Constitutional Democracy:
Promoting Liberty and SelfGovernment
Chapter 2
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Promoting Liberty & SelfGovernment

Limited Government
 Strict
limits on lawful uses of power
 Limits on depriving people of liberty

Self-Government
 People
are source and beneficiary of
governing authority
 Majority rule
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Before the Constitution

The Rights of Englishmen


Rights including life, liberty and property
to which all people are entitled
Declaration of Independence
A
call to revolution liberty, equality,
individual rights, self-government, lawful
powers

Articles of Confederation
 Created
weak national government
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Before the Constitution

Acts of Defiance
 “No
Taxation without Representation”
 Boston
 “Shot
Tea Party
Heard ‘Round the World”
 “Common
Sense”
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The Declaration of Independence

John Locke: “Two Treatises of
Government” (1690)
 Inalienable
 Life,
(natural) Rights
Liberty, and Property
 Government
rights
has responsibility to preserve
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Articles of Confederation
Adopted during the Revolutionary War
 Created weak national government
 States retained “sovereignty, freedom and
independence”
 Prohibited Congress from interfering in
states’ commerce policies
 Prohibited Congress from taxation

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Shay’s Rebellion
Weakened CongressNation Dissolving
 Farmers, led by Daniel Shays, marched to
prevent foreclosures on their land and
cattle
 Motivated Congress to meet in
Philadelphia to revise Articles of
Confederation

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The Great Compromise

Two-Chamber Congress: A Compromise
 Virginia
(large-state) Plan
 Representation dependent upon
population number
 Greater power to larger state
 New
Jersey (small-state) Plan
 Each state would have one vote
 Equal power to large and small states
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The Issue of Slavery

North-South Compromise
 Agreement
issues
to settle differences over economic
 Congress
agreed not to outlaw slavery
 Congress
agreed not to tax exports, only
imports
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Ratification of the Constitution

Federalists=Proponents of the Constitution

Anti-Federalists=Against a strong national
government

Delaware was first state to ratify
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The Framers’ Goals

Government strong enough to meet the
country’s needs

Government not threatening existence of
the separate states
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The Framers’ Goals

Government not threatening liberty

Government based on popular consent
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© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Grants and Denials of Power

Grants of Power
 Limiting
government by stating specific
powers in the Constitution
 Total of seventeen powers

Denials of Power
 Limiting
government by stating specific
prohibitions in the Constitution
 Proposals of amendments
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Sharing Power
Divide the authority of the government
 Shared InstitutionsChecks & Balances

 Shared
Legislative Powers: Congress checked
by the president, Supreme Court
 Shared Executive Powers: President checked
by Congress
 Shared Judicial Powers: Courts checked by
the president, Congress
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Bill of Rights

First ten amendments to Constitution

Protects rights of citizens, such as:
 Freedom
 Trial
of speech
by jury of peers and legal counsel
 Freedom
of religion
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Judicial Review

Courts determine if governmental
institution is acting within its constitutional
powers

Court action can be declared null and void
if actions not within its powers
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Limits on Government in the
Constitution






Grants/Denials of power
Separated institutions sharing power
Federalism
Bill of Rights
Judicial Review
Elections
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Providing for Self-Government

Democracy/Republic
 People
rule, either directly or through
elected representatives

Representative Democracy
 People
participate indirectly in process of
government through election of officials
Trustees
 Elected representatives determine the best
interests of the public
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Altering the Constitution

Jeffersonian Democracy
 Government

Jacksonian Democracy
 Voters
college

belonged to all, not just elite
choose president through electoral
The Progressives
 Direct
election of senators
 Delegates carry out wishes of the voters
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Constitutional Democracy Today

Constitutional: Provides for minority rights
and rule by law

Democracy: Provides for majority
influence via elections
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Should Congress have Term
Limits?

Pro:
 Career
politicians—good or bad?
 Re-elected reps may lose touch with their
constituents

Con:
 Elections
are best way to limit a term
 Term limits are unconstitutional—yes/no?
 Is there really a problem needing fixing?
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.