution
B. Stirred up people’s fears of a B. Convinced people that a strong central government strong central government was C. Main concern was lack essential for a new nation
of Bill of Rights C. Used newspaper editorials for support
Graphic Overview of Ratification
Federalists | Anti-Federalists | |
(Political) Power Balance | Strong Central Government | Wanted State Power |
Finance (Money) | Wanted to have taxes | Feared taxes |
General Concerns | Feared factions (cliques) | Feared tyranny (king) |
Ratification
Federalists needed support of only 9 of the 13 states
Constitution ratified on June 21, 1788
Even though Anti-Federalists lost, they won support for the Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights
Federalists added amendments to the Constitution that gained support and guaranteed a person’s rights
12 amendments were sent to the states, 10 were ratified
First 10 amendments
Government created by constitutional convention in 1787 had to work for 237 years
Longest lasting constitution in the world
Wise authors made the constitution both strong and flexible
Flexible; amendments
Constitution is often called a “living document”
We are still governed by the constitution created 237 years ago in a vastly different world
Elastic Clause: We can “stretch" the constitution to fit today’s world
Supreme Court reads Constitution for us legally
Supreme Court decides causes based on their interpretation about the constitution
Constitutional or unconstitutional
We read 237 year old constitution with today’s eyes
Internet; AI
Test
TOTAL POINTS: 115
20 matching- 2pts each (40)
5 sequence of events- 2pts each (10)
10 multiple choice- 2 pts each (20)
8 F or A- 2 pts each (16)
9 fill-in-the blanks- 1 pt each (9)
5 short answer (21)