A One Hour HurryUp Introduction to the U'S' Constitution

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A One Hour Hurry-Up Introduction to the U.S.
Constitution
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The Social Contract Theory

• The Magna Carta (1215)
• The Mayflower Compact (1620)
• John Lockes Second Treatise on Government (1690)
• The Declaration of Independence (1776)
• The Articles of Confederation (1781)
• The United States Constitution (1787)

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Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• First, what is a confederation?
• In this one the central government had
• No executive.
• No power to tax.
• No power to regulate commerce.
• No judicial power.
• No national currency.
• Amending the Articles required unanimous support
  among the thirteen states.

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Weak Central Authority

• States set their own tariff rates.
• States imposed trade restrictions.
• There was no authority in existence which could
  adequately settle disputes between states or
  citizens of two or more states.
• All of which contributed to instability and.

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A Failing Economy

• High Rate of Foreclosures (sounds familiar)
• Civil Disorder.for example, Shays Rebellion of
  1786.
• Fear among some influential people that the
  nation was in jeopardy of collapse in its
  infancy.
• Which led to calls for reform.

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Meetings Were Held

• Mt. Vernon Conference (1785)
• Annapolis Convention (1786)
• And Finally, Congress (the one under the Articles
  of Confederation) called a Constitutional
  Convention to be held at Philadelphia in the
  summer of 1787.

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The Constitutional Convention (1787)

• Congress instructed each state to elect delegates
  to attend a convention to consider amendments to
  the Articles of Confederation.

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Deliberations

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Conventi
  onHamilton.27s_Plan

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The Virginia Plan

• Madison/ Randolph
• Strong Central Government
• Bicameral legislature
• Lower house representation based on
  populationelected by the people of the states.
• Upper House representation based on
  populationelected by the lower house
• A national executive chosen by the legislature.
• A national judiciary
• National government would have veto power over
  state legislation.

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The New Jersey Plan

• Governor William Patterson/ Small State
  Alternative.
• Amend the Articleslike we are supposed to do.
• Give Congress the power to tax and force
  collection.
• Maintain unicameral, one vote per state Congress.
• Establish a national judiciaryappointed for life
  by the executivesEXECUTIVES.
• Establish a national executive branch with
  multiple executives.appointed for one four year
  term appointed by Congress, recallable by the
  state governors.

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Connecticut Compromise

• Roger Sherman
• Lower Houserepresentation based on population.
• Upper Houseone vote per state.
• Leads to the agreement on the structure of the
  new Congress.

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An Executive Branch

• Well get to this when we reach Article II of the
  Constitution.
• For now, some wanted no executive, some wanted
  one, some wanted three.
• Some though the states should choose the
  executive.
• Some thought Congress should choose him.

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A National Judiciary

• All federal judges serve during good
  behavior.life absent impeachment.
• Recall Jeffersons criticism of the judges who
  were dependent on the will of the king.
• Ours are independent of the Congress, the
  president, and even of us.

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The Fight Over Ratification

• Federalists
• Anti-Federalist
• Compromises
• a bill of rights.

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The United States Constitution