Creating A Republic

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Creating A Republic

• The Creation of the US Constitution

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I. Government under Articles of Confederation

• During Revolution, the states created a
  confederation.
• U.S. first constitution was the Articles of
  Confederation, ratified in 1781.
• Political power lie with the states.
• To the people, their state was their country.
• Each state had their own constitution, their own
  currency, and their own trade regulations!
• Founders believed that a strong national
  government was the root of all evil.

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II. Problems with Articles of Confederation

• Inability of national government.
• Congress did not have money and did not have the
  power to tax.
• National government had no means of enforcing
  laws, or punishing law breakers.
• Congress was at mercy of states.
• Congress could not regulate trade.
• Citizens thought their property rights were
  threatened.
• Civil rebellions uprisings
• Congress had difficulty managing foreign affairs
  and paying off war debt.
• Interstate relations were lacking! (States
  werent getting along!)

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III. Upside of the Article of Confederation

• State government flourished!
• Exemplified democratic values
• Protected personal liberties
• Increase in political participation
• Government representative of the people

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IV. Revising the Articles of Confederation

• By mid-1780s it was obvious that revision of
  Articles of Confederation was necessary.
• Success of our country depended on it!
• Congress called for a meeting in 1787
• brainstorm ways to improve the Articles of
  Confederation

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V. Philadelphia Convention

• Fifty-five delegates, from 12 states, attended
  the Convention
• Most were young.
• Most had played a role in American Revolution.
• Most had some political experience.
• Whose who at the Convention
• James Madison Father of Constitution.
• George Washington Not interested in being a part
  of politics.
• Ben Franklin Encouraged the delegates to
  cooperate when they disagreed.
• Gouverneur Morris Wrote Constitution and
  prepared final draft.

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V. Philadelphia Convention

• Rules of the Convention
• Throw Articles out and start new!
• Revision of Articles required unanimous
  votesince only 11 states showed, this was
  impossible!
• Keep record of what was said a secret for 30
  years.
• Secrecy would take the pressure off better
  chance of approval if people didnt know ins and
  outs.
• Give each state one vote in convention
  proceedings.
• Gain cooperation of small states.

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VI. Brainstorming a New Government

• Basic ideas that should be included in new
  constitution
• Constitutional government (limits on power).
• System of checks and balances separation of
  powers.
• Majority rule
• Purpose of government is to protect natural
  rights and promote common good.
• Federal System
• Strong national government
• Republican form of government.

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VII. Compromise was part of the game

• There was a lot of argument on how those basic
  ideas should be played out.
• What about representation in government?
• Based on equality or population?
• How will government be limited?
• Divide new government into three separate, but
  interdependent branches.

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VIII. Outline of Constitution

• Founders created a Constitution that outlined the
  new government.
• Required 9 of 13 states to approve before going
  into affect.
• Fixed the issue with Articles of Confederation
  (unanimous decisions makes change impossible!)
• Ratified in 1789, by the 9th state (New
  Hampshire)
• Eventually, all 13 states approved Rhode Island
  was last.
• Power shifted from states to national government.
• Idea of federalism incorporated into
  Constitution to help ratification.
• Federal government supreme, but states sill have
  power.
• Made ratification more reasonable.

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IX. How is the Constitution organized?

• Preamble Introduces basic ideas of government.
• Article One Legislative Branch
• Article Two Executive Branch
• Article Three Judicial Branch
• Article Four Interstate relations
• Article Five Amendment Process
• Article Six National Supremacy
• Article Seven Ratification Process

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X. Preamble

• Introduction of Constitution
• Emphasize the importance of the people in their
  writing (We the People)
• Identifies six purposes of government
• Form a more perfect union (unify government)
• Establish justice (create national court system)
• Insure domestic tranquility (preserve peace)
• Provide for common defense (protect from enemies)
• Promote the general welfare (provide for common
  good)
• Secure blessings of liberty (safeguard freedom)

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XI. Article One Legislative Branch

• Explains how legislative branch is organized
• Created BICAMERAL legislature
• Great Compromise determined how each state
  would be represented.
• Senate each state has two.
• House of Representatives based on population.
• Purpose of legislative branch (make laws)
• Outlines checks and balances between the
  different branches of government.
• Outlines powers that legislative branch does and
  does not have.

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XII. Article Two Executive Branch.

• Explains how the branch is organized.
• President
• Vice President
• Cabinet Executive Departments
• Purpose of executive branch
• ENFORCE LAWS
• Responsibilities of president include
• Commander Chief of Armed Forces
• Grant reprieves Pardons
• Deliver state of Union Address
• Conduct Foreign Affairs

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XIII. Article Three Judicial Branch

• Explains how branch is organized
• Legislative Branch has power to establish lower
  courts.
• Supreme Court is highest court.
• Nine Supreme Court Justices.
• Purpose of Judicial Branch
• INTERPRET CONSTITUTION
• Judicial Review
• Marbury v. Madison gave Supreme Court the power
  of judicial review.
• Judicial Review is the Supreme Courts power to
  interpret laws or actions as unconstitutional.

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XIV. Article Four Interstate Relations

• Explains
• State powers
• Based upon the idea of federalism
• Admission of New States
• Relationships between states
• Full Faith Credit
• Privileges Immunities

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XV. Article Five Amendment Process

• Explains ways in which Constitution can be
  changed!
• Corrected issues with Articles of Confederation.
• Reason why our Constitution still worksit can be
  changed to relate with the times!
• Constitution can be amending in two ways
• Formally Adding or taking away ideas in
  Constitution (17 times).
• Informally Interpretation (Supreme Court)
• Outlines formal process
• Proposed by the Congress, approved by the state
  legislatures!

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XVI. Article Six National Supremacy

• Federal law is Supreme over any other law.
• Establishes power of national government.
• States must comply to federal law.
• Corrected issues of Articles of Confederation.
• Shifted power to federal government.

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XVII. Article Seven Ratification

• Ratification means approval.
• Constitution did not go into affect until 9 of
  the 13 states approved of its organization of
  government.
• All states eventually ratified Constitution.
• 1791 George Washington appointed as 1st
  president of the new government.

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XVIII. Equality Issues

• Equal Representation
• Virginia Plan (based on population)
• New Jersey Plan (equal representation)
• Great Compromise (bicameral legislature)
• Did this make representation equal?
• Slavery
• 3/5 compromise
• Table slave trade issue
• Political Equality
• Universal manhood v. property qualifications

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XIV. Economic Issues

• National Currency
• Unify states
• Pay off war debt
• Economic powers vested in Congress
• Forbidden to tax exports
• Tax

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XX. Great Silences of Constitution

• Slavery
• Scope of national powers
• Judicial Review
• Role of political parties, bureaucracy,
  congressional committees.
• Post Offices, Interstate highways, right to
  abortion.