Chapter 3- Creating the Constitution

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Chapter 3- Creating the Constitution
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Government by the States

• As the nation moved toward independence, 11 of 13
  states wrote new constitutions.

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• A constitution is a document stating the rules
  under which a government will operate

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Writing State Constitutions

• Colonists had been unhappy with royal governors
  appointed by the king

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• New Constitutions limited the power of the
  governors most of the power went to state
  legislatures elected by the people.

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• The governor served as the states executive. The
  executive is the person who runs the government
  and sees that laws are carried out.

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• New Constitutions allowed more people to vote
  than in colonial times, but most states did not
  give this right to women and African Americans.

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• In order to vote, one had to be a white male, 21,
  and in most states they had to own property.

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Protecting Rights

• Influenced by the Declaration of Independence,
  states sought to protect individual rights

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• Virginias constitution was the first to have a
  bill of rights, which listed peoples right to
  freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and
  the right to trial by jury

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• Many other states followed Virginias lead