THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BIRTH OF A NATION• Articles of Confederation

(confederal government) 1777

• Annapolis Convention (1786, trade)

• Shay’s Rebellion (1787)• Constitutional Convention

(1787)• Negotiation and Compromise• New Jersey and Virginia

plans• 3/5ths Compromise (tax. and

rep.)• The Great Compromise

(representation) • Federalist Papers (1787)

Hamilton, Madison and Jay• Ratification

GEORGE THE FIRST?Under the 1st and 2nd

Continental Congress(1774-81):

• Peyton Randolph• Henry Middleton• John Hancock• Henry Laurens• John Jay• Samuel Huntington• Thomas Mckean

Under the Articles of Confederation(1782-88)

• John Hanson• Elias Boudinot• Richard Henry Lee• Nathaniel Gorham• Arthur St. Clair• Cyrus Griffin

Under U.S. Constitution

• George Washington+(1789)

THE SMALL STATES BATTLE THE LARGE STATES

New Jersey Plan

• Equal votes from each state• Unicameral legislature• Some power to levy taxes,

regulate commerce• Executive-more than one, elected

by legislature, removed by state majority of governors

• National judiciary appointed by the president

• No power over states• Ratification by the states

Virginia Plan

• Popular representation• Bicameral legislature• Executive (including cabinet) size

undetermined, elected and removed by congress

• Judicial-life tenure, can override state laws, elected by legislature

• Ratification by citizens

THE ART OF COMPROMISE

• Virginia Plan: House representation based on population favoring the _______ states. Strong national government, single executive and a judiciary (James Madison).

• New Jersey Plan: Representation equally allocated to each state favoring the ________ states. Weak national government, multiple executives and a supreme court. Retained the Articles of Confederation (William Patterson).

• Connecticut Plan (Great Compromise): ????????

• 3/5th’s Compromise: for the purposes of taxation and house representation, slaves would be counted as 3/5th’s of a person. No slave importation after 1807. (note: slaves comprised 3/5’s of the southern population)

• Signed on September 17, 1787 (Constitution Day)

THE CONSTITUTION….

• What is it?

• What is it used for?

• Who developed it?

• What was the first?

U.S. CONSTITUTION

a framework….

THE UNFOLDING…•Magna Carta (1215) compelling King John of England to agree to some governmental restrictions and subjects’ rights.

•Mayflower Compact (1620) Mayflower pilgrims agree to a set of laws governing behavior for the “good of the people”.

•The Colonial Charters (1624-1732) various colonial constitutions

•Declaration of Independence (1776)

•Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)

•The Constitution (1788)

•

PREAMBLE

• 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.

CONSTITUTION

• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

• Adoption (1788)• Bill of Rights (1791)• Articles I, II, III• Legislative, Executive

and Judicial branches• Balance of power and

checks and balances

ARTICLES IV-VII

• IV: States’ rights between states

• V: Amendability

• VI: Supreme law of the land

• VII: Ratification (9 of 13)

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

Note: 21st amendment repealed the 18 th with congressional and state conventions’ approval .

h.

RATIFICATION

ORDER OF RATIFICATION

BALANCE OF POWER

• Shared government

• Checks and balances

BILL OF RIGHTS

• Amendments 1-10

• Civil Liberties

CHECKS & BALANCES

OTHER CHANGES…………

• ERA• Continuity of

Congress• Abortion• Marriage• Presidential

qualification• Marital definition

CONGRESS

• Article I the legislative branch

• Sections 1-10

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• Article II the presidency

• Sections 1-4

THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

• Article III the Supreme Court

• Sections 1-3