Ch 2 Founding and the Constitution 9 11 13 Elite New England merchants Southern planters Royalists Laborers Small farmers Political Strife of Colonies Britain granted East India Company a monopoly on tea export o Boston Tea Party 1773 led by Sam Adams Tea Party set idea for revolution in motion After Britain retaliated with policies alienating the colonies Declaration of Independence 1776 Jefferson Written and influenced by Locke s ideas Articles of Confederation Written 1777 Ratified 1781 Focus on limiting central government Execution of laws left to states No executive branch Delegates chosen by state No control over commerce No judiciary branch Every state had only one vote Congress could not levy taxes Royalists who lost livelihood and loyal British moved to Canada o Elites decreased radicals increased After Revolution 1786 congress called on o 5 states replied o Shays Rebellion All but Rhode Island sent delegates Constitutional Convention Great compromise 1st branch house 2nd branch senate o Randolph s Virginia plan Representative government 2nd branch of legislature elected by 1st branch Though to be biased towards large states o New Jersey plan Each state should be equally represented regardless of population 3 5 Compromise 5 slaves counted as 3 people in the house South would reject Constitution if slaves didn t count for a percentage of the population Constitution Sought government that would be strong enough to promote commerce and protect property Sought to end threat of excessive democracy o Bicameralism 2 houses Direct popular election Separation of powers and federalism Legislative Branch House 2 year terms State legislatures appoint senate o Changed in 1913 to direct election 6 year terms staggered terms Expressed powers Notion that the constitution grants to the federal government only those powers specifically named o Prove to people that government poses no threat Necessary and Proper Clause Elastic Clause Powers of Congress Collect taxes Declare war Executive Branch President o Negotiate treaties o Recognize countries o Grant pardons o Veto o Indirect election Electoral College Judicial Branch Supreme court o Lifetime appointment o President appoints judges senate approves National Unity and Power Supremacy clause National laws shall be the supreme law of the land Amending Constitution 2 3 congress then 3 4 state Ratifying Constitution Special state conventions 9 13 states to pass Constitutional Limits on National Government Power Separation of powers o 3 branches o Different methods to select top personnel o Checks and balances Federalism States and national Fight for Ratification Federalists Supported constitution and strong national government Antifederalists Opposed constitution and preferred decentralized government Hamilton Madison John Jay Federalists Supported ratification Lee Henry Clinton Antifederalists Believed constitution was a step towards monarchy
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