Transcript Week 1 PPT - Killeen ISD

We the People…
Freedom Week
Foundations of America
 Focus Question:
How was the United States of America
government created?
Politics and Freedom: Rights
•
Magna Carta of 1215
–
–
Rights to all “free men”
Rights of Individuals
•
•
•
•
•
House of Burgesses/Mayflower Compact 1620
–
•
Against arbitrary imprisonment
Seizure of Property without due process
Habeas corpus (determine legality of detainment)
Trial by Jury
Established colonial self government and majority rule concepts
English Bill of Rights 1689
–
Gave sole authority to a representative government (Parliament)
Discussion of Freedom: Liberty
•
The Language of Liberty
–
•
Republican Liberty (public and social)
–
•
General right to resist arbitrary government
Virtue-willingness to subordinate self-interest to a
common public good—criticized corruption in politics
Liberal Freedom (individual and private)
–
Individuals surrendered part of their right to govern themselves in order to
enjoy benefits of the rule of law: security of life, liberty, and property (later
in Declaration of Independence-”pursuit of happiness”).
John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil
Government (1690)
• No one ought to harm another in
his life, liberty, or property; if
anyone does harm another, the
one he harms has the right to
punish him
• Through a social contract, people
create a government to protect
their natural rights of life, liberty,
and property
• The best form of government to
protect natural rights is a
government of limited powers
(constitutionalism)
• If a government breaks the social
contract, the people have the right
to dissolve it
Two Treatises of Civil Government (1690)
Founding fathers
Benjamin Rush
John Peter Muhlenberg
Pennsylvania rep. (Doctor)
Declaration of Independence
Constitution Committee
Sons of Liberty
Treasurer of the U.S. Mint
Pennsylvania Rep (Clergyman/Soldier)
Elected to the first U.S. Congress
Brigadier General of Continental Army
John Hancock
Charles Carroll
Massachusetts rep (merchant)
First to sign Declaration of Independence
President of the Continental Congress
Maryland Rep (planter)
Declaration of Independence
Delegate to Constitutional Convention
John Jay
New York rep (lawyer)
Declaration of Independence
Supreme Court Justice
John Witherspoon
New Jersey rep (clergyman)
Declaration of Independence
President of Princeton University
Jonathan Trumbull Sr.
Connecticut Governor
Preacher/Merchant
Only colonial governor who supported
the American cause in the Revolution
Declaration of Independence
The purpose for creating the Declaration of
Independence was to tell the world why they felt it
was necessary to break away from Great Britain and
form their own government
The Declaration also argued that one of the purposes
of a government was to protect the basic rights of
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Courtesy of John Buxton. Founding Fathers –
The Declaration Committee
by John Buxton
Governments only existed if they had the consent of the governed. If the
government failed to protect basic human rights or were the cause of a violation of
rights, the Declaration stated that citizens had a right and a duty “…to throw off such
Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
* Originally slavery was banned, but Southern slave owners had language removed
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence had 3 main parts
Part 1: Explains the basic rights on which on which the nation
was founded.
“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”
Part 2: The Second part of the Declaration of Independence lists
the wrongs committed by King George III
Part 3: Officially announced that the 13 British Colonies were
now the United States of America
It stated that the United States could make alliances and trade as it
pleased
Articles of Confederation
The authors of the Articles of Confederation
did not create a nation, but a “firm league of friendship”
between the 13 states. Each state had one vote.
It did not create an executive or judicial branch.
Congress could
1.maintain the military
2.conduct foreign policy
3.declare war
4.make peace
5.coin money
The Congress could NOT regulate trade between the states or between states and
foreign nations. Congress had to ask states for money to keep the federal
government going- they could not force them to contribute
Shays’ Rebellion proved one thing: The federal government was much too weak
and a stronger national government was needed!
**Leading cause for the writing of the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution of the United
States
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.
