How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government?

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.

Constitutional Conventionof 1787Shay’s Rebellion

(1786) caused the framers to believe that the Articles of Confederation were ineffective & needed to be replacedDelegates gathered in Philadelphia, PA (1787) to write a new ConstitutionJames Madison he is known as the “Father of the Constitution.”

Conflict at the Constitutional Convention

Delegates disagreed on THREE key issues: – Representation– Slavery– Trade

Conflict @ the Convention:Representation in the new

Congress Big States vs. Small States Virginia Plan– Representation based

upon a states population (favored more populated states)

New Jersey Plan– Each state had equal

votes– Wanted a multi-person

executive branch

Compromise: Representation

The Great (Connecticut) Compromise– Settled the representation conflict– Delegates created a 2 house (bicameral) legislature

One house based upon population (House of Reps)A second house based upon equal votes per state (the United States Senate)

Conflict: The Slavery Issue

Southern states supported slavery– Wanted slaves to

count for representation, but not for taxation

Northern states – wanted slaves to count

for taxation, not representation

Compromise: The Slavery Issue

The Three-Fifths Compromise: settles the Slavery Issue–3 out of 5 (60%) slaves would be

counted for both representation and taxation

DEBATE ON RATIFICATIONFederalists argue for a strong federal system to replace the Articles of Confederation (Madison/Hamilton/Jay)Anti-federalists believe that the new constitution would be too strong and crush the Peoples rights (Henry & S. Adams)

Compromise: Federalists vs. Anti-federalists

Federalists agree to add a Bill of Rights to the new Constitution in 1791The Addition of the BOR allowed Anti-Feds to agree to ratify the new ConstitutionThe Constitution was ratified in 1789 (9/13 agreed)

The 1st Chief Executive George Washington was chosen to be the first President The BOR, System of Checks & Balances/Written Constitution all help create Limited Government Electing officials to act as Representatives creates Representative Government

The U.S. Constitution The New Constitution: allowed for a separate executive branch (the President), a separate judicial branch (the Supreme Court), and a two-house legislative branch (the Congress).

The Federal System/Division of Power

Power was divided between State governments and the Federal Government (Article IV = Full Faith and Credit Clause;VI= Supremacy Clause

Federal Powers:• Armed Forces• Coining money• Regulated

trade• Making treaties

Powers RESERVED for states:• Health & Safety

matters• Marriage/divorce

laws• Business

regulation• Licensing of

professions

Both State & Federal:• Building roads• Borrowing

money• Collecting taxes• Operating

courts

Breakdown of the ConstitutionPreamble – States Purpose of the DocumentArticle I – The Legislative Branch (Senate and House of Representatives – Qualifications and Powers of)Article II – The Executive Branch (President and Vice President, Qualifications, Powers, Duties, Impeachment of) Article III –The Judicial Branch (Supreme Court and Lower Courts, Jurisdiction, and Treason Defined)Article IV –Relations Among States (Full Faith and Credit, New States Admitted Article V - The Amendment Process (Changing the Constitution)Article VI –National Debts, Supremacy Clause, Oaths of OfficeArticle VII- Process for Ratification (How it was adopted)

Basic Principles of the ConstitutionPopular Sovereignty – Power is derived from the people (voting)Limited Government – The only powers the government has is what the Constitution gives it. No one person or branch is all-powerful.Federalism – The federal, state, and local governments all share the power to govern. The federal government is supreme!Separation of Powers – Three branches of government: Legislative (Makes Laws), Executive (Enforces Laws), and Judicial (Interprets Laws)Checks and Balances – Each branch can limit the power of or check the other two (Veto Power, Power of Appointment (Cabinet Positions, Justices, etc.), Impeachment, Judicial Review, Pardon Power, etc.)Republican Government – Citizens elect representatives (legislators) to make laws for them.Individual Rights – The Constitution and Bill of Rights protect citizens’ basic or Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, and Property).Amendment Process – The Constitution can be changed if necessary. To date this has only happened 27 times. The last Amendment was ratified in 1992.

Federalism Tic-Tac-Toe!National

Executive

President of U.S.

Legislative

Senate & H of R

Judicial

Supreme Court

State

Governor State Legislature State Supreme Court

Local

Mayor/ Judge Executive

City Council/ County Commissioner

Local and Circuit Courts

Exit Slip – Basic Principles of the Constitution

1. When the President refuses to sign a bill passed by Congress into law he used which check and balance?A. Cloture B. Filibuster C. Impeachment D. Veto

2. The power of the Supreme Court to decide the constitutionality of federal law is calledA. Jurisdiction B. Judicial Review C. trial by jury D. Appointment

3. Which house of Congress has the power to approve Presidential appointments?A. House of Representatives B. Senate C. Run’s House

4. Which house has the sole power of impeachment? A. House of Representatives B. Senate C. White House

15th Amendment--gave voting rights to freed slaves after the civil war.

19th Amendment--gave women the right to vote.

Example: The Necessary & Proper clause has been used to regulate industries that were unseen in 1789:

auto industry, telecommunications, airline safety ECT...

Brown v Board of Ed. allowing for the desegregation of schools

The Unwritten Constitution

The Unwritten Constitution refers to traditions that have become part of our political system.

The Unwritten Constitution-Political Parties are not written into

the Constitution-The Primary responsibility for political parties is to nominate

candidates for office-George Washington warned against

the formation of political parties.

The Unwritten Constitution

President Washington appointed Cabinet members to help him run the government.All presidents have followed this traditionThe presidential cabinet is NOT written in the Constitution

Unwritten Constitution

President Washington served 2 terms and retiredThe 2 term tradition became part of the Unwritten ConstitutionFDR broke with tradition, 2 terms has since been written into the Constitution through the amendment process (22nd Amendment).

How did the U.S. Constitution Strengthen the U.S.

Government?It created a strong national/federal government that allowed the new

nation to function as one independent country, created a three branch

government (which included a Chief Executive) & preserved the Enlightenment principles of

representative government & limited government