A New Nation
A New Nation
• What are the responsibilities of a country?
• What does a country do?
• What are some of the things that the new
United States must do that it didn’t have to
worry about when it was a group of colonies
under British control?
New Responsibilities
• So we’ve discussed the new responsibilities
that comes with our new freedom
• Now it’s time to create our government
• Government—a way in which a group is
organized, its laws, its values, etc.
Group Work
Your group is responsible for creating a brand
new government that is in charge of everything
that you want it be in charge of in your new
society. What type of government will it be?
Who will be in charge? What laws will you
have? What rights do people have? What are
the punishments? Don’t leave anything out!
Things to consider:
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Type of government?
How it is run?
Who has the power?
Rules/Responsibilities?
Basic rights of
individuals?
• Punishments?
• Voting? Dictatorship?
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Trade?
Who makes laws?
Who enforces laws?
Army?
Taxes?
Possible changes?
War?
What do you value?
Government Gauntlet
• Mr. Forney will throw some scenarios at you
and you need to see whether or not the
government that you created can handle the
problem that is posed.
• Good luck!
War!
• You’re country is attacked by another country!
Do you have a means to protect your country
and its citizens?
New Laws
• Is there a way to make new laws in your
country?
Enforcement
• Who is in charge of enforcing the laws that
you have? Is there a police force?
A court system?
• Do you have a court system? Do you have a
way to determine the guilt or innocence of
people or are they all guilty if charged?
Debt
• The country is in debt. Do you have a way to
get out of it?
Murder
• Someone commits murder in your country.
What will happen next?
Death
• The leader of your country dies. What will
happen next?
Basic Rights
• What basic rights do citizens of your country
have?
Punishments
• Are people aware of the punishments if laws
are broken?
Trade
• Will you trade with other countries?
Overall Grade
• Based on what you see, what overall grade
would you give your government and why?
A New Government—The Articles of
Confederation (AOC)
Things to remember:
-the colonists feared strong central government
-each state wanted to control themselves
-there are benefits of coming together
The AOC
• First government of the USA
• What is a confederation (confederacy)?
• A. Loose collection of states
• B. All states equal in power
• C. States have all power, national government
only has power that states give it
• D. Diagram—from board, draw in notebook
Problems of the AOC
• Homework page
• Are these really “problems?”
Shay’s Rebellion
• Farmer’s uprising that showed the national
government couldn’t protect the people
• Do the articles need changing?
Annapolis Convention
• Meeting to change the Articles
• Not enough states showed up
• Decided to meet later in Philadelphia to either
change the Articles or get a new government
altogether
Constitutional Convention
• Meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 where it was
decided to get rid of the Articles and create a
brand new government
Constitutional Convention
• Not all states agree as to how this new
government should look
• Debate and compromises
• Main arguments between Federalists and
Anti-Federalists
Debate?
• Federalists
– Those who favor ratification of the new
Constitution
– Strong Central government
– James Madison, Ben Franklin
• Anti-Federalists
– Those who were against ratification of the new
Constitution
– Wanted a Bill of Rights
– Thomas Jefferson
Three Main Compromises
1. Great Compromise
2. 3/5 Compromise
3. Slave Trade Compromise
Using books, answer the following:
A. What’s the issue?
B. What was decided?
C. Who did it favor?
D. Who did it hurt?
Timeline
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Dec 7, 1787—Delaware ratifies Constitution
June, 1788—9th state (VT) ratifies
January, 1789—Washington elected president
May 29, 1790—all states ratify
December, 1791—10 Amendments (Bill of
Rights) are added
Reading the Constitution
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The Red pages in your book
Inside (spine) = actual text
Outside (edges, brown) = translated text
Crossed out parts = changes to the original
Constitution that are no longer used
It’s like an outline:
• Constitution is written using the following:
I. Articles
1. Sections
1.
