GOV LECTURE J21 01 21 2015 Pre Revolutionary America Competing ideals economic interests 5 factions of colonial society o New England o Southern planters o Royalists royal office o Shopkeepers artisans laborers o Small farmers 1760 s British Government had financial problems o French Indian war o British Navy provided shipping British forced to find new revenue sources o Sought to impose modest taxes on colonists 1764 Stamp Act Sugar Act o tax on sugar molasses other commodities No taxation without representation Colonial elite split o Planters merchants joined shopkeepers farmers o Boycott goods Leading to Declaration of Independence 1770 s radical factions pushed for an end to British rule 1773 East India Company granted a monopoly on the tea trade 1773 Boston Tea Party Road to Revolution Boston Tea Party set in motion a cycle of retaliation Port of Boston was closed to Westerners Colonist Isolation needed to form a committee 1774 First Continental Congress Assembly of people from all parties Consider the possibility of independence 1776 Second Continental Congress Declaration of Independence Enlightenment era Hobbes Locke o Man has a natural light bigger than government o Right to liberty property and a right to order Articles of Confederation 1777 1789 United States first written constitution Main goals of the Articles o Limit the power of the central government o National state government sovereign o No president o National government vested in Congress But very few powers to exercise Events that led to the Constitution Articles of Confederation hopelessly impractical o Limited power o Chronic bankruptcy currency inflation o Gridlock in government No means for resolving conflict o No federal army o State militia o Shay s Rebellion J23 01 21 2015 The Second Founding Annapolis Convention 1786 Constitutional Convention 1787 o International embarrassment o National weakness o People are talking about leaving America o Fundamental flaws in Articles of Confederation o Everyone sends one representative Except RI don t think this is going to work Main principles of the Constitutional Convention Republicanism o Indirect direct democracy Separation of powers o Avoid authoritative government Checks balances o Empowered yet checked Bicameralism Congress has 2 chambers o House Senate Compromise to Constitution How to form the legislation Virginia plan states would have delegates proportionate to population or wealth New Jersey plan each state would have equal representation Connecticut Great Compromise equal representation in the Senate proportional representation in the House Various Plan of Appointment Three Fifths Compromise o South more representatives in the House o North does not see this is as good 3 5ths Compromise 90 of the nations slaves reside in the 5 states 30 of the total population o 5 southern states 8 northern Slaves outnumbered non slaves 10 1 o South dominated Congress Great Compromise the 3 5ths Compromise o Reinforce the unity between the merchants the farmers Legislative Branch House 2 years o Directly elected by the people o Gain popularity for the new Constitution o Staggered elections avoid excessive democracy Senate 6 years o Elected by the legislative this changes later Authority Collect taxes Borrow money Regulate commerce Declare war Maintain an army navy Expressed powers specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress to the President Elastic clause laws that necessary proper o Not granted to federal reserved for state o Major issue between federal state debates later Executive Branch Establishment of Presidency o Energy of executive avoid stalemate Power o Accept ambassadors recognize countries o Negotiate treaties requires approval from Congress o Grant pardon reprieves o Appoint major departmental figures o Veto power Judicial Branch Supreme court o Resolve any conflict between o o o o o Federal state Citizens of different states Judicial review declare actions unconstitutional Lifelong appointment o Presidential appointment approved by Congress National Unity Power The Constitution had to allow states enough freedom to pursue their own policies unify the nation enough to have a common economy Sates were given tremendous leeway but were asked to respect contracts made in other states Supremacy clause Constitution stands supreme over state laws The Fight for Ratification Federalists o Favored a stronger central government o Federal control over the economy o Government by elites Antifederalists o Favored the balance of power being with the states o Leaders who shared the economic interest of the people 01 21 2015