AP Government –Chap 2- Notes (1/2)

The Constitution:

• The Origins of the Constitution
  
  • 1776: Declaration of Independence passed in Philadelphia supporting an armed revolution against the British
    
  • Attempting to overthrow the government is a serious act and considered treason punishable by death
    
  • Road to Revolution:
    
    • Life was not bad for most people in America at the time by current standards
      
    • White colonists were "freer, more equal, more prosperous, and less burdened . . ."
      
    • Britain generally confined themselves to only government America's foreign policy and trade
      
    • After the French and Indian War Britain put up taxes to pay for the costs
      
    • They also began tightening enforcement on its trade regulations which were design to benefit the mother country rather than the colonies
      
      • Colonists outraged, they protested, boycotted, and went through with the Boston Tea Party
        
        • Britain reacted through a naval blockade
          
        • Colonists formed the First Continental Congress in 1774
          
  • Declaring Independence:
    
    • May and June 1776 the Congress began debating resolutions
      
    • Richard Henry Lee moved that "these United States are and of right ought to be free and independent states"
      
      • June 7: Committee of Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston formed to draft the Declaration of Independence
        
      • July 2: Lee's motion approved
        
      • July 4: Jefferson's Dec. of Independence adopted
        
    • Can be read as a political tact and a philosophical treatise
      
    • Politically:
      
      • Justified and announced a revolution
        
      • Listed the ways the king had abused them
        
      • Colonists need foreign support of countries such as France to take on the British
        
  • The English Heritage: The Power of Ideas:
    
    • Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Morris, and Hamilton were all learned men familiar with the works of English philosophers
      
      • John Locke influenced the Dec.
        
        • He built his philosophy on the belief of natural rights
          
        • Said that the laws of nature govern people
          
        • Believed government should be built on the consent of the governed (people must agree on who their rulers will be)
          
        • Should also be a limited government (clear restrictions on what rulers can do)
          
        • The sole purpose of government was to protect the natural rights
          
        • Supported two limits:
          
          • Governments must provide standing laws so the people know in advance whether their acts will acceptable
            
          • Supreme power cannot take from any man any part of property with his consent
            
        • Said people have right to rebel against their government that no longer has their consent
          
          • People should no revolt until injustice become deeply felt
            
  • Jefferson's Handiwork: The American Creed
    
    • Said that since the government had failed to secure the rights of the people the people had the right to create their own government
      
    • People should have primacy over the government and should rule rather than be ruled
      
  • Winning Independence:
    
    • 1775: British had 8,500 men stationed in the colonies and 30,000 mercenaries
      
      • Initially the colonies only had 5,00 uniformed men
        
    • 1783: Won independence
      
  • The "Conservative" Revolution:
    
    • Did not completely alter the colonists way of life
      
    • Primary goal was to restore rights
      
• The Government that Failed: 1776-87
  
  • 1776: Articles of Confederation drawn
    
  • The Articles of Confederation:
    
    • Government dominated by the states
      
    • National legislature with one house
      
      • States could send 2-7 delegates, but only had one vote
        
    • No president, no national court
      
    • 1781: Finally put into effect after ML ratified them
      
    • Congress had few powers and little money
      
      • Had to get permission from states to tax
        
      • Sold western land
        
      • Disbanded the army
        
      • Did not have power to regulate commerce
        
  • Changes in the States:
    
    • States adopted bills of rights to protect freedoms, abolished religious requirements for hold office, and liberalized requirements for voting
      
    • Farmers and craft workers became a decisive majority with the voting restrictions gone
      
    • Structure of government in the states become more responsive to the people
      
  • Economic Turmoil:
    
    • Postwar depression left farmers in debt and threatened with foreclosures
      
    • Printed worthless money to get the farmers out of debt
      
  • Shay's Rebellion:
    
    • Policies favoring the debtors over the creditors did not please the economic elite
      
    • 1786: Band of farmers rebelled when they lost their land
      
      • Led by Daniel Shay
        
      • Series of attacks on courthouses
        
      • Congress nor state was able to get an army to stop the attacks
        
  • Aborted Annapolis Meeting:
    
    • 1786: Handful of leaders met in Md. to discuss Article problems and suggest solutions
      
      • Only five states were represented
        
      • Decided that a larger meeting was necessary
        
• Making a Constitution: The Philadelphia Convention
  
  • Reps from 12 states attended (RI did not send a delegate)
    
  • They were ordered to meet to only revise the Articles
    
  • Reps did not pay attention to this order because to revise the Articles they needed unanimous consent, which they knew to impossible
    
  • Instead they began writing the US Constitution
    
  • Gentlemen in Philadelphia:
    
    • The men in attendance were mainly men of wealth
      
    • Coastal residents rather than residents of the western frontiers
      
    • Most from urban America
      
  • Philosophy in Action:
    
    • Debates ranged from high principles on big issues to self-interest on the small ones
      
    • First two weeks devoted to general debates about the nature of republican government
      
    • Though all had different ideas on government they all shared one common ground:
      
      • Human nature: Delegates held a cynical view of human nature; they thought they were self-interested
        
        • Government should play a role in containing the natural self-interest of people
          
      • Causes of political conflict: The distribution of wealth is the greatest cause
        
        • Factions are caused by these conflicts
          
        • If unchecked the factions might tyrannize each other
          
        • Majority would seize the government to reduce the wealth, the minority would seize the government for its own gains
          
      • Objects of government: The preservation of individual rights to acquire and hold wealth
        
      • Nature of government: Power should set against power so that no one faction would overwhelm the others
        
        • Limited government would have to contain checks on its own power
          
        • Separation of power would be needed
          
• The Agenda in Philadelphia
  
  • The Equality Issues:
    
    • Equality and Representation of the States:
      
      • How would the new Congress be constituted?
        
        • New Jersey Plan: Paterson; called for equal representation
          
        • Virginia Plan: Randolph; representation based on population
          
        • Connecticut Compromise: Sherman and Johnson; two houses of congress, one with equal rep. the other based on pop.
          
          • Actually gives more power to smaller states
            
    • Slavery:
      
      • Congress could limit future importations, but did not forbid slavery
        
      • Said the escapees had to be returned to owners
        
      • 3/5ths Compromise
        
    • Political Equality:
      
      • Some suggested universal manhood suffrage, others wanted property ownership to be a requirement
        
      • Decided that if one was qualified for state voting the could vote in national elections
        
  • Economic Issues:
    
    • Delegates disagreed on whether the economy was in shambles
      
    • Federalists stressed the economies weaknesses
      
    • Writers of the constitution addressed the following:
      
      • States had erected tariffs against products from other states
        
      • Paper money was worthless in some states, but many state governments forced it on creditors
        
      • Congress was having trouble raising money because the economy was in a recession
        
    • All believed a strong national government was needed to bring economic stability to the union of states
      
    • Delegates made sure the Constitution clearly laid out the economic powers of Congress
      
      • Was to be chief policymakers
        
      • Could obtain revenue through taxes and borrowing
        
      • Congress could punish counterfeiters and pirates
        
      • Ability to regulate interstate and foreign trade
        
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