wanted—a “just right” governmentpknock.com/just right govt_1.pdf · 1 (virginia was a large...

WANTED:

A “Just Right” Government

Wanted: A government that…

much

• Has enough ________ to do its job

• Doesn’t give anyone too ______ power

• Considers the needs of all _________

• Lets people have a ________

• Protects individual __________

say

states

power

rights

Proposed - 1776; Ratified by all 13 States - 1781

Allowed States to Keep:

Sovereignty

Freedom

Independence

All Powers not granted to National Government

National Government to take care of

Common Defense

Secure Liberties

Provide for the General Welfare

A confederation is a _________ of individuals _______ together

for a _________.

The Articles of Confederation

group

united

purpose

Established “a firm

league of friendship”

among the States.

• Each state was _________________ and had its own ________________.

• Each state would send _______________ to the “Congress of the Confederation.”

• The Congress was the only ____________ government. There was no ___________.

• In Congress, each state got _______ vote.

independent

government

representatives

central

President

one

The Articles of Confederation

• Congress had no way to __________ its _______!

• Congress had no power to collect _________ to pay for the military!

• The Articles could only be _________ if ______ the states agreed!

• States get to keep their ______ and ____________

• No _____________ telling the states what to do

• Congress had the power to create a _________ to ________all the states

A Rocky Relationship

Hey, this sounds great! Wait! Not so fast…

independencepower

government

military

protect

enforce laws

taxes

changed ALL

Consequences of the Weaknesses

Fighting Among States

Taxing other State’s Trade

Banning other State’s Trade

States Not Supporting New Central Government

Economic Chaos

Public and Private Debts Not Paid

Catalyst of Revision of the Articles Shay’s Rebellion

Massachusetts farmers revolting to keep courts from foreclosing on farms

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

QUICK QUIZ!

Under the Articles of Confederation, a

President would lead the country.

True False

Under the Articles of Confederation, states

would be independent.

True False

The Articles of Confederation were

easy to change.

True False

Under the Articles, states with more people got more

votes in Congress.

True False

Under the Articles, Congress did not have the power to

collect taxes.

True False

Under the Articles, Congress could pass laws and force states

to follow them.

True False

The Articles of Confederation created

the first American government.

True False

IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES?

QUICK QUIZ!

Everyone thought the central government should have more

power.

True False

Some people were afraid states might

lose their independence.

True False

Different states had different needs for

government to meet.

True False

The states all got along with each other.

True False

The government created by the Articles of

Confederation had everything under control

among the states.

True False

Articles of Confederation

New Idea

A New Idea!

1 BranchLegislative—makes laws 3 Branches

The Virginia Plan The New Jersey Plan

Battle of the Plans

• Legislative branch has ___ “chambers”

• Number of votes for each state depends on the state’s ___________

• ________ states would have more power

population

2

Larger

• Legislative branch has ___ “chamber”

• Each state gets ___ vote

• ________ states would have more power

1

Smaller

1

(Virginia was a large state, and New Jersey was a small state. Surprise!)

Legislative: Makes laws

Divide Congress Into Two Houses

SenateHouse of

Representatives

Each state gets 2 votes.

The more people the state has, the more votes it gets!

The Constitution Solution

THE CONSTITUTION SOLUTION

QUICK QUIZ!

The Articles required states to treat

citizens from other states the same as their own citizens.

True False

The Constitution requires each state to

treat ________ of other states the ______ as it treats its own citizens.

citizenssame

How many states had to agree in order for

the Articles of Confederation to be

changed?

All states A majority of states

The Constitution can be changed if

________________ of the members of Congress and ________________ of the

states agree.

two-thirds (2/3)

three-fourths (3/4)

The Articles of Confederation required

states to follow the laws Congress passed.

True False

The Constitution says that the laws passed by

Congress are _________ to laws

passed by the _______.superior

states

Under the Constitution, laws are made by the _______

branch.

A Bexecutive legislative

Under the Constitution, laws

passed by Congress are ___ to state laws.

A Bsuperior inferior

Under the Constitution,

Congress has ______.

A B1 chamber 2 chambers

Under the Constitution, each

state gets two votes in the _______.

A BHouse of

RepresentativesSenate

Under the Constitution, the number of votes each state gets in the

House of Representatives is based on its _____.

A BPopulation Taxes

Under the Constitution, a change to the

Constitution must be approved by ____.