I. The first principle is POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY (the people rule) The people elect
public officials to make laws for them called representative government
II. The second principle of the Constitution is LIMITED GOVERNMENT
(a government by law)
III. The third principle of the Constitution is FEDERALISM a nation that had shared
powers between the federal government and the state government
IV. The fourth principle of the Constitution is the SEPARATION OF POWERS
The purpose was to prevent any group or individual from having all the power. The
government was divided into three branches: Legislative, Executive, Judicial
V. The fifth and final principle of the Constitution is the system of checks and balances.
This system exists to ensure that no one branch of government gets
too powerful
The Great Compromise proposed a
strong national government with:
1. Three Branches of
Government
• Legislative Branch
(pass laws)
• Executive Branch
(carry out/ enforce
laws)
• Judicial Branch
(interpret laws- see if
laws are fair and
carried out fairly)
The Great
Compromise
Upper House
Lower House
United States SenateEach state would have
equal representation (1
state, 2 votes).
Members would be
chosen by state
legislatures
United States House of
Representatives- Each
state would be
represented based upon
population and elected
directly by the people of
their state
Bicameral Legislature
Legislative Branch Checks Over…
Executive
• can override presidential veto
• confirms presidential appointments
• ratifies treaties
• can declare war
• appropriates money
• can impeach and remove president
Judicial
• Create lower federal courts
• Can impeach or remove judges
• Can propose amendments (overruling
judicial decisions)
• Approves appointments of federal
judges
Executive Branch Checks Over…
Legislative
• can propose laws
• makes appointments
• negotiates foreign treaties
• can veto laws
• can call special sessions of
congress
Judicial
• appoints federal judges
• can grant pardons to federal
offenders
Judicial Branch Checks Over…
Executive
Legislative
• can declare executive • can declare laws and
actions to be
acts of Congress to be
unconstitutional
unconstitutional
Andrew Johnson
Richard Nixon
Bill Clinton
• Congress can also remove a President from office if he is guilty of a crime
or serious misbehavior
• A case against the President must be brought to the House of
Representatives in a process called impeachment.
• A President can be impeached in the House of Representatives by a simple
majority, and then a trial is held in the Senate. A 2/3 vote in favor of
conviction is required to remove the President from office
George Washington (Lansdowne portrait). Oil
on canvas. 1796. National Portrait Gallery,
Smithsonian Institution.
The Framers of the
Constitution understood that
conditions would change
throughout time
George Washington said, “I
do not think we are more
inspired, have more wisdom,
or possess more virtue than
those who will come after us”
For this reason, the framers
devised a system for
amending the Constitution
Congress Created 2 Ways to
Propose Amendments to the Constitution
1.
2/3 of both houses of Congress can propose Amendments
2/3 of
2.
2/3 of the states call for a Constitutional Convention for the
purpose of creating amendments (never been done)
2/3 of
3/4 of the state
legislatures must
approve
3/4 of special state
conventions must
approve
Since 1789, 9,000
amendments have been
introduced in Congress
(not all proposed), but
only 27 have been ratified
The first 10 amendments,
called the Bill of Rights,
were approved by 1791.
They outline the freedoms
the government promises
to protect.
1st Amendment: Freedom of Religion, Speech,
Press, Assembly, and Petition for redress of
grievances.
