These notes are from Chapter 2 of The American Democracy by Thomas E Patterson and class lectures Chapter 2 Constitutional Democracy Promoting Liberty and Self Government Limited government a government that is subject to strict limits on its lawful uses of power and hence on its ability to deprive people of their liberty Representative government a government in which the people govern through the selection of their representatives Prior to Constitution Colonial and Revolutionary Experiences Colonists kept things from Europe primarily Britain included what they liked and protected from what they fled Limited government Britain had monarch and Parliament not an absolute monarchy Parliament was an independent body with lawmaking power local representation the rights of Englishmen in colonial charters keep rights such as the right to a trial by jury and representation Taxation Self government representation Massachusetts was a Puritan religion Rhode Island had freedom of religion Providence Plantations Rhode Island was founded by the people who were kicked out of Massachusetts for religious reasons Each colony had an elected representative assembly it was subject to British oversight but still had important legislative powers self government They had to get approval by Britain which took a while because people travelled by boat The American Revolution was partly a rebellion against Britain s failure to uphold the colonies established traditions and against their taxes French and Indian War 1754 1763 colonists fought with Britain against French afterwards British government imposed heavy taxes on the colonies for the first time Stamp Act The War with France had created a budget crisis in Britain No taxation without representation Parliament levied a stamp tax on colonial newspapers and business documents to reduce debt colonists objected but did not have representation in Parliament Parliament repealed the Stamp Act and passed the Townshend Act which imposed taxes on all glass paper tea and lead sold in colonies Colonists objected again and Parliament took out all taxes except on tea December 1773 Boston Tea Party Bostonians refuse to pay for tea that was spilt over so Britain blockades the port which causes major problems for this major port 1774 Colonists met in Philadelphia at the First Continental Congress Asked Britain for their own councils for the imposition of taxes and to the British military occupation and a guarantee of trial by local juries Wanted to locally control taxes even though the money would still go to Britain Wanted British military to leave Wanted all trials to be done locally so the colonists wouldn t be shipped to Britain April 19 1775 King George rejected their demands British troops and minutemen clashed in Lexington and Concord The American Revolution began with the shot heard round the world Declaration of Independence July 4 1776 Ideas from John Locke and Thomas Hobbes Social Contract a voluntary agreement by individuals to form a government that is then obliged to act within the confines of the agreement Inalienable natural rights those rights that persons theoretically possessed in the state of nature prior to the formation of governments These rights including those of life liberty and property are considered inherent and such are inalienable Since government is established by people government has the responsibility to preserve these rights The Declaration of Independence was a call to revolution rather than a framework for a new form of government Declared the Country United States of America formally known as the colonies People are going to create the government among themselves If government fails to protect the inalienable rights citizens can rebel John Locke did NOT write the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson liked his ideas and paraphrased them directly into the document John Locke got his ideas from Thomas Hobbes The rights of Life Liberty and Property changed to the rights of Life Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness because they did not want to guarantee slaves the right to property Thomas Jefferson John Adams and Ben Franklin wrote the Declaration of Independence The Declaration of independence declares independence from Britain declared in first part The major part is about grievances of King George III want separation from them Constitution the fundamental law that defines how a government will legitimately operate The method for choosing its leaders the institutions through which these leaders will work procedures they must follow in making policy and the powers they can lawfully exercise Articles of Confederation March 1 1781 agreed to Congress in 1777 but last state ratified in 1781 The first government of the United States was based on the Articles of Confederation not the U S Constitution The Articles highlight state power and federal power conflicts Names the country United States of America Outlines role of Congress Colonies were governed separately afraid of a powerful central government All authority was voted on in the Congress each state had one vote in Congress Legislation could be enacted if 9 13 agreed to it But amendments only made if EVERY state agreed No national economy weak setup States very competitive with each other States United Country needed a national government Congress had very little power couldn t levy taxes or interfere with state s trade policies Couldn t have an army must call to states for militia It was designed to be inferior to states governments Each state appealed to Britain and was recognized as an individual entity could make own rules Articles recognized states and had them have own power so that they wouldn t have a repeat of King George III authority 1783 Revolution ends There is no more need for the Articles because they were outlined for the war They were in effect until Constitution was ratified brought back together for common trade Virginia large state plan A constitutional proposal for a strong Congress with two chambers both of which would be based on numerical representation thus granting more power to the larger states New Jersey small state plan A constitutional proposal for a strengthened Congress in which each state would have a single vote thus granting a small state the same legislation power as a large state Great Compromise the agreement at the constitutional convention to create a two chamber Congress with the House apportioned by population and the Senate apportioned