Cato’s Letters
English Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact
Collection of Good Ideas
Colonial
Influences
Where did America get its ideas about
government? Please pick up 2 sheets out
of bellwork box.
Back to the beginning
• Aristotle:
o Greece, 300’s BC, student of Plato
o Philosophy school, called the
Lyceum in Athens
o author of “Aristotle’s Politics,” a series
of essays on government
o Citizens: all should share in the civic
life of ruling and being ruled in turn
“Right” and “Wrong”
constitutions
• Kingship
• Vs. Tyranny
• Aristocracy
• Vs. Oligarchy
• Polity
• Vs. Democracy
What’s the ideal
government?
• According to Aristotle, can
government succeed in a
democracy?
• We must examine his words to explain
his position…..
• Do Aristotle Activity
What’s the Big Idea
• Bellwork: Get a sheet from box
• 1. On the back of that paper, explain
what Aristotle believed to be the ideal
government.
• 2. Do the handout on “big ideas.”
•
•
•
•
•
Aristotle stated that “the rule of law . . . is preferable to that of any individual.”
This is because individuals possess flaws and could tailor government to their
own individual interests, whereas the rule of law is objective.
[H]e who bids the law rule may be deemed to bid God and Reason alone
rule, but he who bids man rule adds an element of the beast; for desire is a
wild beast, and passion perverts the minds of rulers, even when they are the
best of men. The law is reason unaffected by desire.
Rulers must be “the servants of the laws,” because “law is order, and good
law is good order.”
In addition to law, Aristotle believed a large middle class would protect
against the excesses of oligarchy and democracy:
[T]he best political community is formed by citizens of the middle class, and
that those states are likely to be well-administered in which the middle class is
large, and stronger if possible than both the other classes . . . ; for the addition
of the middle class turns the scale, and prevents either of the extremes from
being dominant.
• SUMMARY: a polity, a mix of an aristocracy with
some sense of democracy
What’s the big idea?
• Rule of Law
o All people must follow the laws, and the laws should be enforced
fairly.
• Self Government
o People can make decisions on how their government should work.
• Due Process
o People have the right to fair and reasonable laws. Officials have to
follow rules when enforcing laws and need to treat all people in the
same way.
• Limited Government
o A government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or
written agreement.
• Rights
o A set of things that people believe they should be free to do without
restrictions.
Colonial Influences
• Examine the following 5 influences
on the writers of our Constitution
o Activity
Magna Carta
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a
government document that
limited the power of the king of
England and protected the rights
of the nobility. It was written by the
English nobility in 1215.
Big Ideas:
• Limited Government
• Rights
• Rule of Law
• Due Process
• King John (think Robin Hood…) vs. the
barons/nobility
• At issue: high taxes (to pay for wars and such) and
abuse of power
• Tussle with the Pope
• Barons approach King with demands; he refuses.
Could have led to civil war.
• To prevent, King agrees to meeting at
Runnymeade.
The Great Charter
• “no free man arrested or
imprisoned or (property taken)
….without the lawful judgment of
his peers or by the law of the land”
• Translation:
Mayflower Compact
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
The Mayflower Compact was an
agreement between individuals that
created a government that would provide
order and protect the rights of the colonists.
It was written by a group of English Puritans
as they traveled to Massachusetts in 1620.
Big Ideas:
• Self Government
• Rule of Law
The Compact
• "Modern" version
In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are
underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread
Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of
the Faith, etc.:
• Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and
advancements of the Christian faith, and the honor
of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first
colony in the Northern parts of Virginia; do by these
presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of
God, and one another; covenant and combine
ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our
better ordering, and preservation and furtherance
of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to
enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal
laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices,
from time to time, as shall be thought most meet
and convenient for the general good of the colony;
unto which we promise all due submission and
obedience.
• In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed
our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in
the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King
James, of England, France, and Ireland, the
eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620.
English Bill of Rights
English Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
The English Bill of Rights was a government
document that expanded the powers of
the English Parliament and expanded the
rights of the people, as well as further limited
the rights of the king. It was written by the
members of the English Parliament in 1689.
Big Ideas:
• Limited Government
• Rights
• Due Process
• Rule of Law
Cato’s Letters
Cato’s Letters
English Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
Cato’s Letters were made up of a collection
of newspaper articles published to convince
people to support the freedom of
expression and to fight against the heavy
handed rule of the British government. They
were written by two anonymous English
journalists in the 1720’s.
Big Ideas:
• Rights
• Rule of Law
Common Sense
Common Sense
Cato’s Letters
English Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
Common Sense was a pamphlet
written to convince the
American colonists to support
becoming independent from
England. It was written by a
colonial journalist and circulated
in 1776.
Big Ideas:
• Self Government
• Rights
Excerpt from
Common Sense
• Why was this so influential in the colonies?
• What points does he make?
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
The movers and shakers in the colonial
period spent a lot of time thinking about
these big ideas, and how to put them into
practice.
Give it a try yourself by matching each
aspect of the U.S. Constitution to the big
ideas that you just learned about.
Handout
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
A
“This Constitution and the laws of the United States ... shall be the supreme law of
the land.” All government officials “shall be bound by an oath to support this
constitution.”
U.S. Constitution, Article VI
Self– Government:
popular or representative
system where the people
create and run their own
government
Rule of Law: the idea that
all people must follow the
laws, and that the laws are
enforced fairly
Due Process: People have the
right to fair and reasonable laws.
Officials have to follow rules
when enforcing the laws and to
treat all people in the same way.
