Transcript Constitution Notes - Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

The American
Constitution
Constitution Test 10/24/2014
Republic
• Republic: A government in which citizens rule through elected
representatives
• Monarchy: A government in which….
Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation
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States had too much power
Congress was too weak
No national army/navy
Only white people count (pop.)
President only has 1 year term
Executive is WEAK
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9/13 need to agree
No federal court system
NOT united
“Confederacy”
(Pg. 140) Big Question: Why was the Constitution drafted?
• Topic: Why did Nationalists want to strengthen the government?
• Sub-Topic: Call for Convention
• VIP: Only 5 states went to the first convention
• VIP: Shay’s Rebellion convinced more states to attend
• Sub-Topic: Convention Highlights
• VIP: Held in Philly in 1787
• VIP: 55 delegates—well educated men
Groups for textbook VIPs (Pg. 142-144)
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#1: Big States Versus Small States
#2: Slavery-Related Issues
#3: Division of Powers
#4: Separation of Powers
#5: Creating the Constitution
Textbook Review
Big States vs. Small States
• Delegates from the small states
objected to the Virginia Plan
because it gave more power to
states with large populations
• Great Compromise offered a 2-
house Congress to satisfy both big
and small states
Textbook Review
Slavery and Related Issues
• Questions about whether slaves are
counted as people
• 3/5 Compromise: slaves count as
3/5 of a person
• A division between North & South
Textbook Review
Division of Powers
• Federalism divided power between
national government and state
governments
• Powers that control foreign affairs,
national defense, regulating trade, and
money national gov’t
• Power to control education, marry people,
and trade within the state state gov’t
Textbook Review
Separation of Powers
• Created 3 branches: Legislative,
Executive, and Judicial
• Established a system of checks and
balances to prevent one branch from
dominating the others
• Delegates in Congress protected the
rights of the states
Textbook Review
Creating the Constitution
• Delegates provided a means to change
the Constitution: amendment process
• GW was uncertain about the
Constitution
• They sent the final draft to Congress
for approval
8th Period
Textbook Review
Big States vs. Small States
• Madison’s Virginia Plan favored large
states (representation based on
population)
• The New Jersey Plan favored small
states (equal representation regardless
of population)
• Great Compromise made a bicameral
legislature
Textbook Review
Slavery Related Issues
• Representation based on
population raised the question—are
slaves counted as people?
• 3/5 Compromise said 3/5 of slaves
would be counted
Textbook Review
Division of Powers
• Federalism: political system that
divided power between national
government and state government
• National Government: Foreign affairs,
money, trade
• State Government: Trade within state,
education, marriages, LOCAL issues
Separation of Powers
• Made the 3 branches of government:
Executive, Legislative, Judicial
• Checks and balances—so one branch
can’t dominate
• Electoral college would decide
elections
Creating the Constitution
• 4 months of debate
• GW didn’t think it would last
• Constitution sent to Congress for
approval (ratification)
Problems of Population
• 1. What problems will population differences cause in the new government?
• 2. Why does the slave population matter in terms of the new government?
• What was the 3/5 Compromise? How did it help to solve the issue of determining
state population?
• 3. What was the Great Compromise? How did the Great Compromise help to solve
the issue of different populations in states?
Population
• Population different levels of representation *voting* in Congress
• PROBLEM: need to settle the NJ vs. VA Plan debate for representation
• SOLUTION: Great Compromise *BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE*
• PROBLEM: slaves didn’t count as people, but Southern states had many slaves
• SOLUTION: 3/5 Compromise *3/5 of slaves count toward population*
Homework: Read and complete the VIP outline
process for pages 145-146
• Big Question: What were the main issues Americans debated about the proposed
Constitution
• Topic: Who were the federalists and antifederalists?
• Sub-Topic: Controversies over the Constitution
• VIP
• Sub-Topic: The Opposing Forces
• VIP
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: Use your notes
to answer the following questions
• 1. What does ‘ratification’ mean?
• 2. Who were the Federalists? What did they believe?
• 3. Who were the Anti-Federalists? What did they believe?
• 4. Who wrote the Federalist Papers? What did the papers say?
Bill of Rights (Pg. 147)
• Why was this necessary for ratification?
• Bill of Rights: formal statement of the rights of the people
• This allowed anti-federalists and federalists to agree to ratify (approve) the
new Constitution
The Legislative Branch
• Turn to Page 154-155
• Read the Sections ARTICLE 1 to answer the questions in the packet
• ARTICLE 1 is about the LEGISLATURE
#21: Bill vs. Law
• Bill is a draft/proposal
• Law is made official
#22: Veto Power
• Executive check on the legislature
#23: Steps to make a bill into a law
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Overview:
Bill arises in Congress
Both houses of Congress discuss/debate
Both houses agree on one draft
Both houses send the one draft to the President
President approves or vetoes
#24: Sections 8-9 of Article 1
• The Elastic Clause: (clause 18) “necessary and proper”
• Declaration of War: Congressional power
• Habeas Corpus: “you have the body”—you can’t be arrested or jailed
without reason; you can appear in court to plead your case
• Ex Post Facto law: after the fact
Constitution Review Sessions
• Wednesday in 317 (Mr. Bouchard)
• Thursday in 318 (Ms. Cantacessi)