Political Beginnings

Early Beginnings• English Settlers

• Brought a knowledge of political systems

– Greece, Rome, Babylonia etc…

• Three specific ideas focused on by the Colonizers

• Ordered Government• Cultural Baggage – stuck with what

they knew• Must be order; to run efficient

respectable relationships• Created offices to govern

relationships– Sheriff, Coroner, Assessor, Justice of

the Peace, Townships

Early Beginning• Limited Government

• Government is not all powerful– Individuals have rights – inalienable rights

• Planted in colonists mind for centuries– Religious Freedom; English had to pay taxes to

support the Church of England• Repressive Press – English controlled the press

• Representative Government• Government serves the people; people have a

voice• 1200s End of Renaissance change of political

belief– Exploration of Physical World led to Greek & their

knowledge» Creators of Direct Democracy; people sat and

discussed changes to Gov’t– In 509 B.C. Romans created elected posts –create

law – Executive post –Caesar who worked with elected

senate to rule and govern the Empire• English people came to see Greek & Romans as

the true forums of Government– Prevent Tyranny in Government

Landmark Documents• Magna Carta

• 1100-1200 English Monarch expands powers

– Kings Establishes Courts– Royal appointed judges made law to

Kings approval– Placed taxes on the Nobility

• Nobility disliked the expanded powers– Took away traditional powers– 1215 Forced King protected Nobility

rights and Privileges– Created a Great Council (Parliament)

» King seeks Council approval first» King could not place taxes on

Nobility without consent» No free person imprisoned without

a jury trial

• Monumental Achievement– Monarchs power could be limited by

citizens

Landmark Documents

• English Bill of Rights• 1600s English Civil War; King vs

Parliament– Parliament forced out King James II– Selects Successor; places new King– Exchange for throne new king must

sign Bill of Rights» Monarchs could not make or

suspend law without consent» Needs approval to raise taxes &

maintain army» Monarch can not participate in

parliamentary elections» Monarch would protect freedom

of religion, rights to petition

Enlightenment 1600-1700s

• Natural Rights of Man– John Locke – Two Treatises on

Gov’t• Representative Government only

reasonable government– Government exists to serve the people– Government arises from a contract;

between ruler and ruled– A ruler has power only as long as he or

she has the consent of governed– Ruler cannot deny people their basic

rights (life, liberty, property)

Enlightenment 1600-1700s

• Jean Jacques Rousseau– Ideal society – Social Contract

• People/communities make contracts with each other

– Order and organize society; better relations

• People give up individual freedoms in favor of the whole

• People/community vote on all decisions

– Everyone lives by the communities decisions

Enlightenment 1600-1700s• Separation of Powers

– The Spirit of Laws• Practical suggestions for creating

government– Promoted a checks and balance

system of government– Promoted separation of powers

» Individuals in one branch of government do not hold power in another

– Best protection of the natural rights of citizens is through limits

– The best way to limit government is; through separation

• Guard against tyranny and oppression

Coming of Independence

• Habit of Self-Government• Colonies begin with different authorities

& powers– Colonies retained powers not shared by

the King (Power of Veto)» Colonial Governors held power of

absolute veto» Power to make courts, power to

remove officials, power to dismiss council/parliament

• Wielding prerogatives that King did not have

• Parliament Expands power• Elected officials; held power of purse;

power to initiate legislation• All this with out help or approval from

England

War for Empire• French & Indian War

• 1754 – English go to survey land west of Appalachians

– George Washington sent to warn French of building forts & battle ensure

– England begins to take notice of the conflict and calls for a delegation

• Albany Plan– Colonies meet to discuss a plan of

action & formulate week confederated gov’t (denied)

• War wages for 9 years– French & Indians vs British & Colonies– British & Prussia fighting, France,

Austria & Russia• 1763 War ends with Peace of Paris

treaty– British America took all of French

possessions in North America– American colonies share in victory

» Gain a new sense of importance in the empire

Heritage of Conflict• British face new problems

• How to manage new lands? How to pay new debt from war? What is the colonies parts in this?

– 1763 War breaks out in Ohio Valley; new settlers and Indian allies of the French

– All British settlers wiped out of Ohio Valley» British not prepared to deal with such conflict

with other issues to way.– 1763 Proclamation – all settlers forbidden beyond

Appalachians » No surveys, no land grants» Angered Colonists who wanted more land to

settle» Give England a chance to decided what to do

with new land• 1763 British Finances

– Large debt & loss of military man power• George Greenville (Lord of Treasury)

– Heavy tax burden at home – light burden in colonies

– American colonies obligated to assist in up keep of frontier

Greenville Policies• Problems in Colonies

• American customs services inefficient• Took a hard liners approach

– Evasion of taxes; bribery & corruption rampant» Set up coastal patrol to & prosecute

evasion of taxes– Sugar Act 1764

» Cut taxes in half on sugar; reduce smuggling of sugar

» New taxes on imports (textiles, wines, coffee, and indigo)

– Currency Act 1764» Colonies issued paper money to regulate

their economy» British creditors considered this

depreciated money & Parliament made paper money illegal tender

» Paper money value plummeted – money worth less

Greenville Policies• Stamp Act – 1765

• Stamps created to be placed on all printed material & legal documents

• Quartering Act – 1765• Colonies provide all supplies & barracks to British

troops

• Colonist reactions• “Loosed upon them the very engines of Tyranny”

– Sought the “lamp of experience” Traditions & Rights– Standing armies? There is no war!– Naval Courts? No direct trial by jury

