Chapter 2

The ConstitutionThe Constitution

Impacts of the colonial Impacts of the colonial experienceexperience

• Jamestown – representative assembly

• Plymouth – social contract with consent of the governed

Selected Milestones in Selected Milestones in the Colonial/Early the Colonial/Early

American EraAmerican Era • the Stamp Act• the First Continental

Congress• the Second

Continental Congress• the Revolutionary

War• the Declaration of

Independence

• the ratification of the Articles of Confederation

• Shays’ Rebellion• the Constitutional

Convention• the ratification of the

U.S. Constitution• the Ratification of

the Bill of Rights

Article II of the Articles of Confederation guaranteed that each state would retain its sovereignty. Figure 2–1 illustrates the structure of the government under the Articles of Confederation.

Important concepts in Important concepts in the the Declaration of Declaration of

IndependenceIndependence • Natural Rights – the idea that individuals hold certain rights because they are human; governments cannot take away these “inalienable” (can’t be transferred) rights

• Locke describes these rights as “life, liberty and property”

More important concepts More important concepts in the Declaration of in the Declaration of

IndependenceIndependence • Jefferson describes these rights as “life

liberty and the pursuit of happiness”• Social contract -- a general agreement

between the people and the government, where the people agree to give up some of their liberties, so that the remainder are protected.

Compromises in the Compromises in the Drafting of the U.S. Drafting of the U.S.

ConstitutionConstitution • the Great Compromise – resulted in a

bicameral legislature, with one house based on equal representation, the other on population.

• the Three-Fifths Compromise – resulted in slaves being counted as “3/5” of a person for the purpose of determining population for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Dispersion of Power by Dispersion of Power by the U.S. Constitutionthe U.S. Constitution

• Federalism – sovereign powers are divided between the states and the national government

• Separation of Powers – dividing governmental powers

• legislative branch – is granted the power to make laws

• judicial branch – is granted the power to judge laws

• executive branch – is granted the power to administer laws

Ratification of the U.S. Ratification of the U.S. ConstitutionConstitution

• a comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people, institutions and the role of government

• American ideology tends to be moderate• liberals advocate government action to

improve the welfare of individuals• conservatives advocate a limited role for

the national government.