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American Federalism
Colonial Period
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Colonization of North America was due to the
trading initiative of commercial companies and
the religious intolerance in the mother country
The first colony was Virginia (established by
the London Company in 1607)
Despite malaria, famine and the hostility of the
Indians, the colony gradually flourished as a
result of tobacco culture and grants of land to
individual colonists
‘Pilgrim Fathers’
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In 1620, 102 ‘Pilgrim fathers’ (Puritans
persecuted in England) sailed in the Mayflower
to the New World and landed on the coast of
Massachussets
The Mayflower Compact, drawn up for
government in the new settlement, provided for
the first democracy in America
The first settlements: Salem and Boston
New colonies
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Religious intolerance caused many settlers to
leave and found new colonies (Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New Hampshire)
Proprietary colonies granted by the English
king to individuals (Maryland, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey)
The United States
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A New Nation:
In 1776 there were 13 weak British colonies in
America (Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina,
North Carolina New Hampshire, Rhode Island)
American Revolutionary War
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Conflict with Parliament because of taxation imposed
(‘no taxation without representation’)
The Boston Tea Party (1773)
In 1774 (First Continental Congress) representatives of
colonies petitioned King George III to repeal acts that
were imposing severe taxes on them, but the King
refused
This led to American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
The Declaration
of Independence, 1776
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The Declaration of Independence, 1776
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Mainly written by Thomas Jefferson
American colonists acted to win rights they felt had
been denied them as English subjects
Articles of Confederation
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November 15, 1777 - Congress adopts the
Articles of Confederation as the government of
the new United States of America, pending
ratification by the individual states. Under the
Articles, Congress is the sole authority of the
new national government.
The Constitutional Convention
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The former colonies first operated under an
agreement called The Articles of Confederation
A loose union of 13 states; the central
government was too weak with too few powers
In 1787, at the initiative of Virginia, 55
delegates from the States met in Philadelphia
to revise the Articles
The Constitution
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The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan
‘The Great Compromise’
Instead they wrote a completely new
document, the Constitution
Adopted by the thirteen states by 1790
The Constitution
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw5QPncdkT
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The Virginia Plan
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Drafted by James Madison, and presented by
Edmund Randolph to the Constitutional
Convention on May 29, 1787, the Virginia Plan
proposed a strong central government
composed of three branches: legislative
(bicameral, proportional representation),
executive and judicial (appointed by the
legislature)
The New Jersey Plan
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After two weeks of debating the Virginia Plan, a
counterproposal was put forth by William Patterson,
which has become known as the New Jersey Plan (or
the Small State Plan or the Patterson Plan).
Patterson's ideas amounted to no more than a simple
reshaping of the Articles of Confederation.
The plan once again offered the idea of a unicameral
(one house) legislature in which all states would have
an equal number of votes.
The Constitution
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The oldest Constitution still in force
Sets the basic form of government: three
separate branches, each one having powers
(“checks and balances”) over the others
Specifies the powers and duties of each
federal branch of government
The ultimate power is given to the people
Preamble
“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.”
The Bill of Rights
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The first ten Constitutional Amendments
Fundamental rights of any American
The freedom of religion, speech, press, the
rights of peaceful assembly, the right of trial by
jury
These rights cannot be taken away by any
government or court
Bill of Rights
1. Freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly. Also, the right
to petition the government.
2. Right to bear arms.
3. Troops may not be quartered in homes in peacetime.
4. No unreasonable searches or seizures.
5. Numerous protections against court action including
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Grand jury indictment required for serious crimes.
No Double Jeopardy.
A person cannot be forced to testify against themselves.
No loss of life, liberty, or property without due process.
6. Right to a speedy, public, and impartial trial.
7. Jury trials are required in civil suits where value
exceeds $20.
8. No excessive bail or fines and no cruel or unusual
punishments.
9. Rights not listed are not necessarily denied.
10. Powers not given expressly to the United States or
denied to the states themselves are reserved to the
states.
Congress
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The legislative branch of the federal government
Article I of the Constitution: “All legislative power herein
granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United
States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives.”
The Senate (100 Senators, two from each state) and
the House of Representatives (435 elected members
who represent the population of “congressional
districts”)
Powers of the Congress
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Congress makes all laws, decides about taxes
and how money is spent
It regulates commerce among the states and
with foreign countries
It sets rules for the naturalization of foreign
citizens
The President
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Elected every four years to a four-year term of office
Elected directly by the voters
Powers of the President: in the executive sphere Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the effective
source of administrative power, directs the negotiation
of treaties, nominates all important executive officers
Powers of the President
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In the legislative sphere: proposes legislation
to Congress, can veto legislation already
passed by Congress, can call it for special
sessions and adress it by message or in
person
In the judicial sphere: nominates to all the more
important offices in the judicial branch,
inclusing the Supreme Court
Federalism
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A form of political organization in which the exercise of
power is divided between two levels of government:
the nation and the states
Exclusively national powers: foreign relations –
declaring wars and making treaties; protecting a
uniform monetary system - control of the power to coin
money
The Tenth Amendment
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State powers: all powers not delegated to the
federal government (the Tenth Amendment)
Concurrent powers: powers shared by both
levels, such as levying taxes and regulating
commerce
The Federal Judiciary
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The main instrument – the Supreme Court,
which watches over the executive and
legislative branch
It determines whether their laws and acts are in
accordance with the Constitution
Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices
11 federal courts of appeal
91 federal district courts
Checks and balances
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The Constitution’s Framers set out a
government in which no person or branch of
government could become all-powerful
They divided the powers among lawmakers,
judges and a chief executive
Each group can balance and check other’s
powers
Insert appropriate words:
government, federal, states, powers, constitution,
elective, cities, laws
 The United States of America is a ___________ union
of 50 states. The ____________ outlines the structure
of the national ______________ and specifies its
______________ and activities. Other governmental
activities are the responsibility of the individual
________________, which have their own
constitutions and _____________. Within each state
are counties, townships, ___________ and villages,
each of which has its own _________________
government.
Answer key
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The United States of America is a FEDERAL union of
50 states. The CONSTITUTION outlines the structure
of the national GOVERNMENT and specifies its
POWERS and activities. Other governmental activities
are the responsibility of the individual STATES, which
have their own constitutions and LAWS. Within each
state are counties, townships, CITIES and villages,
each of which has its own ELECTIVE government.
limited, supreme, theory, rights, powers, executive, constitution,
agreement
 The American ____________________ of 1789 was a product of
the 18th century political_______________, especially the ideas
of John Locke. Government should be _______________, Locke
said. It was an _______________ freely made which could be
ended under certain conditions. The ______________ of man
which came from nature or God were ___________________ and
to be encouraged. Separation of ______________ was one of
Locke’s ideas, so it was clear that the new constitution would
include three branches of government – legislative,
________________ and judicial.
Translate the following:
Concurrent powers: the Constitution expressly
gives the national government such important
powers as levying taxes and regulating
commerce, but it makes no effort to prohibit the
states from also exercising such authority
within their borders.
Thank you for your attention!