Foundations of the American Democracy

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Foundations of the American Democracy

• English Roots to the US Constitution

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I. Colonial Democracy

• A. Traditions
• 1. Legislatures-people's voice in the
  government. These varied from colony to
  colony.
• 2. Protection of rights
• 3. Voting-privilege of the wealthy and
  educated.
• 4. Religious freedom-Roger Williams and Anne
  Hutchinson established.
• 5. Freedom of Press-John Peter Zenger case
  established.

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I. Colonial Democracy

• B. Roots-The American System derived from these
  main sources
• 1. Ancient Greece and Rome
• 2. Magna Carta (1215)-limited the power of the
  king.
• 3. English Bill of Rights (1689)-Parliament
  listed the rights of all citizens.
• 4. John Locke-2 ideas
• (1) 3 Natural Rights
• (2) Social Contract-consent of the governed.
• 5. Montesquieu-separation of powers prevented
  tyranny.

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II. The Articles of Confederation

• Several questions to be answered after the
  Revolution
• Representation by population or equal
  representation?
• Division of power in the government?
• What to do with western lands?
• One Big Problem Lack of Cooperation

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II. The Articles of Confederation

• Provisions
• 1. The Articles created a "loose union" of
  states where states' rights were important.
• 2. Created a unicameral legislature
• 3. Each state received one vote

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II. The Articles of Confederation

• Weaknesses
• 1. Too much emphasis on states' rights
• 2. Limited power to tax and raise an army
• 3. No president or court system to settle
  disputes between states
• 4. Total Lack of cooperation

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II. The Articles of Confederation

• Articles in Action
• 1. Unity between states diminished after the
  Revolution
• 2. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
• -Provided for a statehood process in western
  lands when population reached 60,000
• -Prohibited slavery in these territories

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III. Changes in the New Nation

• A. Spain-still controlled the Mississippi and
  other western lands
• B. Shay's Rebellion-Massachusetts 1786
• -Poor western farmers rebelled after being taxed
  by the local government
• -Led by Revolutionary war veteran Daniel Shay's
• C. Lack of Nationalist Outlook
• -People were still concerned with their local or
  state affairs.
• -Many local or state politicians were
  unsuccessful on the national level.

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III. Changes in the New Nation

• North Carolina after the Revolution
• 1. Before the war, 2/3 of the states trade was
  with Great Britain.
• 2. Large numbers of Loyalists were persecuted.
  
• Land was taken and sold to pay off debts
• 3. 1789-University of North Carolina
  established
• 4. Capital moved from New Bern to Raleigh in
  1792.
• 5. North Carolina gives up western lands that
  became the state of Franklin and later became
  the state of Tennessee.

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III. Changes in the New Nation

• Constitutional Convention-May 1787, Philadelphia
• -All states were represented except for Rhode
  Island. NC sent William R. Davie, Richard Dobbs
  Spaight, William Blount, Alexander Martin, and
  Hugh Williamson.
• -Plan was to revise the Articles but that was
  impossible.
• -Delegates began to start over.

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• Purpose Revise the Articles of Confederation.
  Decided to start over. All done in secret.
• Debates Small groups would become dominant in
  government
• Where should the power go states or central
  government?

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• A. Compromise
• 1. The Virginia Plan-drafted by James
  Madison-"father of the constitution"
• -Bicameral legislature based on population
• -System of checks and balances between 3
  branches of government so that no one part
  becomes too powerful.
• 2. The New Jersey Plan-drafted by William
  Patterson
• -called for equal representation

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• 3. The Great Compromise-drafted by Roger Sherman
• big states vs. small states
• -House of Representatives-representation based
  on population
• -Senate-equal representation
• 4. 3/5 Compromise-slave states vs. free states
• -Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for
  representation

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• 5. Slave Trade-
• Allowed to continues for at least 20 years
• 6. Electoral College-compromise on how we elect
  the president. Electors in each state cast votes
  for the President based on the popular vote in
  their state.

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• B. Divided Power Checks and Balances
• Delegated powers-national government
• Reserved powers-state government
• Central government is supreme
• Branches Executive-can veto acts of Congress
  and appoints members of judiciary
• Legislative-can impeach president and
  confirms members of judiciary
• Judicial-can rule acts of Congress and
  president unconstitutional
• Amending 2/3 vote of Congress
• 3/4 vote from states

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• Federalists
• Supported the Constitution
• Wanted stable central government

• Antifederalists
• Opposed the Constitution
• Wanted to protect state rights

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The Federalist Papers

• Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
  wrote essays supporting the Constitution that
  were published in newspapers. They were
  instrumental in the ratification of the
  Constitution.

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IV. Drafting the Constitution

• -By July 1788, 11 of 13 states had ratified.
• -NC voted 184 to 83 against the Constitution in
  July of 1788.
• -NC reconvened and voted 194 to 77 in favor of
  the Constitution.
• -Reasons for change
• 1. James Madison introduced the Bill of
  Rights
• 2. George Washington elected as first
  president
• - Rhode Island ratified by May1790.