American Government Roots and Reform: Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - American Government: Roots, Context, and Culture

Introduction

In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas on a quest to find a better water route to India’s trade system
He incorrectly named the natives ‘Indians’ because he believed he had truly made it to India
Other explorers are adventurers from Spain, England, Italy, and France soon launched their own expeditions looking for girl, furs, and rich soil upon the news of Columbus’ success
They were not interested in establishing permanent residences though the monarchies supporting them wanted them to claim native lands and send gold, furs, and new agricultural riches gained
Pope Alexander VI issued a proclamation in 1494 that drew a north/south line through the Western Hemisphere (west = Spain, east = Portugal) as nations began to compete for lands
Spain had settlements in Florida and eventually the entire Southwest + the lands of the Louisiana Purchase
Mid-1500s: France + Holland + Great Britain were exploring North America; France: fur trappers in eastern Canada + Quebec
French trappers knew they had to establish good working relationships with several tribes to facilitate trade
The Spanish enslaved natives + treated them with brutality

Section 1.1 - Roots of American Government: We the People

The Earliest Inhabitants of the Americas

Indiginous peoples had been living in the area for >30,000 years before colonists
Probably migrated from Russia through Bering Strait into North America then dispersed throughout the continents
Others came from Southern Hemisphere + settled in Southwest
The first peoples of North America were extremely diverse, with hundreds of different cultures, languages, and traditions dispersed across north America before the arrival of European settlers
Not homogenous: their cultures, customs, values, and political systems varied widely
Number of indigenous peoples diminished as colonists brought a range of diseases to which they had not been exposed
Warfare w/ European settlers + within tribes killed many native Americans + disrupted previously established ways of life
European settlers displaced natives, repeatedly pushing them westward as they created settlements and colonies

The First Colonists

Wealthy Englishmen + other Europeans left home seeking to enhance their fortunes; they brought laborers who hoped to find their own opportunities for riches
Commerce was the most common initial reason for settlement in North America
1st permanent English colony: Jamestown, Virginia (1607) by a joint stock company
1619: first slaves arrived
1609: Dutch New Netherland Company settled along Hudson + lower Delaware Rivers (called New Netherlands)
1626: Dutch West India Company purchased Manhattan Island from a tribe + established trading posts on the Hudson River
Fort Orange (Albany, NY) + New Amsterdam (NYC Manhattan Island): populated by salaried employees, not colonies
Settlers from Finland, Germany, Sweden + free black people: created own system of cultural inclusiveness that makes NYC’s citizenry unique

A Religious Tradition Takes Root

1620: a group of Protestants (Puritans, aka Pilgrims) left Europe on Mayflower for Virginia but ended up in Plymouth (Massachusetts)
Calvinist religious beliefs; came as families, common belief in the powerful role of religion in their lives
Believed Old Testament required a ‘city on a hill’ as a symbol of righteousness
Enforced strict code of authority + obedience; also stressed importance of individualism; these strict puritanical values soon faced challenges
1631: Roger Williams preaches extreme separation from Church of England, questioned right of Europeans to settle on native lands
Believed Puritans went too far when punishing settlers who deviated from code of morality; argued that God (not ppl) would punish individuals for shortcomings
1635: Williams banished from Boston colony for ‘heretical views’ by local magistrates
Williams helped to establish Providence Plantations (colony), named for ‘God’s merciful Providence’, which Williams believed allowed his followers to find a place to settle
Anne Hutchinson (midwife + minister) also believed Massachusetts churches had lost touch with the Holy Spirit; many followers were women attracted to her progressive ideas of importance of religious tolerance + equality and rights of women
She was tried for blasphemy for her views, banished her from colony → settled in Portsmouth, RI, which became a beacon for those seeking religious tolerations and popular sovereignty (instead of religious)
Thomas Hooker believed Calvinist Puritans were too narrow-minded; though all men should have right to vote regardless of religious views or property qualifications
Relocated to colony of Connecticut; settled at Hartford
Inspired drafting of Connecticut constitution; thought to be first to establish representative government
1632: King Charles I granted George Calvert (first Lord Baltimore) a charter to establish Maryland (Catholic colony)
1681: King Charles II bestowed William Penn (Quaker) a charter giving him sole ownership of land north of Maryland (Pennsylvania, or Penn’s Woods) → ethnic and religious diversity
Penn also bought Delaware, where he launched ‘the holy experiment’, attracting other persecuted Euopeans (German Mennonites and Lutherans, French Huguenots)

