Our Constitution | September 17, 1787

Virginia Plan (Successful)

"a proposal for a new form of government and called for the number of votes each state received in Congress to be based on population, rather than each state receiving one vote."

PURPOSES OF CONSTITUTION LISTED IN PREAMBLE

1. Form a more perfect union 2. Establish justice 3. Ensure domestic tranquility 4. Provide for the common defense 5. Promote the general welfare 6. Secure the blessings of liberty

Federlist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

Why didn't the government supply enough food and equipment to the Continental Army?

Congress did not have the power to raise taxes to pay for them.

Legislative Branch Powers

Declares war Propose amendments for state ratification Make a vetoed bill a law Impeach officials Approve judges

Confederation Congress accomplishments

It negotiated a good treaty with Britain at the end of the Revolution. It managed to wage a successful war for independence against Britain. It established an orderly process to create new states.

Who proposed the system of checks and balances that was included in the U.S. Constitution?

James Madison

Three branches of government

Legislative, Executive, Judicial

Legislative Branch

Makes laws

orderly procedure for having the western territories become states.

Northwest Ordinance

Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution

On September 17, *1787,* after weeks of thinking, arguing, and writing, delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution—the document that provides the framework for our nation's government.

Bill of Rights, 1791

The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists

Executive Branch Powers

Veto a bill Appoint judges Carry out laws Sign a bill into law

Preamble to the Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Constitution established a republic

a form of government in which people elect representatives to govern the country

Federalist No. 51 says, "In forming a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." What is James Madison recommending here?

a system of checks and balances

Federalism

a system of government in which power is shared by a central government and regional, or state, governments.

3/5ths Compromise

agreement providing that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of other persons in determining representation in Congress

Checks and Balances

allows once brach to check, or limit, the power of another branch to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Who might have said, it is "really astonishing that the same people who have just emerged from a long and cruel war in defense of liberty, should agree to fix an elective despotism upon themselves and posterity!"

an Anti-Federalist

Executive Branch

enforces the laws (President, Vice President, Cabinet)

The ideas James Madison presented in his Virginia Plan became the basis for the new

federal government.

Where did nearly all of the state constitutions written in the late 1770s place most of the power?

in the legislatures

What does "ensure domestic tranquility" mean?

maintain order to ensure peace on home soil

The experience the states had gained when they wrote their own constitutions was very helpful when the Second Continental Congress decided to write the

national constitution

Amendment Process

step 1: amendment proposed by 2/3 vote of both houses of congress OR a constitutional convention called by congress on petition of 2/3 out of 50 states. step 2: amendment ratified by 3/4 of the 50 state legislatures OR 3/4 of special constitutional conventions called by 50 states step 3: the new amendment!

Great Compromise

1787; This compromise was between the large and small states of the colonies. The Great Compromise resolved that there would be *representation by population in the House of Representatives,* and *equal representation would exist in the Senate. Each state, regardless of size, would have 2 senators.* All tax bills and revenues would originate in the House. This compromise combined the needs of both large and small states and formed a fair and sensible resolution to their problems.

Constitutional Convention Facts

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution The highly educated delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 reached compromises on the thorny issues of representation and slavery.

First U.S. Government

Articles of Confederation

When did Americans realize the Articels of Confederation were too weak?

As the economic situation deteriorated, more and more Americans realized they needed a stronger central government that could negotiate trade agreements and put down popular uprisings such as Shays' Rebellion.

Judicial Branch

Branch of government that decides if laws are carried out fairly.

Houses of Congress

Senate and House of Representatives

Judicial Branch Powers

Settle disagreements about the law Declare laws unconstitutional Serve for life

Purpose of the Amendment Process

So that the Constitution could be a living, breathing document that could change as people and the world change.

longest-lived plan for representative government in history

The US Constitution

Why did the states place so much power in the hands of the popularly elected legislatures?

They viewed powerful executives as enemies of liberty.

Why did several influential leaders call for a convention of states in 1787?

The nation faced serious economic and political problems.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

checks and balances example

the Executive Branch can veto bills from the Legislative Branch, but the Legislative Branch can override the veto.

Examples of individual rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

the right to trial by jury the right to fair questioning by police freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

What was the result in govt of the Americans distrust in central authority ?

they established a very weak central government that lacked the authority to raise taxes, negotiate international trade agreements, or settle disputes between the states.