American History 5/2/03

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American History 5/2/03

• A New Nation
• Federal Government
• Expansion to the West

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A New Nation

• 1781 Article of Confederation
• -set up the central government
• -the presidency was powerless
• -Congress lacked the power to tax

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1787 Constitutional Convention

• George Washington was in charge of the convention
• Delegates from each state (except Rhode Island)
  discussed the Constitution.

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Constitution of the U.S.

• Federal government has the power to collect taxes
• It organizes the armed forces
• It makes treaties with foreign countries
• It controls trade.

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The Executive Powers (President)

• Approves or veto federal bills
• Carries out federal laws
• Appoints judges and other high officials
• Makes foreign treaties

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Checks on Executive Powers

• Congress can override veto by 2/3 vote
• Senate can refuse to confirm appointments or
  ratify treaties
• Congress can impeach President
• Supreme Court can declare executive acts
  unconstitutional

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Legislative Powers (Congress)

• Passes federal laws
• Establishes lower federal courts and the number
  of federal judges

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Checks on Legislative Powers

• Presidential veto of federal bills
• Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional

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Judicial Powers (The Supreme Court)

• Interprets and applies the laws by trying federal
  cases

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Checks on Judicial Powers

• Congress can propose constitutional amendments
• Congress can impeach federal judges
• President appoints judges and Senate confirms them

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1791 The Bill of Rights

• 1st Amendment
• -guarantee separation of church and state and
  freedom to worship
• - freedom of speech and the press
• 2nd Amendment
• -the right to bear arms

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1803 Marbury v. Madison

• The Supreme Court overturned an act of the
  Congress for the first time
• The Supreme Court is the final authority in
  deciding the meaning of the Constitution.

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1820 The Missouri Compromise

• Missouri would be admitted as a slave state, but
  slavery would
• not be allowed north of
• Missouris southern border

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1823 Monroe Doctrine

• The U.S. would not tolerate intervention by
  European nations
• The U.S. would not interfere with already
  established colonies or European nations

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Jacksonian Democracy

• 1828 Andrew Jackson became the president.
• He embodies the new American spirit. not an
  aristocrat
• He opened the political process to more people

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Expansion to the West

• 1803 The Louisiana Territory was purchased from
  France
• 1804-06 Lewis Clark made an expedition to the
  West
• 1820 Erie Cannel was open

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Manifest Destiny

• the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to
  overspread the continent
• The desire to control the entire continent from
  the Atlantic to Pacific

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Film How the West Was Won

• Erie canal made it easy for Americans to move to
  the West
• A life style of early Americans

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Thats all for today

• Have a nice weekend!