Bellringer
How did the development of the U.S. Constitution represent a response to
the political problems Americans faced prior to independence?
a. The states were granted more authority and protections than they had
previously enjoyed.
b. The ratification of the plan of government required unanimous
approval by the states.
c. The powers of the national government were reduced, and majority
rule was enshrined as the supreme law.
d. The economic powers of the national government were strengthened,
and the rights of individuals were guaranteed.
Constitution and Bill of Rights
QC Standards
• B.1.i. Interpret the ideas and principles expressed in the U.S.
Constitution
• B.1.j. Explain the development of the Bill of Rights, and assess
various debates of the day
Learning Targets
• U1T14 - I can compare/contrast the views of Federalists and Antifederalists
• U1T15 - I can identify the basic structure of the Constitution and
principles/themes it includes.
• U1T16 - I can explain the addition of the Bill of Rights and
describe its protections.
Introduction - lists 6
goals for American
government:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Form a more perfect
Union
Establish Justice
Insure domestic
tranquility (Peace)
Provide for the
common Defense
Promote the general
Welfare
Secure the Blessings of
Liberty.
7 articles create 3
branches and
describe how each
will work.
• Changes made to
the Constitution.
• First ten = Bill of
Rights (1791); list
individual
freedoms and
protections.
5 Principles of the Constitution
 Popular Sovereignty.
 Separation of Powers.
 Checks & Balances.
 Limited Government.
 Federalism.
Basic Principles:
Popular Sovereignty
 Power belongs to the
people and government
must be based on the
“consent of the governed”.
 Expanded by amendments
15, 19, and 26 (gave the
right to vote to non-whites,
women, and 18 year olds)
Basic Principles:
Separation of Powers
• 3 branches divide powers to:
o make laws (congress/legislative)
o manage laws (president/executive)
o interpret laws (courts/judicial)
Basic Principles:
Checks and Balances
• Each branch of government has some control over the
others.
Example: Congress passes laws and the President may veto those
laws. In turn, Congress may refuse to provide funds the President
requests for implementing programs.
Basic Principles:
Limited Government
• Government does not hold all
the power and that it does only
those things that people allow it
to do.
• Examples: Presidents can be
impeached, representatives
voted out of office, judges
denied confirmation by the
Senate.
Basic Principles:
Federalism
• Power between the national
level and the states is divided.
o Federal (National) Power
Only = Delegated Powers
o State Power Only =
Reserved Powers
o Both Federal and State =
Concurrent Powers
Ratification of the Constitution
Historical Context
• Even after the Constitution was written, 9 of 13 state
legislatures still had to ratify (approve) the new law of the
land.
• Ratification was closely contested nationally during 1787
and 1788.
• Rejection by any of the four most prominent states - MA, NY,
PA, or VA would have doomed the Constitution
Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
• Favored a strong nat’l gov’t – they
were for the Constitution.
• Opposed a strong nat’l gov’t – they
were against the Constitution.
• Wanted to limit state power
• Strong support for local control
• Supporters = Large farmers,
merchants, artisans
• Supporters = Small farmers, often
from rural areas
• Wrote the Federalists Papers
(propaganda for the new Constitution)
Wealth
100%
80%
60%
Anti-Federalists
Federalists
40%
20%
0%
Wealthy
Upper MiddleClass
Lower MiddleClass
Occupation
100%
80%
60%
Anti-Federalist
Federalist
40%
20%
0%
Merchants, manufacturers,
doctors, lawyers, ministers,
large landholders
Artisans, innkeepers,
surveyors
Farmers
The Federalist Papers
Essays by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, John Jay
• Blessings of national government
• Criticism of the Articles of
Confederation
• Defense of the Constitution
• Analysis on the costs and
benefits of freedom.
Ratification of the Constitution:
Who Supports? Who Opposes?
1.
This country should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien
sovereignties [territories].
2.
The states should respectively have laws, courts, force, and revenues of their own
sufficient for their own security; they ought to be fit to keep house alone if
necessary.
3.
One government . . . never can extend equal benefits to all parts of the United
States. Different laws, customs, and opinions exist in the different states, which
by a uniform system of laws would be unreasonable.
4.
I am against inserting a declaration of rights in the Constitution . . . If such an
addition is not dangerous, it is at least unnecessary.
5.
A bill of rights . . . serves to secure the minority against the usurpation
[takeover] and tyranny [cruelty] of the majority.
Do these artists
support or oppose
ratification of the
Constitution?
Ratification of the Constitution
Yes
No
1 December 7, 1787
Delaware
30
0
2 December 11, 1787
Pennsylvania
46
23
3 December 18, 1787
New Jersey
38
0
4 January 2, 1788
Georgia
26
0
5 January 9, 1788
Connecticut
128
40
6 February 6, 1788
Massachusetts
187
168
7 April 26, 1788
Maryland
63
11
8 May 23, 1788
South Carolina
149
73
9 June 21, 1788
New Hampshire
57
47
10 June 25, 1788
Virginia
89
79
11 July 26, 1788
New York
30
27
12 November 21, 1789
North Carolina
194
77
13 May 29, 1790
Rhode Island
34
32
Bill of Rights
• The Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights to the
Constitution
• This meant the Constitution can be ratified or
changed
• First 10 amendments/changes to the Constitution
are called the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights
• Amendment 1- Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly
Amendment 2 -Right to bear arms
Amendment 3 -Quartering of soldiers
Amendment 4 -Search and arrest
Amendment 5 -Rights in criminal cases
Amendment 6 -Right to a fair trial
Amendment 7 -Rights in civil cases
Amendment 8 -Bail, fines, punishment
Amendment 9 -Rights retained by the People
Amendment 10 - States' rights
Bill of Rights and Current Issues
• Make a list on the board of all of the things that you expect
to be different when you go to college.
• Put a star next to the list of expectations that have to do with
the First Amendment (speech, press, religion, association,
assembly, and petition)
• If your list does not include all of these rights, think of
examples of each one.
Current Issues in the News
• Read the current event issues about the first
amendment
• Answer the questions. Make sure to answer each
question completely!
Wrap Up
• Is there a difference between the First Amendment rights
of high school and college students? Why or why not?
• What sorts of things can college students do to exercise
First Amendment rights that high school students may
not be able to?
• In practice, how are college students’ First Amendment
rights limited compared to other adults’ rights?
• Do you believe that these limitations are constitutional?
Why or why not?
Exit Slip:
Finish Exit Slip/Study Guide Paper