Transcript The Founding of America

 The Preamble
 Declaration of Natural Rights
 List of Grievances
 Resolution of Independence by
the United States
The United States Constitution
Confederation
Articles of
The United States Constitution
• Alexander Hamilton called for a
convention to “revise the Articles of
Confederation”
• Representatives of all states except
Rhode Island to draw up a new form
of government
• Delegates included George
Washington, Ben Franklin,
Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and
Roger Sherman
• The convention was held behind
closed doors and windows as they
did not want public opinion to
influence their work
The United States Constitution
• Most decisions were readily
agreed to such as separation
of powers, checks and
balances, the three branches
of government
• Where they differed was in
representation: big states
wanted it based on
population (Virginia Plan)
and small states wanted
equal representation (New
Jersey Plan)
The United States Constitution
• Connecticut or Great
Compromise
 Bi-cameral legislature
 House representation based on
population (power of the purse)
 Senate representation equal – two
per state
• Three-Fifths Compromise
 Slaves people or property?
 Three-fifths of the number of slaves
in each state to count towards
representation and taxation
The United States Constitution
• Essence of Constitution was
 Popular Sovereignty – rule by
the people
 Republic – people would elect
representatives
 Federalism – the sharing of
power between states and the
federal government
 If anybody were to be
recognized as the “father of
the US government” it would
be Alexander Hamilton
The United States Constitution
• Ratification
 Some states ratified quickly
 Some feared this new government
would become as oppressive as the
British one
 To allay these fears, the Bill of
Rights (first ten amendments) was
added to the Constitution
 New York was still undecided
 Essays were published to sway the
vote – those advocating ratification
were called the Federalist Papers,
those against were called the AntiFederalist Papers
The United States Constitution
1789