What is government?
is the institutions and individuals that make up society's rules and have the power and authority to enforce the rules.
Government has 3 essential purposes, what are they?
1.Resolve Conflicts,2.Provide,3.Defend the nation and its culture against attacks from other natuons
Undemocratic systems
autocracy-Monarchy-dictatorship
Democratic Systems
1. Athenian - direct democracy2.Representative democracy
Other forms of government
1. Plutocracy - govern by the wealthy2. Theocracy - rule by deity
Order of Connecticut
Required laws made by an assembly of elected representatives from each town. Provided fro popular election of governor and judges
Colonial Legislatures
1. provided governance locally2.provided political experience to colonist
Why did the colonists choose to revolt against England and declare independence?
1. Seven Years War - French and Indian War2. Stamp Act of 1765First direct tax on the ColonistsRequire the use of specially embossed paper for all legal document, newspapers and other itemsGenerated strong resentment: James Otis, Jr. - "No taxation without representation"Stamp act Congress 1765Nine delegates sent to New York to prepare a declaration of rights to send to King GeorgeFirst time colonies joined together to oppose British rule
Continental congresses (1st)
First continental congressSeptember 5, 1774 - Carpenter's Hall in PhiladelphiaAll thirteen colonies were represented except GeorgiaDecided to send grievances to King GeorgeDecided to continue the boycott - urged the formation of committees of "safety" or "observation"British response:condemned the action as open acts of rebellionResponded with stricter more repressive measuresApril 19, 1775 - British soldiers fought colonial citizen soldiers in the first battles of the American Revolution
Continental Congress (2nd)
Less than one month after British reaction to grievances (c. May, 1775) All thirteen colonies were represented, including GeorgiaDeclared that militiamen gathered in Boston were a full armyNamed delegate George Washington commander in chiefThe intention was to reach peaceful agreement with Britain
Thomas Paine
Common SenseAmerica could survive economically without British tiesAssociation with the British was no longer neededSevered the final emotional barrier to independence
Republicanism
antiroyalistHigh antiroyalist sentiment = strong support for a RepublicPrevalence of representative governing legislatures without the presence of an executiveMen of "property and standing
Confederation
Voluntary Association of independent states
Articles of Confederation
The nation first constitution
Articles of Confederation (powers)
Northwest OrdinanceSettled states' claims to western landsEstablished pattern for governing new territories 1783 peace treatyGranted United States territory from Atlantic to Mississippi and Great Lakes and Canada to Northern Florida
Articles of Confederation (weakness)
No power to enforce its own lawsPassing laws was difficult - nine states needed to approve
Crises in the 1780s
Shay's RebellionAnnapolis meeting
Annapolis meeting
Purpose: consider extending national authority to commerceFive of thirteen states sent delegatesOutcome: proposed that the states hold a convention in Philadelphia the next yearPhiladelphia meeting became the Constitutional Convention
Shays' Rebellion
Fueled by dissatisfaction of indebted farmers of western MassachusettsLead by Daniel ShaysSeized courthouses and disrupted debtors' trialsAttacked National Government's arsenal
The Constitution
Virgina PlanNew Jersey PlanCompromisesEstablishment of Executive and JudiciaryFinal Draft and Ratificatiion
Virgina Plan
Proposed new nation government under a constitution Required:o Bicameral legislatureo National executive brancho National court system
New Jersey Plan
Favored smaller states Congress would be able to regulate trade and impose taxes Acts of Congress - supreme law of the land Each state had one vote Required executive office with more than one person elected by Congress Executive office would appoint a national supreme court
Compromises
1. The Great Compromise2. Three-fifths Compromise3. Slave importation4. Banning Export taxes
Establishment of Executive and Judiciary
1. The Executive is outlined in Article 2 of the Constitution2. The Judiciary is outlined in Article 3 of the Constitution
Federalist Paper
Protect minority Rights
Antifeds Paper
Written by elite so there would lead to aristocratic tyrannyargue for bill of rights
Major Principles of Governent
Limit governmentPrincple FreedomSeperation of PowersCheck and Balances
Federalist Alternatives
Unitary SystemConfederal Systems
Powers delegated to the nation government
1. Expressed powers2. implied powers3. Inherent powers4. Federal Land
Powers prohibited to the National Government
Deny Habeas Corpus - can't be arrested and taking away without defending yourselfPass Ex-post Facto Laws - worries about freedom of speech.Direct Tax Except for what is directed by the 16th amendment- They can't decide to put direct tax on an item without a reason. Tax exports - it's in the constitution Grant Title of Nobility - we want to move away from the monarchy system
Powers of the States - police powers
Regulate commerce within boardersEnact laws necessary to protect health, safety, welfare, and morals of people
Interstate relations
Tax goods transported across state lines Entering into treaties with other countries
Concurrent powers
Full Faith and Credit Clause Interstate compacts
Supremacy Clause
Article VI, Clause 2: constitution and federal laws are superior to all conflicting state and local laws
Two significant court decisions
1. McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819)2. Gibbons vs. Ogden (1824)
McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819)
#NAME?
Gibbons vs. Ogden (1824)
#NAME?
Cooperative federalism - state and federal work together
- Great Depression and "New Deal"- "Great Society" - many programs- Commerce clause and cooperative federalism- Federal preemption and cooperative federalism
Line between Federal and State authority
#NAME?
Fiscal side of federalism
#NAME?