Transcript Foundations of Georgia Government

Foundations of
American Government
After the Revolutionary War Ended...
Adopted a 1st
Constitution called
ARTICLES OF
CONFEDERATION
Laid the foundation for
a workable government
Articles of Confederation
Articles
• Series of
Provisions or
Sections
• Partnership of
Confederation Independent,
Equal States
• A loose union of
sovereign states in which
the central government
is given limited powers
Founding Fathers/Framers
Wanted to make sure that their new
government would be very different
from the government of Great Britain
Articles of Confederation
 Represent the first constitutional agreement made between the
13 American states
 Determined the relative powers of the individual states
 Submitted to the Second Continental Congress on July 12,
1776, 8 days after the signing of the Declaration of
Independence
 Ratified in 1781
 Intentionally Established a
Weak National Government
Pros
Cons
 Nation’s 1st Constitution
 Most Power Was Held by
 Gave the 13 States a Basis
the States
 No Executive Branch
 No Judicial Branch
 No System of Checks &
Balances
 No Power to Tax
 No Power to Regulate
Interstate Trade
for Uniting During the
War for Independence
Problems
Congress
could not pay
colonial
soldiers
Each state had
its own money
system
National
Government
was powerless
British
reoccupied
some of the
forts in the
Northwest
Territory
Foreign
countries had
little respect
for the new
country
Reaction
George Washington and others were alarmed at
what was happening...
Some
Others
Openly Called
for Change
Called for a
Return to a
Monarchy
Constitutional Convention
A movement began to examine and
revise the Articles of Confederation.
Constitutional Convention
February 1787
Independence Hall
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
George Washington was elected to preside.
Convention Delegates
 77 delegates were named to attend, but only 55 actually
attended
 well-educated
 wealthy land owners
 41 had served in the
Continental Congress
 others had served in
state government
 8 were Governors
 relatively young /average age = 42 (many were under 30)
 Every state represented except Rhode Island
Georgia’s Delegates
William Few
Abraham Baldwin
William Pierce & William Houston also attended
but did not sign the Constitution
Shhh!!!!
The Convention was so secret that a full
account of what went on there was not
made public until almost 60 years later.
A Republican Form of Government
The delegates put
personal feelings aside
and worked together to
create a form of
government for ALL
people...
A form of government
that has guided the
United States for over 200
years!
Great Seal of the United States
Symbol of the Nation
Where to Start?
 Discussed theories and ideas from the past
 Read the writings of philosophers
 Studied ancient Roman government
the common people &
aristocracy shared
political power and were
able to govern themselves
without a king
Republic = provided
for the common
welfare of its citizens
James Madison provided a clear image...
Known as Father of the Constitution
• All the powers of
government are
given to the
people.
POWER
PEOPLE
• The people elect
representatives
to make the
laws.
• The people run
the country.
GOVERN
Republic = representative democracy which gets its right to
govern from the people it governs.
Two Major Plans...
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Representation Based on Population
All States Would Have Same Equal
Representation Regardless of Population
3 Branches of Government:
1) Legislative – 2 Houses
House of Representatives = elected
directly by the people of each state.
Senate = elected by the members of the
House of Representatives from persons
nominated by each state legislature
2) Judicial
3) Executive
Congress would have a 1 house legislature
Levy Taxes
Control interstate and foreign trade
Make laws and treaties with foreign
nations
State laws could not override the laws made
by national Congress
Executive Branch = composed of several
persons selected by Congress
Appoint a Supreme Court, which would
have the power to handle conflicts
The Great Compromise
Bicameral
Congress
House of
Representatives
Senate
Proportional
Representation
Equal
Representation
Georgia’s Role
in the Constitutional Convention
 When a vote was called on July 2, the small
states threatened to walk out if they lost.
 Vote was very close.
 Georgia’s interests were with the large
states, but no one wanted the small
states to leave.
 The large states led the vote by one.
 Abraham Baldwin was the last to vote...
