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Colonization of North America was due to the
trading initiative of commercial companies
and the religious intolerance in the mother
country
The first colony was Virginia (established by
the London Company in 1607)
Despite malaria, famine and the hostility of
the Indians, the colony gradually flourished
as a result of tobacco culture and grants of
land to individual colonists
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In 1620, 102 ‘Pilgrim fathers’ (Puritans
persecuted in England) sailed in the
Mayflower to the New World and landed on
the coast of Massachussets
The Mayflower Compact, drawn up for
government in the new settlement, provided
for the first democracy in America
The first settlements: Salem and Boston
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Religious intolerance caused many settlers to
leave and found new colonies (Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New Hampshire)
Proprietary colonies granted by the English
king to individuals (Maryland, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey)
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Conflict with Parliament because of taxation
imposed (‘no taxation without
representation’)
The Boston Tea Party (1773)
In 1774 (First Continental Congress)
representatives of colonies petitioned King
George III to repeal acts that were imposing
severe taxes on them, but the King refused
This led to American Revolutionary War
(1775-1783)
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A new nation:
In 1776 there were 13 weak British colonies
in America (Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina,
North Carolina New Hampshire, Rhode Island)
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The Declaration of Independence, 1776
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness.”
Mainly written by Thomas Jefferson
American colonists acted to win rights they felt had
been denied them as English subjects
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November 15, 1777 - Congress adopts the
Articles of Confederation as the government
of the new United States of America, pending
ratification by the individual states. Under the
Articles, Congress is the sole authority of the
new national government.
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The Treaty of Paris of 1783, negotiated
between the United States and Great Britain,
ended the revolutionary war and recognized
American independence.
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Under The Articles of Confederation it was a
loose union of 13 states; the central
government was too weak with too few
powers
In 1787, at the initiative of Virginia, 55
delegates from the States met in Philadelphia
to revise the Articles
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The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan
‘The Great Compromise’
Instead they wrote a completely new
document, the Constitution
Adopted by the thirteen states by 1790
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Drafted by James Madison, and presented by
Edmund Randolph to the Constitutional
Convention on May 29, 1787, the Virginia
Plan proposed a strong central government
composed of three branches: legislative
(bicameral, proportional representation),
executive and judicial (appointed by the
legislature)
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After two weeks of debating the Virginia Plan, a
counterproposal was put forth by William
Patterson, which has become known as the New
Jersey Plan (or the Small State Plan or the Patterson
Plan). Patterson's ideas amounted to no more than
a simple reshaping of the Articles of Confederation.
The plan once again offered the idea of a
unicameral (one house) legislature in which all
states would have an equal number of votes.
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The oldest Constitution still in force
Sets the basic form of government: three
separate branches, each one having powers
(“checks and balances”) over the others
Specifies the powers and duties of each
federal branch of government
The ultimate power is given to the people
“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.”
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The first ten Constitutional Amendments
Fundamental rights of any American
The freedom of religion, speech, press, the
rights of peaceful assembly, the right of trial
by jury
These rights cannot be taken away by any
government or court
1. Freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly. Also, the
right to petition the government.
2. Right to bear arms.
3. Troops may not be quartered in homes in peacetime.
4. No unreasonable searches or seizures.
5. Numerous protections against court action including
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Grand jury indictment required for serious crimes.
No Double Jeopardy.
A person cannot be forced to testify against themselves.
No loss of life, liberty, or property without due process.
6. Right to a speedy, public, and impartial trial.
7. Jury trials are required in civil suits where value
exceeds $20.
8. No excessive bail or fines and no cruel or unusual
punishments.
9. Rights not listed are not necessarily denied.
10. Powers not given expressly to the United States or
denied to the states themselves are reserved to
the states.
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The legislative branch of the federal government
Article I of the Constitution: “All legislative power
herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the
United States, which shall consist of a Senate and
House of Representatives.”
The Senate (100 Senators, two from each state) and
the House of Representatives (435 elected
members who represent the population of
“congressional districts”)
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Congress makes all laws, decides about taxes
and how money is spent
It regulates commerce among the states and
with foreign countries
It sets rules for the naturalization of foreign
citizens
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Elected every four years to a four-year term of
office
Powers of the President: in the executive sphere Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the
effective source of administrative power, directs
the negotiation of treaties, nominates all important
executive officers
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In the legislative sphere: proposes legislation
to Congress, can veto legislation already
passed by Congress, can call it for special
sessions and adress it by message or in
person
In the judicial sphere: nominates to all the
more important offices in the judicial branch,
inclusing the Supreme Court
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A form of political organization in which the
exercise of power is divided between two levels of
government: the nation and the states
Exclusively national powers: foreign relations –
declaring wars and making treaties; protecting a
uniform monetary system - control of the power to
coin money
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State powers: all powers not delegated to the
federal government (the Tenth Amendment)
Concurrent powers: powers shared by both
levels, such as levying taxes and regulating
commerce
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The main instrument – the Supreme Court,
which watches over the executive and
legislative branch
It determines whether their laws and acts are
in accordance with the Constitution
Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices
11 federal courts of appeal
91 federal district courts
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The Constitution’s Framers set out a
government in which no person or branch of
government could become all-powerful
They divided the powers among lawmakers,
judges and a chief executive
Each group can balance and check other’s
powers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0XNgH1R
mIU
 Complete the following:
The legislative branch _________ the law.
The executive branch _________ the law.
The judicial branch __________ the law.
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Which are powers of the Senate?
Who can become a Senator?
government, federal, states, powers, constitution,
elective, cities, laws
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The United States of America is a ___________ union
of 50 states. The ____________ outlines the
structure of the national ______________ and
specifies its ______________ and activities. Other
governmental activities are the responsibility of the
individual ________________, which have their own
constitutions and _____________. Within each state
are counties, townships, ___________ and villages,
each of which has its own _________________
government.
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The United States of America is a FEDERAL union of
50 states. The CONSTITUTION outlines the
structure of the national GOVERNMENT and
specifies its POWERS and activities. Other
governmental activities are the responsibility of the
individual STATES, which have their own
constitutions and LAWS. Within each state are
counties, townships, CITIES and villages, each of
which has its own ELECTIVE government.
Concurrent powers: the Constitution expressly
gives the national government such
important powers as levying taxes and
regulating commerce, but it makes no effort
to prohibit the states from also exercising
such authority within their borders.