Clauses
There are seven Articles to the Constitution
I. Legislative Branch
II. Executive Branch
III. Judicial Branch
IV. Relations Among States
V. How to Amend the Constitution
VI. National Supremacy
VII. Ratification of the Constitution
Find the following:
• 1. Article I, Section 2, Clause 2
• 2. Article II, Section 1, Clause 1
• 3. Article III, Section 1, Clause 1
• 4. Qualifications to be in the Senate
• 5. Qualifications to be president
The Three Branches
• Legislative—makes the laws
– Made up of Congress
• House of Representatives
• Senate
The Three Branches
• Judicial—interprets the law
– Headed by the Supreme Court
The Three Branches
• Executive—Enforces the law
– Lead by the President
The Legislative Branch
Article I
• The law making branch
• Congress
– Senate—100 members (2 from each state)
– House of Representatives—435 members (ranging
from 1-53 from each state)
What are the qualifications to be in the Senate and
the House?
How a Bill Becomes a Law
• We will watch “I’m Just a Bill” twice
• Write down the steps of how a bill becomes a
law
The Executive Branch
• Headed by the President of the United States
-Made of a Cabinet
-Group of people who advise the president
-Cabinet leaders are called secretaries
-They are in charge of departments
-President elected by the Electoral College!!
The Judicial Branch
• Lead by the Supreme Court
– 9 members
– Have power of “Judicial Review”
• To declare a law unconstitutional
“No Vehicles in the Park”
• The town of Owlville had a park that was
being overrun by vehicles of all types. To
make the park a place where residents might
find peace and enjoyment, the town leaders
put up a sign that said “No Vehicles in the
Park.” While the law seems clear, there has
been some disputes over the interpretation of
the law. Decide the following cases taking into
account both the letter and intention of the
law.
• John lives on one side of town and works on
the other. He will save ten minutes if he
drives through the park.
• To keep the park clean, there are trash cans
located throughout the park. The sanitation
department wants to drive a garbage truck
into the park to collect the garbage.
• Two police officers are chasing a suspected
bank robber. If one cuts through the park,
he/she can cut off the bank robber on the
other side.
• An ambulance has a dying car accident victim
in the back. The shortest way to the hospital
is through the park.
• Some of the children want to ride their bikes
in the park. What about skateboarders?
• Mrs. Smith wants to take a walk in the park
with her child in a baby stroller.
• A tank has been donated to the park to
commemorate the town’s war veterans. Can
it be placed in the park?
• A horse and buggy ride has been proposed to
carry people through the park to help boost
tourism.
Key Ideas that makes it all work:
1. Federalism
—organization of power that is opposite the
Articles of Confederation
– See diagram on board
Key Ideas Continued….
2. Separation of Powers
--dividing the power of government among
three different branches
Key Ideas Again….
3. Checks and Balances
--when the three branches have certain powers
over the other two
-look at handout
Oath of Citizenship
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure
all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or
sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;
that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true
faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United
States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in
the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will
perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required
by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
Which of the following is an obligation of a citizen according to the Oath of Citizenship
above?
a. To vote
b. To serve on a jury
c. To defend the nation
d. To be informed
Which of the following is NOT A RESPONSIBILITY of citizenship in the United States?
a. To serve on a jury
b. To obtain a driver’s license
c. To vote
d. Obey the law
Essential Questions
• How does conflict and compromise lead to a balance of
power?
• How does the Constitution limit government power
and protect people?
• How do people protect their rights in a democratic
society?
• Should national, state, and local governments all be
allowed to tax you?
Reflection Questions
• 1. List three things you learned about the government and/or the
Constitution during this simulation?
• 2. Were you successful in the simulation? Why/why not?
• 3. What was the most challenging part of the activity?
• 4. Identify the two checks and balances used in the simulation.
• 5. Why might you vote to pass a bill of the opposite party? What
happened when you or someone in your party voted for a bill of the
opposite party?
• 6. How can a minority party still achieve its goals in Congress?
• 7. If we started playing this game again tomorrow from the beginning,
what would you do differently?