Rights: A set of things that
people believe they should
be free to do without
restrictions
A
Limited Government: the
power of government is
limited by the Constitution,
and each branch is limited
in what it can do
B
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
The first ten amendments in the Bill of Rights guarantees certain rights and freedoms
that include:
•Freedom of speech, the press, and religion
•Right to petition the government and to bear arms
•Prohibition of excessive bail or fines, or cruel and unusual punishments for crimes
Self– Government:
popular or representative
system where the people
create and run their own
government
Rule of Law: the idea that
all people must follow the
laws, and that the laws are
enforced fairly
Due Process: People have the
right to fair and reasonable laws.
Officials have to follow rules
when enforcing the laws and to
treat all people in the same way.
Rights: A set of things that
people believe they should
be free to do without
restrictions
B
Limited Government: the
power of government is
limited by the Constitution,
and each branch is limited
in what it can do
C
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
The U.S. Constitution created three branches of government. Each branch is given the
power to check, or limit the power of the other two. The system of checks and balances
keeps any one branch from getting too powerful.
Self– Government:
popular or representative
system where the people
create and run their own
government
Rule of Law: the idea that
all people must follow the
laws, and that the laws are
enforced fairly
Due Process: People have the
right to fair and reasonable laws.
Officials have to follow rules
when enforcing the laws and to
treat all people in the same way.
Rights: A set of things that
people believe they should
be free to do without
restrictions
Limited Government: the
power of government is
limited by the Constitution,
and each branch is limited
in what it can do
C
D
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
“ No person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”
U.S. Constitution, 5th Amendment
Self– Government:
popular or representative
system where the people
create and run their own
government
Rule of Law: the idea that
all people must follow the
laws, and that the laws are
enforced fairly
Due Process: People have the
right to fair and reasonable laws.
Officials have to follow rules
when enforcing the laws and to
treat all people in the same way.
Rights: A set of things that
people believe they should
be free to do without
restrictions
D
Limited Government: the
power of government is
limited by the Constitution,
and each branch is limited
in what it can do
E
From Big Ideas to the
Constitution
“WE THE PEOPLE of the United States...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.”
Preamble to the Constitution, 1787
Self– Government:
popular or representative
system where the people
create and run their own
government
E
Rule of Law: the idea that
all people must follow the
laws, and that the laws are
enforced fairly
Due Process: People have the
right to fair and reasonable laws.
Officials have to follow rules
when enforcing the laws and to
treat all people in the same way.
Rights: A set of things that
people believe they should
be free to do without
restrictions
Limited Government: the
power of government is
limited by the Constitution,
and each branch is limited
in what it can do
Bellwork Quiz on a ½ sheet of paper:
Name the terms for the following ideas
• 1. The idea that people can make decisions on
how their government should work.
• 2. The idea that there are things people should be
free to do without restrictions.
• 3. The idea that people have the right to fair and
reasonable laws that should treat all people the
same way.
• 4. The idea that all people must follow the laws.
• 5. The idea that government should be limited in
power by a constitution.
nd
2
First try:
Continental
Congress
• States loyal to states first.
• From what government are they just becoming
independent?
o Very wary of a strong, central government.
• The Articles of Confederation—
o 1 state=1 delegate
o Went into effect 1777; not approved until 1781
o WHY?
• It took 9 of 13 states to approve any law (or ratification)
• Limited power to regulate trade between states. So states could
impose tariffs (taxes) on imported goods=strained relationships.
• Congress not given power to levy taxes (could only borrow or beg!)
o A war to pay for!!
Final Straw
• Shay’s Rebellion
• A weak national government might just be less bad
than a strong national government!
• Back to the drawing board in 1787.
• Delegates called to Philadelphia May, 1787
Federalism:
• The leaders spent the next several years debating
the merit of a strong, national government.
• Federalists vs. AntiFederalists
• Read either:
o Pg. 1 of Federalists & Antifederalists—summarize both positions on your
notes
o OR
o The Federalist Papers
Exit Slip
• Which position do you agree
with, the Federalists or
AntiFederalists? Explain why.
Bellwork
• Translate the Preamble to
the Constitution.
oPut it in your own words.
The Preamble
We the People of the United States,
in order to form a more perfect union
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,
do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of
America.
Review
• Federalists vs.
• AntiFederalists
• Major issues:
o Representation
o States’ power vs. strong, central
gov’t
o Personal liberties
Review:
• http://www.history.com/topics/constitution/videos#
america-gets-a-constitution
• http://www.hippocampus.org/HippoCampus/Histor
y%20%26%20Government;jsessionid=72F21C0A8675B
272CB5EBEA96759C2EF
• Why didn’t the Articles work?
• What is the Great Compromise?
• What is the 3/5 Compromise?
Anatomy of the
Constitution
• The principles of the Constitution
• What are they?
o Follow along and add these
principles to your notes
o http://www.hippocampus.org/Hippo
Campus/History%20%26%20Governm
ent;jsessionid=72F21C0A8675B272CB
5EBEA96759C2EF
The Articles
• Follow along in your packet and highlight/make
notes of what he covers in:
• http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/theus-constitution-preamble-articles-andamendments.html
Assignment
• Examples:
• http://www.teachnology.com/worksheets/soc_studies/constit/1/
• http://www.cyberlearningworld.com/lessons/oct6usg.htm
• http://www.cyberlearningworld.com/lessons/checks_and_balances_flow_cha
rt.htm
• http://aventalearning.com/content168staging/2008
KMSSocStudies8/SemA/lesson10/html/page_19.html