UnitedStatesConstitution101Constitution 101:AnIntroduction&OverviewtotheUSConstitution

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WhatistheUSConstitution?

• ThesupremelawoftheUnitedStates.

• ItisthefoundationandsourceofthelegalauthorityunderlyingtheexistenceoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaandtheFederalGovernment oftheUnitedStates.

• ItprovidestheframeworkfortheorganizationoftheUnitedStatesGovernment.

WhatarethebasicprinciplesoftheConstitution?

• PopularSovereignty– Governmentpowerresidesin

thepeople• Limitedgovernment

– Governmentisnotallpowerful,canonlydowhatthepeopleletit.

• SeparationofPowers– Helpspreventonebranchfrom

becomingtoopowerful– ChecksandBalances

• Federalism– Divisionofpoweramong

nationalandstategovernments

WhataretheChecksandBalances?

WhoWroteIt?

• JamesMadisonisconsidered“thefatheroftheConstitution.”

• Hisimportantcontributions:– TheVirginiaPlan– SeparationofPowers– BillofRights

Whywasitwritten?

• AftertheRevolutionaryWar,theArticlesofConfederation setupthestructureoftheUSGovernment.

• Thefederalgovernmentwasextremelyweakandthiscreatedmanyproblemssuchas:1. Noseparationofpowers– onlyunicameral

legislature.2. Weakcentralgovernment– stateshadmostpower.3. Congressdidnothavethepowertotax– thismeans

theycouldnotgettheirfinancesinorder.

Whywasitwritten?

• MoreproblemswiththeArticlesofConfederation:4. InordertochangetheArticles,allthirteenstateshadto

approveofthechanges.Thismadeitessentiallyimpossibletomakeanychanges.

5. Foranymajorlawstopasstheyhadtobeapprovedby9orthe13stateswhichwasdifficult.

6. Congressdidnothavethepowertoregulatecommercewhichcausedcompetitionbetweenstates.Italsocauseddiplomaticissueswhenstatesrefusedtopayforgoodstheirreceivedfromothernations.

Whywasitwritten?

• Shays’Rebellion:– AnuprisingoffarmersinMassachusetts– ledbyDanielShays.

– Helpedconvinceleadersthatastrongcentralgovernmentwasneeded.

"AsceneatSpringfield,duringShay'sRebellion,whenthemobattemptedtopreventtheholdingoftheCourtsof

Justice."—E.BenjaminAndrews,1895

Whenwasitwritten?

• May25th toSeptember17th,1787• Philadelphia• IntentionwastoreviseArticlesofConfederation• EndedupreplacingtheArticles andcreatinganewgovernment

• Calledthe“ConstitutionalConvention.”

WhatweretheimportantoutcomesoftheConstitutionalConvention

• VirginiaPlan:– Separationofpowers– Bicamerallegislaturebasedonpopulation

– Federalgovernmenthadincreasedpowers

• NewJerseyPlan:– Unicamerallegislaturewhereeverystatereceivedequalrepresentation.

• GreatCompromise:– HybridofVAandNJPlans:• Bicamerallegislature:

– HouseofRepsbasedonpopulation

– Senatebaseduponequalrepresentation

– Three-Fifth’sClause:• Slavescountas3/5’sofapersonforrepresentationpurposes.

RatificationDebate

• Needed9of13statestoratifyorofficialapproveoftheConstitutionbeforeitwentintoeffect.

• Ahugedebateemergedbetweentwosides:– Federalists– Anti-Federalists

Federalistsv.Anti-Federalists• Federalists:– SupportedtheConstitutionandastrongcentralgovernment

– AlexanderHamilton,JamesMadison,JohnJay

– FederalistPapers–seriesofarticleswrittenindefenseoftheConstitution

• Anti-Federalists:– Supportedaweakercentralgovernment–felttoomuchpowerwastakenawayfromthestates

– OpposedtheConstitution

– WantedaBillofRightsincluded

– SamuelAdams,PatrickHenry

Ratification

• OfficiallyadoptedafterratifiedbyNewHampshire.

• Oncethenewgovernmentconvened,theyaddedaBillofRightstotheConstitution.

StructureoftheConstitution• Preamble:

– Statementofpurpose• Articles:

– I:LegislativeBranch– II:ExecutiveBranch– III:JudicialBranch– IV:RelationsAmongthe

States– V:AmendmentProcess– VI:FederalPower– VII:Ratification

• Amendments:– 27Total– 1st tenaretheBillofRights

ArticleI:LegislativeBranch

• Bicameral:– Senate

• 2Senatorsforeachstate

– HouseofRepresentatives• Basedonpopulation

• Repsservefor2yearterms

• Senatorsservefor6yearterms

• ImportantPowers:– Makelaws– Settaxes– Declarewar– OverrideVetoes– Borrowmoney– Regulateinternationalandnationaltrade

– Printmoney

ArticleII:ExecutiveBranch

• PresidentandVicePresidentareelectedto4yearterms

• Qualifications:– Atleast35yearsold– 14yearresidentoftheUS

– Naturalborncitizen

• ElectedbytheElectoralCollege

• Importantpowers:– Commander-in-Chief– Grantpardons– Maketreaties– Appointfederalofficers– Ensurelawsareexecuted

ArticleIII:JudicialBranch

• SupremeCourtjudgesserveforlifeunlessimpeached.

• JudicialpowerrestswithUSSupremeCourtandothercourtscreatedbyCongress

• ImportantPowers:– DecidescasesofConstitutionallawandfederallaw

– CasesinvolvingambassadorsgostraighttoSupremeCourt

– JudicialReviewcomeslater(1803–Marburyv.Madison)

OtherImportantArticles:

• ArticleV:Amendments:– Amendmentsareproposed

when2/3ofHouseandSenatedeemitnecessary

– Amendmentsareproposedwhen2/3ofstatesdeemitnecessary

– Amendmentsmustberatifiedby¾ofstatelegislaturesorbyconventionsin¾ofstates

• ArticleVI:FederalPower– SupremacyClause:Federal

lawissupremetostatelaw– Noreligioustestsforpublic

office

ImportantAmendments:BillofRights

1. Freedomofreligion,ofspeech,ofthepress,toassemble,andtopetition

2. Righttobeararms3. Noquarteringofsoldiers4. Nounreasonablesearchand

seizure5. Indictments;Dueprocess;

Self-incrimination;Doublejeopardy,andrulesforEminentDomain.

6. Righttoafairandspeedypublictrial,Noticeofaccusations,Confrontingone'saccuser,Subpoenas,Righttocounsel

7. Righttotrialbyjuryincivilcases

8. Noexcessivebail&finesorcruel&unusualpunishment

9. ThereareotherrightsnotwrittenintheConstitution

10. AllrightsnotgiventoFederalGovernmentbelongtostatesandpeople.

OtherImportantAmendments:ReconstructionAmendments

• 13th Amendment– abolishedslavery

• 14th Amendment– Dueprocessandequalprotectionunderthelaw– AllpersonsborninUSarecitizens

• 15th Amendment– Righttovoteregardlessofrace,color,orpreviousservitude

OtherImportantAmendments:• 18thAmendment

– Prohibitionofalcohol• 19th Amendment:

– Women’ssuffrage• 21st Amendment:

– Repealsprohibition• 22nd Amendment:

– Presidentialtermlimits• 24th Amendment:

– Prohibitspolltaxesforvoting• 26th Amendment:

– lowersvotingageto18