Origins of Government through The US Constitution

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Origins of Government throughThe US Constitution
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Origins of Democracy

• Direct Democracy people make decisions through
  voting
• Ex. Ancient Athens, Greece
• Ex. New England Town Meetings

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Representative Democracy people elect
officials to make decisions for them

• Ex. Ancient Rome
• Ex. Virginia House of Burgesses
• Mayflower Compact
• a.k.a. Republic
• ? Colonists learned Rep. Dem. From British rule
  Parliamentary Dem.

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Declaration of Independence

• ?Written document that announced to the world the
  colonies were independent why they became the
  USA
• ? July 4th, 1776
• Thomas Jefferson
• John Locke

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3 Parts to the Dec. of Independence

• Theory of Govt
• Grievances against British rule king and
  Parliament
• Formal declaration of independence

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1st Govt Constitution

• 2nd Continental Congress
• Articles of Confederation
• British Govt abused their power founding
  fathers wanted to prevent this from happening
  again
• 1781

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Achievements

• ? 1) won the Revolutionary War
• ? 2) Negotiated Treaty of Paris est. US
  boundary (Mississippi R.)
• ?Passed
• 3) Land Ordinance surveyed the land
• 4) Northwest Ord. set requirements for new
  states no slavery in NW Territory

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Weaknesses

• Couldnt raise an army w/o states
• Congress couldnt levy taxes
• Central govt weak
• NO executive branch
• All 13 states had to agree to amend the Articles
  of Confederation

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Weaknesses Continued

• Unicameral govt each state gets one vote
  regardless of pop.
• 2/3 majority needed for laws
• NO national currency
• No control of interstate commerce
• ?Shays Rebellion

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Constitutional Convention

• Convention was to amend the Articles of
  Confederation
• 1787
• Great Compromise - representation
• NJ Plan equal rep. in Senate
• VA Plan rep. based on population
• in House of Reps.

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• Compromise over the Presidency
• - created electoral college
• Compromise over Slavery
• 3 out of 5 slaves count toward taxation
  population
• Commerce Compromise
• - no export duties cant prohibit importation
  of slaves for 20 years

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• Federalists
• Anti-Federalists
• Bill of Rights by James Madison
• 1st Ten Amendments
• 2/3 Congress 3/4 State Legislatures