2nd Amendment: Right to Keep & Bear Arms
3rd Amendment: Quartering of Troops
4th Amendment: Protection against unlawful
search and seizures; Warrants
5th Amendment: Rights of Accused Persons
6th Amendment: Right to a Speedy Trial
7th Amendment: Jury Trial in Civil Cases
8th Amendment: Bail, Fines, Punishments
9th Amendment: Rights Not Listed are
Retained by the People
10th Amendment: Powers Not Listed are
Reserved to the States
Bill of
Rights
11th Amendment: Suits Against States
12th Amendment: Election of President and
Vice-President
21st Amendment: Repeal of National
Prohibition
13th Amendment: Slavery Abolished
22nd Amendment: Two-Term Limit for
Presidents
14th Amendment: Citizenship Defined and
Protected
23rd Amendment: Presidential Vote for
District of Columbia
15th Amendment: Right to Vote with No
Racial Barriers
24th Amendment: Poll Tax Banned in Federal
Elections
16th Amendment: Income Tax Authorized
17th Amendment: Election of Senators by
Direct Popular Vote
18th Amendment: National Prohibition of
Intoxicating Liquors
19th Amendment: Right to Vote Given
Nationwide to Women
20th Amendment: Presidential Terms;
Sessions of Congress
25th Amendment: Presidential Disability and
Succession
26th Amendment: Voting Age Lowered to 18
Years
27th Amendment: Congressional Pay
Caption: "I think we
should include
something in the
Constitution in case
the people elect a
couple of Morons."
* How does this
cartoon reflect a
serious concern of
many of the Framers?
Additionally, the Great
Compromise set up a
system for electing a
president
The Great Compromise
called for the creation
of an Electoral College
to ensure that the
president could not be
directly elected by the
people
Each state would
have as many
“electors”
as it had
representatives
and senators
36 Reps
= 38 Electoral
2 Senators
Votes
When we vote for
president, we
actually vote for
electors to cast
votes for a
candidate
Texas Congressional Districts
11 Democrat
25 Republican
Our
Congressional
District
District 31 is
made up of…
•Bell County (that’s us)
•Coryell County
•Erath County
•Falls County
•Hamilton County
•Milam County
•Robertson County
•Williamson County
Total of 36
Congressional
Districts in Texas
All Counties in Blue
Famous Mottos
 Focus Question:
What is the meaning and historical
significance of the mottos “E Pluribus
Unum” and “In God We Trust”?
“E Pluribus unum”
E Pluribus Unum" was the motto proposed for
the first Great Seal of the United States by
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas
Jefferson in 1776. Latin phrase meaning "One
from many," the phrase offered a strong
The Great Seal statement of the American determination to
form a single nation from a collection of
of the U.S.
states. Over the years, "E Pluribus Unum" has
also served as a reminder of America's bold
attempt to make one unified nation of people
from many different backgrounds and beliefs.
The challenge of seeking unity while
respecting diversity has played a critical role
in shaping our history, our literature, and our
national character.”
All U.S. coins
“in god we trust”
An Act of Congress, approved on April 11, 1864,
authorized the coinage of two-cent coins upon which
the motto first appeared. Legislation approved July 11,
1955, made the appearance of ‘In God We Trust’
mandatory on all coins and paper currency of the
United States. In the 1950s the threat of Communism
prompted Congress to distinguish the United States
from the Soviet Union which promoted state atheism.
By Act of July 30, 1956, ‘In God We Trust’ became the
national motto of the United States.
Several years ago, the appearance of ‘In God We Trust’
on our money was challenged in the federal courts. The
challenge was rejected by the lower federal courts, and
the Supreme Court of the United States declined to
review the case.”
Court Cases
 Focus Question:
What are three significant Supreme Court
cases establishing government power
over state power?
Marbury v. madison
Judicial Review - Under the Constitution, the Supreme Court can
decide whether or not laws or presidential actions are constitutional.
The authority to declare acts of Congress, which implies acts of the president,
unconstitutional if they exceeded the powers granted by the Constitution. But even
more important, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)
became the final authority on
what the Constitution meant.
Therefore, the Supreme Court
became an equal partner in
government, and it has played
that role ever since.
Gibbons V. Ogden
1815: Ogden had purchased the right to operate ferry
between New Jersey and New York City
Thomas Gibbons, who had federal coasting license, set
up a competing line and Ogden sued. Ogden claimed
Gibbons had no right to cross into New York waters
Supreme Court Marshall ruled in favor of Gibbons,
destroying Livingston’s New York monopoly
National authority takes precedence in regulating
commerce when it crosses a state border
Supreme Court ruling (1824) that held that no state
could pass laws affecting interstate trade, thereby
ensuring the federal government’s supremacy in
interstate commerce.
