Chapter 2-Origins of American Government

The Federalists, composed of many of the Founders, supported the Constitution. They claimed that only a strong national government could protect the nation from enemies abroad and solve the country's internal problems. They also pointed out that eight states already had bills of rights. The dissenters, known as Anti-Federalists, had many problems with the Constitution. They feared a strong national government, they criticized the Constitution for having been drafted in secret, they claimed the document was extralegal (not sanctioned by law) because Congress authorized the Convention only to revise the Articles of Confederation and not to form a new government, and they argued that the Constitution took important powers from the states. The strongest argument, however, was that the Constitution contained no bill of rights.

How did supporters and opponents of the Constitution argue for and against its adoption?

Recommended Answer The colonists were reluctant to give the new government too much power after their experiences under British rule.

How did the Articles of Confederation reflect colonists' experiences with government?

The delegates did nothing on the subject of abolishing slavery. They instituted the Three-Fifths Compromise, which said that for purposes of taxes and representation, enslaved people were considered three-fifths of a person.The Northern states wanted the federal government to have complete control over trade with other nations, but the South feared that would interfere with the slave trade. They compromised by giving Congress the power to regulate both interstate commerce and commerce with foreign countries and Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808.

How did the Constitutional Convention deal with slavery, one of the most divisive issues of the period?

The Connecticut Compromise satisfied both the smaller and larger states. It created a House of Representatives, which would be based on each state's population and favor the larger states, and a Senate with two members from each state, which would protect the smaller states. Delegates compromised on how to elect the president by settling on the Electoral College system, still in use today. The president's four-year term was also a compromise, due to those who feared a longer term may give the president too much power.

How did the Constitutional Convention reflect compromises between the states' competing interests?

Democratic ideals were incorporated by written constitutions, such as the Mayflower Compact for residents of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Colonists in Connecticut drew up America's first formal constitution, which came to be known as a charter. Colonial legislatures were adopted as well. Eventually, other colonies began to draw up their own charters and legislatures in order to incorporate democratic ideals.

How were democratic ideals incorporated into colonial governments?

The complaints of the colonists were that Great Britain levied unfair taxes against them, held standing armies in times of peace without the consent of the colonies' legislature, deprived colonists in many cases to a trial by jury, and suspended the legislature of the colonies. They wanted guaranteed the freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They wanted the freedom to institute their own governments, where the government derived its just powers from the consent of the governed.

What complaints did the colonists list in the Declaration of Independence, and what freedoms did they want guaranteed?

Great Britain levied unfair taxes against the colonists, held standing armies in times of peace without the consent of the colonies' legislature, deprived colonists in many cases to a trial by jury, and suspended colonial legislatures. The colonies had tried repeatedly to address these concerns in a humble manner and were met with repeated injury. For these reasons, they felt justified in declaring independence from Great Britain.

What conditions prompted the American colonists to declare independence from Britain?

Shays's Rebellion frightened American leaders, who saw it as a sign that the government was vulnerable to anarchy. A few months after Shays's Rebellion, the delegates called for a convention in Philadelphia, where they decided to eliminate the Articles of Confederation and replace them with a new guiding document, the Constitution.

What events led to the dismantling of the Articles of Confederation and the call for a Constitutional Convention?

The weaknesses were that it was difficult to get laws passed, there was no national court system, and the country looked weak, as it had no standing army or power to regulate trade. The strengths were that it signed a peace treaty with Britain and passed important laws such as the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of our nation's first government?

The passing of the English Bill of Rights, the signing of the Magna Carta by the king, and the philosophies of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and William Blackstone, all contributed significantly to the colonists' ideas about government.

Which historical events, documents, and philosophers influenced American colonists' ideas about government?