Baldwin’s Important Role
Baldwin broke ranks to
vote with the small
states.
The result was tie!
In so doing, he was
instrumental in bringing
about the compromise.
3/5 Compromise
 Slaves were a large percentage of
the population in the south.
 Debate over Slaves Votes
 Northern States = Did not want
to count slaves because that would
give the southern states more
control.
3/5 Compromise = total number of free persons would
be counted, but only 3/5 of all other persons (slaves)
would be counted.
Georgia Slaves in 1790
30000
25000
20000
15000
# Counted
10000
5000
Total
0
Slaves
Who Should Elect the President?
The Citizens or Congress??? -- Created an Electoral College
 Each state was allowed to select as many “electors” as it had
members in Congress (House and Senate)
 Electors would be allowed to vote for two people.
 Person who received highest number of votes would be named
president.
 Person who received the second highest number of votes would
be named vice president.
 People would be indirectly selecting the president and vice
president because their state representatives would choose
people to vote on their behalf.
 Today, there are a total of 538 electoral votes in the Electoral
College.
 Every 10 years, the 435 U.S. Representatives are reapportioned
among the states in accordance with the latest federal census,
thereby automatically reapportioning the membership of the
Electoral College.
Ratification (Approval)
Approved by
Delegates
September 17, 1787
Federalists =
Supported a
Strong National
Government
Sent to States for
Ratification on
September 28, 1787
Anti-federalists =
Opposed a Strong
National
Government
Bill of Rights
First 10 Amendments were added
so that citizens’ individual rights be
specifically protected in the new
Constitution.
9 States had to ratify the
Constitution before it could
become the official
Constitution.
 Delaware was the first.
 Georgia was the fourth.
Why Did Georgia Ratify So Quickly?
 The Articles of Confederation had failed to create an
effective national government for the new nation.
 Georgia needed the protection that a strong national
government could provide against the Indian
population.
 With promises of a Bill of Rights and the compromises
in the constitution, individual liberties would be
protected, and the national government would not be
too strong.
 There was also a potential threat from Spain.
First Amendment
Freedom of
religion, of
speech, of the
press, and the
right to assemble
and petition
government.
Second Amendment
Right to keep and bear arms.
Third Amendment
Prohibits stationing of troops in
homes without consent.
Fourth Amendment
Protects against
unreasonable
searches and
seizures and
requires probable
cause for search
warrants.
Fifth Amendment
Establishes grand
jury; protects
against double
jeopardy and selfincrimination;
guarantees due
process and eminent
domain.
Sixth Amendment
Ensures right to
speedy trial, to
be informed of
charges against
defendant, to
counsel.
Seventh Amendment
Provides for trial by jury.
Eighth Amendment
Prohibits excessive bail or fines
and prohibits cruel and unusual
punishment.
Ninth Amendment
Does not deny people any rights
that are not specifically
mentioned in the Constitution.
Tenth Amendment
Gives the states or the people all
powers not specifically granted
to Congress or denied to states.
The United States Constitution
1,800 words
Been changed only 27
times since first adopted
Written in a very terse
(brief) general style
A living document – can
be changed/amended
Parts of the Constitution
Preamble
Articles
Signatures
Amendments
Overall...
 The Constitution is the highest law in the US.
 All other laws come from the Constitution in some
way.
 It provides a framework for the government of the
United States.
 It creates the Presidency, the Congress, and the
Supreme Court.
 Each state has its own constitution that is the
highest law for the state - but even then, the
United States Constitution is higher.
Principles of the U.S. Government
Sovereignty
Federalism
The national government and state
governments share authority over the
same territory and same people.
Checks and
Balances
Ensures that no one branch
becomes too powerful.
Idea of supreme power or
source of authority; power
rests with the citizens.
Constitutionalism
Representatives are bound by
the US and state constitutions.
Separation of
Powers
Three branches of government
with separate duties.
The Nation’s First President
George Washington