A BAll States ¾ of States

Forming the Constitution Is

Compromise really a Dirty

10 Letter Word?

Constitutional Compromises overRepresentation, Slavery & Trade

• Great Compromise

– One house of legislature: there would berepresentatives, each directly elected bypeople

• Would have power to originate all bills for raisingand spending money

– Second house of legislature: each state should have an equal vote, and representatives selected by thestate legislatures

– National power would be supreme

Constitutional Compromises overRepresentation, Slavery & Trade

• Three-Fifths Compromise– “three-fifths of all other Persons”– Assured South would hold 47 percent of the

House

• Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

- Government needed to regulate commerce- South did not want regulation of Slaves nor

taxes on exports- North agreed to both

Unfinished Business

• One person executive– Term of office

– Committee on Unfinished Portions• Purpose to iron out problems and disagreementsconcerning the office of chief executive

• Recommended fixed term of four years, not seven

– Electoral College

– Removal of the Chief Executive• Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors

What’s this?P

L

E

J

F

A

S

R

A

Please

Let

Every

Junior

Fail

As

Seniors

Rock!

Always!!

Preamble

1Legislative

2Executive

3Judicial

4Full Faith and Credit

5Amendment process

6Supremacy Clause

7Ratification

Amendments

The Articles of the Constitution

• Article 1: The Legislative Branch– Powers of legislative branch

– Bicameral legislature

– Qualifications for holding office

– Terms of office

– Methods of selection

– System of apportionment– Section 8 carefully lists the enumerated powers – 17

specific powers

– Necessary and Proper Clause• Elastic clause – basis for implied powers


• Article II: The Executive Branch

– Vests the executive power in a president– Sets the president’s term at 4 years– Explains the Electoral College– States the qualifications for office– Describes the mechanism to replace the

president in case of death, disability, or removal– Powers and duties found in Section 3

• Commander in chief, authority to maketreaties with Senate consent, appointmentpower, State of the Union, and the “take care”clause, removal of the president


• Article III: The Judicial Branch– Establishes a Supreme Court and defines its

jurisdiction

– Supreme Court was given power to settledisputes between states or between nationalgovernment and states.

– Ultimately, Supreme Court would determinewhat provisions of the Constitution actuallymeant.


• Articles IV Through VII

– Attempted to anticipate problems that might occur in the operation of the new national government and relations it had withthe states.

– Article IV: Full Faith and Credit Clause • States honor the laws and judicial proceedings of

other states

• Mechanisms for admitting new states to the Union


• Articles IV Through VII– Article V specifies how amendments can be

added to the Constitution.– Article VI contains the Supremacy Clause.

• Provides that the “Constitution, and the laws of the United States” as well as all treaties are to bethe supreme law of the land.

• Also specifies that no religious test shall be required for holding office.

– Article VII concerns the procedures for ratification of the new Constitution.• Nine of thirteen states would have to agree to, or

ratify, its new provisions before it would becomethe supreme law of the land.

Drive for Ratification

• Second Continental Congress accepted the work of theconvention.

– Forwarded the proposed Constitutionto the states for their vote

–Debated hotly by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists

Formal AmendmentProcess

First step

This is the

way all 27

amendments

have begun!

or


Second Step

Used 26

Times

Used 1 Time

OR


Most Common 26 of 27 Times

Informal Methods of Amending theConstitution

• Judicial Interpretation

–Marbury v. Madison (1803)

– What should govern judicial

interpretation?

• Framers’ intent?

• Elastic, flexible document that could conform to ages?

• Lawmaking

• Congress interpreting what fulfilling the Constitution says

Informal Methods of Amending theConstitution

• Presidential Actions

• Enforcing Legislation

• Executive Orders

• Political Party Actions

• Governing

• Electoral College

• Social and Cultural Change

ARTICLES VS. CONSTITUTION

QUICK QUIZ!

A) Created a president

Decide whether each statement applies to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, or both.

Constitution Articles

Both

A

B) Created a government



Both

A

B

C) Had one branch of government



Both

A

B

C

D) Had enough power to do its job



Both

A

B

C

D

E) Created a court system



Both

A

B

C

D

E

F) Gave large and small states the same power



Both

A

B

C

D

EF

G) Created a Congress



Both

A

B

C

D

EF

G

H) Compromised between large and small states



Both

A

B

C

D

EF

G

H

I) Created a military



Both

A

B

C

D

EF

G

HI

J) Didn’t let Congress enforce its laws



Both

A

B

C

D

EF

G

HI

J

wanted—a “just right” governmentpknock.com/just right govt_1.pdf · 1 (virginia was a large...

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