AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT:
DECLARATION
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DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
 The declaration and intent to separate from Great Britain
 Grievances against Great Britain, specifically the King, King George
 Appeal for equality, freedom, and to “the opinions of all mankind”
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DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
 The declaration of opinions, views, ideology, and intent; a type of
“Manifesto”
 Unalienable rights – the rights to which all people are entitled, according
to the “laws of nature” and the “Creator”
 Just powers: the authority of the government over its citizens, derived
only from the consent of the governed.
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DECLARATION
 Tyranny, and despotism: abuses and usurpations by a government of its
citizens’ rights
 Separate and Equal Station: the desirable relationship between “free and
independent states.”
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DECLARATION
 Grievances against the king: he suspended the people’s right to
legislative representation, he swayed the system of justice in his favor, he
interfered with free trade and immigration laws.
 The appeal of the Declaration: emigration and settlement, common
kinship, justice
 The British Brethren refers to the king and those in power in Great
Britain.
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DECLARATION
 Conduct of trade, formation of alliances are the power of the free and
independent states.
 The British monarchy proved to be a tyranny, and accumulation of
power
 Commerce with other nations was essential for the survival of the
colonies, they wanted recognition and right to allies of their own.
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DECLARATION
 Officially signed on June 28, 1776, presented to the Continental
Congress, revisions and editing occurred on July 2, 1776 and the final
version was passed on July 4. 56 members signed the embossed version
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THE CONSTITUTION
 Articles of Confederation: 1776 prelude to 1787 Constitution
 Constitutional convention: 1787 to revise the Articles
 Federal System: a division of authority between the national
government and the states
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THE CONSTITUTION
 The most important provision of the Constitution is the separation of
powers of the U.S. government.
 The president of the Constitutional Convention was George
Washington.
 Slavery was not a concern of the Constitution in its original form.
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THE CONSTITUTION
 Provided a centralizing force for unity among the new states.
 Provided a government adequate to prevent foreign invasion, prevent
dissension among the states, provide for national development and give
the national government power.
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THE CONSTITUTION
Rules of the American political game that places limits and creates control
of government.
The fundamental laws of our nation.
Defines the powers of government, specifies offices to be filled, authority
that each exercises, sets limitations to government authority.
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THE CONSTITUTION

1.
2.
Sets two kinds of limits on the power of the majority:
Absolute: there are certain things the majority cannot do,
no matter how large. Congress may not pass a law that
makes an individual guilty without a trial.
Conditional: There are certain things a majority can do
only if it is an extraordinary majority with greater than
50% of the votes: example: Congress may propose a
constitutional amendment only if 2/3 of each house votes
in favor of it.
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THE CONSTITUTION
 Oversees: The President, Congress: The House of Representatives and
Senate, The Supreme Court
 The framers of the Constitution believed that people seek power
because they are by nature greedy, ambitious, and easily corrupted.
 A strong national government was essential during a time of turmoil,
fear, uncertainty
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CONSTITUTION
 The problem was preservation of individual liberty,and
the preservation of order.
 The Constitution came from English legal heritage, yet
England had no Constitution. The idea of “natural
rights”
 The Constitution came from the American models of
the colonial and state government.
 The Constitution came from experience with the
Articles of Confederation.
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CONSTITUTION
 Insured that small states would not be dominated by larger states.
 Assisted in the creation of a REPUBLIC which is a government in which
a system of representatives operate, elected directly by the people;
distribution and separation of power, shared power.
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CONSTITUTION
 First Continental Congress, 1774
 Second Continental Congress, 1775
 Declaration of Independence, 1776
 Articles of Confederation: 1781-1787
 Constitution, Philadelphia, May 1787
 Constitution Convention May 25-Sept. 17, 1787
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CONSTITUTION
 The issue of slavery was a central issue in the Constitution that was not
addressed until after the Civil War – Amendment 13: 1865 which makes
slavery illegal in the U.S.
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