Section 1.2 - Functions of American Government

Introduction

Settlers in colonial America were driven by many reasons: religious freedom, economic gain, etc.
Thus, not easy to devise a system of gov’t that served all citizen’s interests → political system w/ people at center of power
Afraid to call it democracy bc of fears of people + mob rule
Preferred republic bc it implied a system of gov’t in which the interests of people were represented by more educated or wealthier citizens who were responsible to those who elected them
Framers set forth key functions of American gov’t + guarantees to people through the Constitution (first words confirmed source of power in new political system)

Establishing Justice

Gov’t has to create a system of laws allowing individuals to abide by a common set of principles
Societies adhering to the rule of law allow for the rational dispensing of justice by acknowledged legal authorities
Constitution authorizes Congress to create federal judicial system to dispense justice
Bill of Rights has amendments for administration of justice

Ensuring Domestic Tranquility

Role of gov’t has been controversial since Enlightenment (1715-1789)
In crises, federal gov’t + state and local gov’ts can take extreme measures to contain threat of terrorism from abroad + within US
Gov’t maintain many agencies designed to ensure safety of ppl
Ex. police forces (local), national guards (state), armed services and ability to call state militias to quell any threats to order (federal)

Providing for the Common Defense

A major purpose of gov’t is to defend its citizens against threats of foreign aggression (early years - many thought that this was its main function; ex. War of 1812 (invasion of British), piracy on high seas)
Constitution calls for president to be commander in chief of armed forces; Congress has authority to raise army
Defense budget is considerable + controversial proportion of federal outlays

Promoting the General Welfare

Promoting general welfare was more of an ideal than a mandate for new national gov’t
Over time, our notions of what gov’t should do / how it should be involved have expanded (now includes: Social Security, interstate highways, public school funding)
Proper scope of gov’t is source of much disagreement

Securing the Blessings of Liberty

Americans have a wide range of liberties + opportunities to prosper
Can criticize gov’t + petition to it when they disagree with policies or have a grievance
Ppl can act as they wish so long as they don’t infringe on the rights of others

Section 1.3 - The Changing American People

Introduction

1 yr after ratification of Constitution, most ppl were the same
<4 million ppl: most shared single language + religious heritage (Protestant- Christian); white, male property owners could vote
Constitution mandated that House of Representatives should not exceed 1 for 30,000 ppl; set size was 65 members
As nation grew westward, thousands of immigrants came into America (fleeing war or famine or in search of better lives); population has grown to 323+ million inhabitants
Most people today feel far removed from national gov’t + their elected representatives

Racial and Ethnic Composition

American population has constantly changed:
1600s - early 1700s: Western Europeans fleeing religious persecution
Mid-late 1700s: slaves from Africa
Gold Rush (1848) onward: Chinese laborers to work on railroads (CA)
1850s: Irish Catholics escaping potato famine (Northeast)
1880s-1910s: Northern + Eastern Europans
Modern: South + Southeast Asians, Cubans, Mexians
Almost 15% of Americans can be classified as immigrants
Racial + ethnic composition has changed dramatically over past 50 years: Hispancs overtaking African Americans as 2nd largest racial/ethnic group; Asian Americans are fastest growing minority
Majority of babies born in US are of a minority group
Some states: members of minority groups are already the majority of residents

Aging

Bc of changes in patterns of fertility, life expectancy, and immigration, the nation’s age profile has altered drastically
Founding of nation: average life expectancy was 35; today: is ~80
Whites ages 45-54 have experienced a 22% increase in death rates bc of rising suicide rates, illnesses, deaths related to drug and/or alcohol addition
An aging America imposes a great financial burden on working Americans, whose proportion in population is rapidly declining
Could pit younger + older ppl against each other → cuts in benefits to elderly and/or increased taxes for younger workers
Elderly often vote against programs favored by younger voters; younger voters are less likely to support issues important to seniors

Religious Beliefs

Nearly all early immigrants all identified with Christian sects + viewed natives’ polytheism to be savage and unholy
There were early Jewish colonists + Muslim slaves but were very small in number compared to Christian settlers
References to Christianity + Christian values permeate our social + political systems
Many different religious groups have established roots in America, bringing additional political and social demands (like support for Palestine or favor for Israel)

