Chapter 01 The Founding and Constitution Central Ideas Four major principles of American government republicanism separation of powers checks and balances and federalism o These four principles are in the Constitution The Constitution is articles and amendments that define limit the powers of the government The current political system is result of the failed government under the Articles of Confederation 1781 1788 The Constitution Even though under British rule the 13 American colonies were allowed to govern themselves unlike India Australia The colonists were subject to foreign policy and trade policy In 1765 the British were faced with costs of the French and Indian War 1754 1763 so they started heavily taxing colonists The colonists appreciated the protection of British against the French but they deplored the taxes levied against them w o representation in British Parliament Wealthy colonists organized the Sons of Liberty to protest inspire others 1773 Boston reached its boiling point when colonists protested a British tax It began difficult to buy household staples tea and sugar on tea by dumping shipments into Boston Harbor The Boston Tea Party The British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts Intolerable Acts by colonists This dissolved colonial legislature of Massachusetts closed port of Boston and required the colonists to quarter house British soldiers This further upset colonists so in September 1774 there was the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia o The delegates drafted a statement of rights and instituted a boycott of British goods They also reconvened the Continental Congress in May 1775 The first military engagement occurred at the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19 1775 For a year the delegated managed colonial efforts of war debated the merits of American sovereignty June 7 1776 the Virginia delegation introduced a resolution to declare independence and end allegiance to Great Britain The Second Continental Congress established a drafting committee charged with penning a declaration of independence that clearly stated the reasons motivating action against the Crown The committee drafting the Declaration of Independence was composed of five men representing 13 colonies The document is 5 parts 1 The preamble articulating the circumstances leading to this action 2 Philosophical argument drawing from the enlightenment of writings of John Locke on the right to revolution Self evident truths that men have fundamental rights that governments are to protect and they should be overthrown when they do not perform 3 The third section articulates the oppressive actions of the Crown against the colonies reconciliation 4 The fourth section mentions the failed attempts of the colonists at 5 The fifth section actual declaration of independence the absolution of allegiance to the Crown and dissolution of all political ties with Britain Get the Gist Questions 1 What was the colonists primary complaint about the rule of the British Crown They were subject to heavy taxes from the British Crown 2 Which of the following was a component of the Coercive Acts The establishment of martial law dissolution of the Massachusetts legislature closure of the port of Boston and requirements to quarter 3 Which event directly resulted from the Coercive Acts The meeting of the First Continental Congress 4 Which section of the Declaration of Independence contains arguments on the right of revolution The second section based on Locke philosophy Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson from Virginia was given discretion over the declaration June 1776 Jefferson presented a document that expressed individual liberty and the purpose of government to protect political rights of citizens July 4 1776 the Second Continental Congress approved the declaration The motion was carried unanimously by the 11 voting states Rhode Island was not present and New York withheld its vote until July 15 The declaration was signed by 56 revolutionaries who pledged to the cause of freedom The king however wasn t letting the colonies go that easy a bloodly war ensued until British forces finally withdrew in October of 1781 The signing of the Treaty of Paris was two years later and the U S became a fully independent nation In June 1776 they also appointed a committee to frame the new constitution embodying the political ideals the sacrificed The new nation s initial constitution was called the Articles of Confederation o It was formally approved March 1781 During the revolutionary war the Articles of Confederation served as the system of government for the former colonies Get the Gist Questions 1 Who was given the primary responsibility for drafting the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson 2 What were the main ideas expressed in the declaration of independence Individual liberties and the government s duty to protect them 3 What did the declaration of independence actually do It dissolved colonial allegiance to Great Britain The Articles of Confederation The continental congress agreed that America would be a confederation of independent states under a limited national government America would be a republic with elected leaders representing the citizens in government o A republic is not the same as a democracy which requires citizens to act on their own behalf in a public forum They found a republic as a middle ground between the rule of a king and the The end result was a representative government rooted in the consent of the mob mentality of pure democracy governed through regular elections Under the Articles of Confederation the central government would consist of a single legislative chamber in which each of the original colonies would have a single vote Congress would have limited powers Each state would retain supreme power within its borders States could coin money regulate commercial activities engage in trade to provide for the defense of their citizens The articles did not establish an executive branch of government fearful of tyranny The national government was not granted any power to control the actions of the states or to enforce congressional decisions The articles created the opposite of British rule a weak government o This government was incapable of action The continental congress adopted the articles of confederation in November of 1777 but it took 3 years for the document to be ratified with the final state approving it in March of 1781 o The delay as because of the article s