» Burden of proof placed on defendant

• Parliament was out to usurp the power of purse!• Barrage of Protests, meetings, debates &

resolutions– “No taxation with out Representation”

• Mob reactions – sacking stamp houses & burning effigies

• Created colonial unity

Time of Action• Stamp Act Congress

• June 1765 – Massachusetts called for a general assembly

– Declaration of Rights & Grievances» A petition to King & Parliament;

repeal the stamp act » Parliament has no power to levy

(place) taxes; power of the people

• 1765 – 1772– Colonies unite; through councils, town

meetings, committees, organizations» Son’s of Liberty, Demonstrations

(Boston Tea Party, Wearing of home spun clothing)

• Coercive Acts / Intolerable Acts– 1774 Four acts (Quartering Act,

Impartial Act, Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Act)

– Imply Force; make an example of Boston for other colonies

First Continental Congress• Sept. 5, 1774

• Decide how to deal with British atrocities– 55 delegates sent to Philadelphia to debate – Functioned as a congress/

» Vote and create policies» Adopt resolutions of how to work

together to deal with British– Congress decided:

» Intolerable acts null & void» Boston must arm themselves» Boycott British goods» Decided (dominion theory) parliament

had not authority; colonies subject to crown only

– Wrote the King for relief from the atrocities

• King declares the colonies in rebellion• Calls for immediate action and blows to be

taken

Second Continental Congress• May 1775

– Second Congress convenes (war already started)

• No legal authority, no resources; assume command

– Elect generals– Allocated money for war budget

• Possible Compromise?– Created Olive Branch petition

» Refrain from hostilities; declared allegiance to the Monarch

» Olive branch failed to impress– Declaration of Causes & Necessity

» Just cause’s; fighting for rights» King declared colonies to be “open

and avowed enemies”• Congress further assumes command

– Negotiate peace treaties with Indians– Organizes a Post Office– Authorizes and builds a Navy

Independence 1776• June 1776

• Richard Henry Lee “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states”

• “We have no other alternative than independence…”

– Congress approves measures to break ties with England

» Thomas Jefferson drafts the document– July 2nd Declaration of Independence is

introduced» Adopted by Congress July 4, 1776

• Jefferson’s Declaration• Restatement of Locke’s theory on

government– “Gov’t powers derived from Consent of

people”– “Unalienable rights”– Appeal to the broader laws of Nature

Articles of Confederation• Continental Congress’s

• Meant to be temporary; but some kind of government needed– Delegates Fearful of abuse;

» Solution: create a weak government– 1777 Congress approved the Articles of Confederation

• Outline of AoC:– National government had no control over people in the states

» State laws were supreme to national law– National gov’t no power to levy taxes

» States asked for contributions– Each state had one vote in congress– 9 of 13 states needed for ratification of any action by congress

• The Central Government; given some power– Declare War; Conduct Foreign Affairs, Coin Money, Postal

System, Army of State Militia• Problems with AoC

– No power to tax – U.S. had 40 million in debt– State trade wars

» Massachusetts banned English goods; give new business a chance to establish

» Neighboring colonies imported goods and shipped them to Mass. (No gov’t to monitor the commerce)

» Mass. Retaliated by banning importation of good from other states

Articles of Confederation• Problems with AoC

• States printed own money– Printing press’s printed money to pay off debt

(huge sums)» Created inflation

• 1786 Shay’s Rebellion– Farmers/laborers/merchants attack Mass.

Courthouse– Burn documents of debt

» Elites controlled price wages and debt over the farmers/laborers

• Feb. 1787 Framing Constitution• Delegates sent to revise the articles of confederation• Virginia Plan proposed by Virginia Gov. Randolph

– Representation based on population (size)– Three branches of government– Bi-cameral legislature

» All power to make states obey and follow the government

– President, National Court System, & Supremacy over states

• Smaller states feared the plan – large states too much control

New Plans of Attack• New Jersey Plan

• Simple revision of AoC; keep basic principles (one state – one vote)

– Retain unicameral congress (all states represented)– Limited Congressional powers

» Only add – powers to tax & regulate trade– Executive branch with several executives– Main division – how representation in congress would be

handled • Connecticut Compromise (Roger Sherman)

– Government is about compromise (largest compromise)– *Keep all the Virginia plan has to offer

» Give concessions on basing representation in the House of Reps on population (Lower house of Legislature)

» Senate (Upper house) equal 2 senate basis» President chosen by electoral college

– The Compromise passed Congress by a narrow margin• Ratification of Constitution

– Special ratification conventions were held to pass constitution» General public never voted on the Constitution

– Many state legislatures ratified the constitution– Considered a social contract (John Locke)

» People give up freedoms to protect the common good (Tragedy of the Commons)

– According to the theory – government derives power from the people; people define the powers of government

Constitution• Contract of ruling elites?

• Shay’s rebellion – mass’s rise up against the elite

• Constitution is a fulfillment of elites taking control

– State legislatures ratified the Constitution; not the common people

– Constitution framed by politicians asserting power

» Motives of the framers hard to ascertain» Constitution is political compromise

(Connecticut Compromise)– The constitution is not just a holy document;

but it isn’t a hedonistic doc. Either» Constitution & framers must be examined

as is: » A document that traded, compromised,

and bargained to make a functional government

» Created out of necessity; less idealistic creation

• Many historians argue that popular vote would have stopped the ratification of constitution

Legacy of Constitution

• What are the legacies?• Representative Democracy

– Citizens vote for individuals – represent interests

• Created federalism – power shared among Nation, State, Local

• Separation of powers - powers divided between branches of government

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