Download How did the Constitution strengthen the US Government?

How did the Constitution strengthen the
US Government?
We the people of the
United States, in order
to form a more perfect
union, establish justice,
insure domestic
tranquility, provide for
the common defense,
promote the general
welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and
establish this
Constitution for the
United States of
America.
Constitutional Convention
of
1787
Shay’s Rebellion
(1786) caused the
framers to believe that
the Articles of
Confederation were
ineffective & needed to
be replaced
Delegates gathered in
Philadelphia (1787) to
write a new
Constitution
James Madison leads
the movement to write
the Constitution
Conflict at the Constitutional
Convention
Delegates disagreed on THREE key issues:
– Representation
– Slavery
– Trade
Conflict @ the Convention:
Representation in the new
Congress
Big States vs. Small
States
Virginia Plan
– Representation based
upon a states
population (favored
more populated
states)
New Jersey Plan
– Each state had equal
votes
Compromise: Representation
The Great Compromise
– Settled the representation conflict
– Delegates created a 2 house (bicameral) legislature
One house based upon population (House of Reps)
A second house based upon equal votes per state (the
United States Senate)
Conflict: The Slavery Issue
Southern states
supported slavery
– Wanted slaves to
count for
representation, but
not for taxation
Northern states
– wanted slaves to count
for taxation, not
representation
Compromise: The
Slavery Issue
The Three Fifths Compromise:
settles the Slavery Issue
–3 out of 5 slaves would be counted
for both representation and
taxation
Conflict: The Trade Issue
Southern delegates did not want an export or import tax (tariff).
Northern delegates favored a tax on imports to help northern
industries grow. This could hurt the South
Compromise: Congress was given the power to tax imports, but
not exports
The South needed slavery for plantation labor. The North feared
slave populations would be to high.
Compromise- The importation of slaves would end 20 years from
the ratification of the Constitution
DEBATE ON RATIFICATION
Federalists argue for a
strong federal system to
replace the Articles of
Confederation
(Madison/Hamilton/Jay)
Anti-federalists believe
that the new constitution
would be too strong and
crush the Peoples rights
(Henry & S. Adams)
Compromise: Federalists vs.
Anti-federalists
Federalists agree to add a Bill of Rights to the
new Constitution
The Addition of the BOR allowed Anti-Feds to
agree to ratify the new Constitution
The Constitution was ratified in 1789
The 1st Chief Executive
George Washington was
chosen to be the first
President
The BOR, System of
Checks &
Balances/Written
Constitution all help
create Limited
Government
Electing officials to act as
Representatives creates
Representative
Government
The U.S. Constitution
The New Constitution: allowed for a separate
executive branch (the President), a separate
judicial branch (the Supreme Court), and a
two-house legislative branch (the Congress).
The Federal System/Division of Power
Power was divided between State
governments and the Federal
Government
Federal Powers:
•Armed Forces
Both State &
Federal:
•Building roads
•Coining money
•Borrowing money
•Regulated trade
•Collecting taxes
•Making treaties
•Operating courts
Powers
RESERVED for
states:
•Health & Safety
matters
•Marriage/divorce
laws
•Business
regulation
•Licensing of
professions
15th Amendment--gave voting rights to freed
slaves after the civil war.
19th Amendment--gave women the right to vote.
Example: The Necessary & Proper clause has been used
to regulate industries that were unseen in 1789:
auto industry, telecommunications, airline safety ECT...
Brown v Board of Ed. allowing for the desegregation of
schools
The Unwritten Constitution
The Unwritten
Constitution
refers to
traditions that
have become
part of our
political system.
The Unwritten Constitution
-Political Parties are not written into
the Constitution
-The Primary responsibility for
political parties is to nominate
candidates for office
-George Washington warned against
the formation of political parties.
The Unwritten Constitution
President Washington
appointed Cabinet
members to help him
run the government.
All presidents have
followed this tradition
The presidential
cabinet is NOT written
in the Constitution
Unwritten Constitution
President Washington
served 2 terms and
retired
The 2 term tradition
became part of the
Unwritten Constitution
FDR broke with tradition,
2 terms has since been
written into the
Constitution through the
amendment process.
How did the U.S. Constitution
Strengthen the U.S.
Government?
It created a strong national/federal
government that allowed the new
nation to function as one independent
country, created a three branch
government (which included a Chief
Executive) & preserved the
Enlightenment principles of
representative government & limited
government