McCullough v. Maryland
Maryland tried to tax the Bank of
the U.S. as a “foreign” bank
Marshall declared the bank
constitutional, which made
Maryland’s tax unconstitutional
Strengthened implied powers of
Congress, confirmed “loose”
interpretation of Constitution,
aided economic growth
Outcome
An 1819 Supreme Court ruling that state governments could not
tax a federal agency—in this case the second Bank of the United
States—for “the power to tax involves the power to destroy.”
The decision affirmed the doctrine of the implied powers of the
federal government.
Alexis deTocqueville
 Focus Question:
What are the characteristics/culture that
make Americans unique among nations?
What are americans?
At the time of the American Revolution, America was a very different
place from Europe. At that time, most of Europe was still divided into
hereditary social classes. Nobles enjoyed special privileges, while in
many countries, there were still serfs with no rights at all. Throughout
most of Europe, land was owned by a few wealthy families: there was
very little free land available for people to settle or buy.
Alexis de Tocqueville tried to define what it meant to be an American in 1782. He was
greatly impressed by the mixing of peoples of different nationalities, the rich resources of
North America, the absence of kings and nobles demanding a share of the worker's labor, and
the willingness of Americans to work hard out of their own self-interest:
America was quite different from Europe, and he tried to identify the ways. The result was his
book, “Democracy in America”, which was published in 1835. His book serves as a guide to
measure how America has changed since it was written. It also allows us to gain some
perspective on what aspects of American society have remained the same.
5 Values: Egalitarianism, Populism, Liberty, Individualism, and Laissez-faire
Tocqueville (5 values)
EGALITARIANISM (EQUALITY)
Egalitarianism refers to a society of equals. In Europe, society was built
around hereditary distinctions separating the nobles, middle classes, and
peasants. In America, there were differences in wealth, power, and
intelligence, but everyone was equal socially. The availability of free land
also promoted equality. Owning land allowed Americans to view themselves
as equal to their neighbors and further contributed to their feeling of
equality. Tocqueville believed that the primary concern of the nation should
be to safeguard liberty, since it created the conditions for Americans to
become economically prosperous. Two exceptions to this were slavery and
the treatment of Native Americans, which Tocqueville also wrote about.
Tocqueville (5 values)
POPULISM (POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY)
Tocqueville wrote that democratic government, - "a government
where the people more or less participate in their government,"is closely bound up with the idea of "political liberty." Populism
refers to the participation of the common people in political life
another distinguishing characteristic that Tocqueville found in
American society in the early nineteenth century. Since everyone in
society was equal, everyone had the same right to participate in
government. The goal of such a society was peace and prosperity
for all.
Tocqueville (5 values)
LIBERTY
By "liberty," Tocqueville meant protection against
tyrannical government. The great danger in democratic
government was the tyranny of the majority. He noted that
Americans were devoted to the rule of law, and that
America's federal system helped prevent the rise of an overpowerful government. Most important of all, American
customs and manners were devoted to the spirit of liberty.
In America, Tocqueville wrote, religious faith helped
strengthen the belief in individual liberty.
Tocqueville (5 values)
INDIVIDUALISM
In American society, the government did not direct
individual activity to the same extent as Tocqueville had
seen in Europe. People in America were free to flourish
without hereditary distinctions, and individuals believed
they could rise in society. Individuals even organized
themselves into their own private, voluntary associations,
such as charities.
Tocqueville (5 values)
LAISSEZ-FAIRE
Because the role of government was more limited in
America than Europe, people had to rely on themselves.
Government took a laissez-faire, or "hands off," approach to
the economy. Tocqueville felt that a key value of Americans
was that each individual was the best judge of his own
interests. Americans should not allow government to become
too protective. He feared if they relied too heavily on
government, they would saddle it with a burden it was unable
to perform