Revolutionary war:

  • Colonial period, states adopted similar institutions featuring:

    • Bicameral legislatures

    • Popular elections

    • Property requirements

  • Basis of american governments are religious covenants, local comcast,regional differences and political philosophies

Path of independence:

  •  French and indian war

  • Colonial resistance and organization

    • Stamp act congress

  • British responses

    • Stamp act

    • Declaratory act

  • Boston tea party

    • Intolerable acts

  • Continental congress and war 

Declaring independence:

  • Designed for multiple audiences, king parliament colonists and the world

  • Purpose was to declare independence rally support at home ad gain foreign allies

  • Also listed grievances against king and parliament

    • Taxation without representation

    • King refused to agree to necessary laws

    • Obstructing justice

More than a declaration of independence

  • Foreign policy document

  • Liberty first, then sovereignty and equality

    • Home rule

    • Repeseatiaon improtante

    • Democratic ideals

      • Limited govt

      • Consent of governed

      • Equality

    • Collective action problem

Articles of confederation

  • First national constitution

    • Decentralized system

    • Limited authority for national govt

  • Unclaimed congress

    • Each state delegation had one vote

    • No national executive or judiciary

    • Amendments to articles required unanimous vote

    • National laws required support of 9 state delegations

Defects Of the articles of confederation

It had no..

  • Power to collect taxes or raise tariffs

  • Authority to enforce treaties

  • Capability to enforce national laws

  • Ability to regulate commerce

  • Capacity to institute a national currency

  • Power to raise an army or navy without states 

  • National court system

  • Chief executive

Context of the philadelphia convention

  • Articles of confederation stifled institutional reforms

  • Shays rebellion

  • Congress authorizes philadelphia convention

    • For the sole and express purpose of revising articles of confederation and reporting to congress and the state legislatures such alterations and provision

Human nature and governing principles

  • Self interest is natural but must be channeled productively 

    • Limited govt

    • Representative govt

    • Govt arises form consent of governed

  • Separation of powers

    • Powers should be divided among separate institutions

  • Checks and balances

    • Horizontally and vertically

  • National; supremacy

The delegates

  • 55 from 12 states

    • No rhodes island

    • 39 signed constitution

  • Most were young and well educated

  • Among the social, economic and political elite in their states

    • Almost all served congress or in state legislature

  • All were male and white