CREATING A GOVERNMENT

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Creating a New Government
By Mrs. Nicholson
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Virginia Declaration of Rights

• Written by George Mason
• It was an introduction to the Virginia
  Constitution. It lists the rights of the people.
• Freedom to worship as they wished
• Freedom of the press
• People accused of breaking the law have the right
  to a trial.
• This is the basis for the Bill of Rights

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Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

• Written by Thomas Jefferson
• This law separated church and state and
  established religious freedom.
• Before this, everyone belonged to the English
  church. They had to attend its services and
  support the church by paying taxes.

4
The Need For A Plan

• After the American Revolution, the United States
  of America was a free and independent nation.
• But, they had a challenge
• How would they set up their new nation?
• How would they protect the rights of each
  citizen?

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Constitutional Convention

• 1787 _at_ Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA
• This lasted about 4 months. It was very hot and
  the windows were kept closed to keep the
  discussions secret.
• Delegates (representatives) were sent. George
  Washington, Governor Edmund Randolph, George
  Mason and James Madison were some of the key
  Virginians.

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Constitutional Convention 1787

• George Washington was the President of the
  Constitutional Convention
• James Madison is called the Father of the
  Constitution
• The ideas of the Virginians were the basis for
  the principles of the new government for the USA.
  

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The Men of the Constitution
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James Madison

• One of the youngest members.
• Wrote down some ideas that became known as the
  Virginia Plan.
• Madison helped to convince delegates that a
  constitution was needed
• Constitution- a document explaining how a country
  should be governed.

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The New Government

• Virginia Plan
• 3 Branches of Government
• 2 Houses of Lawmakers
• Congressmen based on population of the state

• New Jersey Plan
• 1 House for Lawmakers
• All states have the same number of congressmen.

• The Great Compromise
• Lawmaking branch will have 2 Houses

SENATE Each state will have the same number of
lawmakers
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The number of lawmakers
will be based on the states population
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3 Branches of the Government
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Checks and Balances

• Each branch can limit what the other branches do.

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• The Delegates of the Convention signed the new
  Constitution in September 1787.
• States had to ratify (approve) it to be law.
• Patrick Henry and George Mason opposed (against)
  the new plan because they thought it gave too
  much power to the national government.
• George Mason thought it should have a Bill of
  Rights.
• James Madison and others agreed to work for
  amendments (additions) to the Constitution. This
  would create the Bill of Rights.
• On June 25, 1788 Virginia lawmakers voted to
  accept the Constitution. Virginia became the
  10th State to join the union.

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THE CONSTITUTION

• The Constitution is organized into 3 parts
• Preamble Introduces the Constitution. It starts
  with We the People
• Articles Establishes how the government is
  structured and how the Constitution can be
  changed. There are seven articles.
• Amendments Changes to the Constitution the
  first ten are called the Bill of Rights.

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Bill of Rights

• Added in 1791
• Based on the VA Declaration of Rights
• Made of the first ten amendments
• The First Amendment Listed 5 Freedoms
• Freedom of Religion
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of the Press
• Freedom of Assembly
• Freedom of Petition

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