CHAPTER 7 CREATING A GOVERNMENT The Constitution set out our rules for government. It explains what our government can and cannot do. It reflects are experience as a colony as well as ideas from Europe and the Iroquois. It is a complicated subject but one, which influences your life today, and forever. I. State Governments A. constitutions 1. sets out laws and principles of the government 2. Why written constitutions? a. clearly spell out the rights of citizens b. limit the power of government B. What was government like? 1. elected legislature (lawmaking body) 2. governor (except Pennsylvania) a. executed laws (carried them out) C. Bill of Rights 1. many states had a. lists freedoms government has to protect D. voting rights 1. citizen 2. male 3. 21 4. own property or pay taxes II. Articles of Confederation (1777-1787) A. afraid of a strong central government B. each state sent delegates to the Congress 1. each vote had 1 state in the Congress C. Powers of Congress 1. declare war 2. appoint military officers 3. coin money 4. foreign affairs D. states had final authority 1. limited the power of the national government E. Congress could 1. pass laws a. 9 out of 13 states had to approve 2. regulate trade 3. no taxation power a. had to ask states for money III. Conflict over Western lands A. many states claimed their western border extended to the
Mississippi River 1. eventually this land was given to the United States IV. Troubles with Articles of Confederation A. Vermont 1. claimed by Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire B. foreign countries taking advantage of the United States 1. Spain controlled New Orleans 2. England still had forts in the Ohio River Valley C. Federal government couldn t raise money 1. printed paper money a. worthless 2. little trust that government could pay debts 3. states printed their own money a. How much was each state s money worth? V. Northwest Territory A. North of Ohio River Valley, East of Mississippi B. Land Ordinance of 1785 1. divided land into townships 2. townships have 36 sections a. section contained 640 acres b. settlers could buy sections for $640 c. one section set aside for a school C. Northwest Ordinance (1787) 1. set up government for the Northwest Territory 2. outlawed slavery 3. region could be divided into separate territories 4. when reach 60,000 people, could ask Congress to become a state 5. new states would be equal to older states VI. VII. Shays Rebellion A. Congress couldn t solve farmers problems 1. farmers expanded during the Revolution 2. after the war, economic depression 3. farmers in debt 4. Massachusetts says it will take farms if taxes not paid B. Daniel Shays 1. led 1000 farmers 2. tried to get guns 3. Massachusetts militia ends the rebellion C. final proof that the Articles of Confederation are not working Constitutional Convention A. goal fix the Articles of Confederation
B. All states but Rhode Island attended C. Washington is named the President D. Famous people a. Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, etc. E. secrecy 1. wanted people to decide what was best for the United States, not their individual state F. decision to write a new Constitution instead of fixing the old one G. Virginia Plan 1. James Madison and Edmund Randolph 2. 3 branches of government 3. 2 house legislature a. according to population 4. South protested H. New Jersey Plan 1. William Paterson 2. 3 house legislature 3. unicameral legislature 4. 1 vote per state VIII. IX. The Great Compromise A. compromise each state gives up some sort of its demands to reach an agreement B. Roger Sherman 1. 2 house legislature 2. House of Representatives a. based upon population b. larger states have an advantage 3. Senate a. each state had 2 representatives and votes b. favored smaller states Slavery (Three-Fifths Compromise) A. South wanted slaves to count as people when determining Representation 1. South would get more members in the House of Representatives B. North wanted slaves to count as people when determining the amount a state would be taxed 1. the South would have to pay more taxes C. it was decided that slaves would count as 3/5ths of a person D. slave trade 1. Congress couldn t touch for 20 years (1807)
X. Principles of the Constitution A. republic nation which voters elect representatives to govern them B. Limited Power of Government 1. the government only could use the power given to it by the people C. Popular Sovereignty 1. the power to rule comes from the people 2. found in the Preamble which starts We the people D. Federalism 1. sharing of power between the states and the national government a. both the states and the national government can tax b. both the states and the national government have their own highway systems E. Separation of Powers 1. each of the 3 branches of government has its own powers 2. keeps any branch of government from getting too powerful 3. Legislative Branch (Congress) a. lawmaking body 1. regulates commerce 2. declare war 3. raise and support an army b. House of Representatives 1. serve 2 year terms c. Senate 1. serve 6 year terms 4. Executive Branch (President) a. serve 4 year terms b. Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces c. Foreign relations 5. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) a. determines if laws are fair F. Checks and Balances 1. each branch can control the others 2. Congress passes bills, President can veto 3. Congress makes laws, Supreme Court can declare unconstitutional 4. Impeach a. member of government can be removed for committing high crimes or treason
XI. XII. XIII. XIV. Electoral College A. votes for the President B. each state chooses electors C. number of electors is based upon a states population Preamble A. states the reasons the Constitution was written Ratifying the Constitution A. approving the Constitution and making it law B. Federalists 1. supported the Constitution 2. favored a strong central government 3. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay a. The Federalist Papers b. Defended the Constitution C. Anti-Federalists 1. opposed Constitution 2. afraid of a strong central government 3. President had too much power 4. needed Bill of Rights a. written list of protected freedoms b. freedom of speech, religion, etc c. right to due process rules must be followed in court 5. Patrick Henry D. Bill of Rights added 1. 9 states approved by June 1788 a. no New York or Virginia 1. large and important states 2. all states ratified by May 1790 3. Bill of Rights quickly amended to the Constitution a. amended means to add on How has the Constitution survived to today? A. very few specific laws 1. technology and changes have not made it obsolete B. Elastic clause 2. Congress can increase its power in times of crisis a. war, natural disaster b. temporary, when crisis is over, power goes to normal C. Checks and Balances keep any branch from getting too powerful D. Amendments
1. can change Constitution without rewriting 2. 27 amendments so far a. right of vote for women b. no more slavery 3. difficult to pass amendments