Regional Growth and Expansion

Regional sectionalism emerged immediately in US
Virginia: commerce; mid-Atlantic + Northeast: religious freedom
New England evolved differently from South bc of puritanical values + sectionalism
Sectional differences grew through Industrial Revolution and waves of immigrants w/ different religious traditions + customs, unique views on issues, varying demands of gov’t, and different ideas abt role of gov’t
Big regional difference: North and South
Constitutional Convention: South wanted weak nat’l gov’t, North wanted strong
Civil War: philosophical differences abt gov’t and slavery
Modern: South lags in civil rights support, favors return of power to states and downsizing nat’l gov’t
West: first populated by those seeking free land, then of those chasing gold; ‘wild’
Today: some to avoid city life + have ant-gov’t bias; others attracted to sunshine + natural resources, seek gov’t solutions to problems like drought + environmental degradation
Another difference: rural vs. urban areas
Rural areas: ppl tend to be more conservative; urban areas: more liberal
Republicans: most rural voters + America’s heartland; Democrats: large cities

Family and Family Size

Past: clearly defined familial gender roles
Women: housework, men: fieldwork
Large families imperative, children source of cheap farm labor
Industrialization + birth control info = smaller families by early 1900s
1949: 49% thought 4+ children is ‘ideal’ family size; today: most think 0-2 children is ‘best’
1940: 9/10 households were of traditional families; today: 35% of children 0-17 live w/ 1 parent, typically mother
~⅓ households are 1 person; reflects aging population + declining marriage rate
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) made same-sex marriage is legal in all states
Changes in composition of households, lower birthrates, marriage, and the prevalence of single-parent families affect the kinds of demands people place on gov’t

Section 1.4 - Toward Reform: People and Politics

Attitudes and Politics

The evolving nature of American citizenry deeply affects politics
The political ideologies of those in control of Congress, the executive, and state houses also have a huge impact on who gets what, when, and how
Many Americans share the common goal of achieving the American Dream (a happy + successful life often including education, freedom, wealth, and home ownership)
First ~150 years; federal gov’t had few responsibilities; citizens had few expectations of it beyond national defense, printing money, and collecting tariffs and taxes
State gov’ts were generally more powerful than federal in matters affecting everyday lives of citizens
As nation + economy grew, federal gov’t took on more responsibilities, which brought greater demands of it
The most important responsibility of American gov’t is to protect its citizens. Thus, despite disillusionment with gov’t, citizens in a time of need often turn to political leaders for support
Many Americans’ lack of faith in the country’s institutions make is easy to blame the government for personal and societal woes or to fail to recognize the things it does well
The current frustration and dissatisfaction with politics and government may be just another phase, as the changing American body politic seeks to redefine its ideas about and expectations of government and how to reform it
The individualistic nature of the American system will have long-lasting effects on how to accomplish that redefinition
The demands of citizens are conflicting, putting politicians in the position of nearly always disappointing some voters

Key Questions

Trace the origins of American government.

American government is rooted in the cultures and experiences of early European colonists as well as interactions with the indigenous populations of the New World. The first colonists sought wealth. Later pilgrims came for religious freedom. The colonies set up systems of government that differed widely in terms of form, role, and function. As the colonies developed, they sought more independence from the British monarchy.

Explain the functions of American government.

The functions of American government include establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty

Analyze the changing characteristics of the American public.

Several characteristics of the American electorate can help us understand how the system continues to evolve and change. Among these are changes in size and population, racial and ethnic composition, age, religious beliefs, regional growth and expansion, and family and family size.

Characterize changes in Americans’ attitudes toward and expectations of government.

Shifts in population have created controversy in the American electorate throughout America’s history. Americans have high and often unrealistic expectations of government, yet often fail to appreciate how much their government actually does for them. Americans’ failing trust in institutions also explains some of the dissatisfaction among the American electorate.

Vocabulary

government: the formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted
Mayflower: the ship carrying Pilgrim settlers from England whose arrival in Massachusetts in 1620 is considering a founding moment for the nation
Roger Williams: seventeenth century religious and political leader who was expelled by Puritans in Massachusetts and then established the colony of Providence Plantations that later became Rhode Island
Anne Hutchinson: seventeenth century political leader and thinker who supported religious liberty
Thomas Hooker: colonial-era politician who supported expanded voting rights
William Penn: Quaker leader and supporter of religious tolerance who founded Pennsylvania
democracy: a system of government that gives power to the people, whether directly or through elected representatives
republic: a government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy
Enlightenment: a philosophical movement in 18th-century Europe; its adherents advocated liberty and tolerance of individual differences, decried religious and political abuses, and rejected the notion of an absolute monarch
politics: the study of who gets what, when, and how - or how policy decisions are made
American Dream: an American ideal of a happy, successful life, which often assumes wealth, a house, and a better life for one’s children
Donald J. Trump: the 45th president, a Republican elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience; an experienced businessman