Creating the Constitution

 watch #1

Constitutional Convention

Most of the delegates at the CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION had already risked being hanged as traitors by the British. No wonder that they worried about their states' reactions to their decision to abandon the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION and create a whole new document.

Persuading the states to accept the Constitution was every bit as difficult as they predicted. It took two years for all thirteen states to ratify it. But their product was a blueprint for a new kind of government based on the principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism.

Separation of Powers

The CONSTITUTION provided for the structure and powers of Congress in ARTICLE I. It created a LEGISLATURE, set qualifications for holding office in each house, and provided for methods of selecting representatives and senators. It carefully enumerated powers, such as regulating interstate commerce and declaring wars. ARTICLE II vested the power to execute laws in a president of the United States. It set the president's term at four years, stated qualifications for office, and provided a mechanism to remove him from office.

The constitutional powers are very modest, but they include commander-in-chief of the armed forces, negotiator of foreign treaties, and appointer of ambassadors, judges, and other "officers of the United States." ARTICLE III established a Supreme Court and defines its jurisdiction. The Founders disagreed on how much power to give the JUDGES, but they ultimately gave judges appointments for life and forbid Congress to lower their salaries while they hold office.

Checks and Balances

The Founders were ever mindful of the dangers of TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENT. So they built a system in which the powers of each branch would be used to check the powers of the other two branches. Additionally, each house of the legislature could check one another. For example, both houses of CONGRESS must vote to enact laws, the president can veto legislation, and the Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional. Congress can override presidential vetoes. The president nominates Supreme Court justices, but the Senate can refuse to confirm the nominees. The Congress can impeach and remove the president or a member of the Supreme Court. As a result, a "balance" was created among the three branches.

Wide differences of opinion existed even among the 55 delegates concerning the proper balance between liberty and order. ALEXANDER HAMILTON, for example, valued order more than liberty and supported the creation of a very strong executive. James Madison, influenced by his mentor Thomas Jefferson, conceded that an executive was necessary, but he saw the legislature as the preserver of liberty and an important check on the power of the executive. George Washington's experience as the head of the CONTINENTAL ARMY during the revolution convinced him that the chaotic government needed more structure. Thomas Jefferson did not attend the convention because he was serving as ambassador to France, but his belief that "a little rebellion now and then" was a good thing tilted his balance more toward liberty.

Federalism

ARTICLE IV defined the relationship between the federal government and the states in a system FEDERALISM, which divides the power of government between national and state governments. This federal system was meant to correct the chaos of the country during the Articles of Confederation. However, it was still mindful of the threat of a tyrannical central government. This article included mechanisms for admitting new states to the Union

The relationship between national and state governments was defined in many other parts of the Constitution. For example, Article 1, Section 10 forbids the states to form alliances or enter with foreign countries or to coin their own money. Federalism was further defined in Article VI in which the constitution was declared "the Supreme Law of the Land." This SUPREMACY CLAUSE, as well as the "ELASTIC" CLAUSE (Article I, Section 8) tilts the federalist balance toward national law.

ARTICLE V provides methods of amending the Constitution. Only 27 AMENDMENTS have been added to the constitution since the RATIFICATION in 1789.

The Founders acted boldly in 1787 when they threw out the Articles of Confederation and created the Constitution. The document they created has survived for more than 200 years. The risks that they took resulted in the longest lasting written constitution in world history.

1. What is the purpose of amending the Constitution and when is it appropriate? What other means exist for reaching the goals of a proposed amendment?

2. In the last several years, amendments permitting prayer in public schools, requiring a balanced federal budget, limiting terms of members of Congress, and banning flag burning have been advocated by various groups. Are these amendments necessary? What impact might they have on government and/or on rights guaranteed in other parts of the Constitution?

Articles of Confederation

READ THIS .....

Video Watch This ... 

The U.S. Constitution established America’s national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, presided over by George Washington. Under America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, the national government was weak and states operated like independent countries. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches–executive, legislative and judicial–along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power. The Bill of Rights–10 amendments guaranteeing basic individual protections such as freedom of speech and religion–became part of the Constitution in 1791. To date, there have been a total of 27 constitutional amendments.

America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was ratified in 1781, a time when the nation was a loose confederation of states, each operating like independent countries. The national government was comprised of a single legislature, the Congress of the Confederation; there was no president or judicial branch. The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the power to govern foreign affairs, conduct war and regulate currency; however, in reality these powers were sharply limited because Congress had no authority to enforce its requests to the states for money or troops.

1.The framers of the Constitution walked a type of tightrope in attempting to create a government that was strong, but not too strong. Did they succeed?

2   .         How effective was the national Congress under the Articles of Confederation? Why were the Articles replaced by the Constitution? How was the federal government different under the Constitution?

If it was you

Revolutionary war - If it was you!

The Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris, France on September 3, 1783.  This ended the American Revolutionary War, and gave the colonies their independence from Great Britain. The 13 states were now free to join together and become the United States of America. They could now form their own government and make their own laws. This freedom was the most important effect of the American Revolution. New ideas like those expressed in the Declaration of Independence were now allowed to spread and grow in the new country.  If the revolution had not taken place, we might still be under British rule today.

         The British gave America all of the land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River, from Canada to the north and Florida to the south.  The land east of the Mississippi River, between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes was known as the Northwest Territory.  The English had taken this land from the French during the French and Indian War. The British had not allowed the colonists to move west over the Appalachian Mountains into this territory.  They had "reserved" it for the Indian Nations. This land would now be open for settlement.

         After the war, the British Army and Navy agreed to leave all American territories.   England had controlled trade in the colonies.  They had forced the colonists to trade only with England and buy only English goods.  They had placed heavy taxes on products from other countries. The United States was now able to trade freely with other countries of the world.

         British nobility had always ruled the colonies. The newly formed United States of America would need to set up a new national government. The citizens of the new country did not want the national government to be so large and powerful that it became like the English Parliament with a ruling king.  They did not want a government that would impose high taxes like England had done before the revolution.  New York, like the other 12 colonies, had called itself a state for two years before the end of the revolution. They did not want to give up the power to make their own decisions. The new government would be weak however, unless the states were willing to compromise.

  

Question

Imagine you lived in this area as a new American with freedoms. Describe what actions will change for you looking forward. Describe the emotions of knowing friends and family have passed but the effort was not in vain but for a purpose.

READ THIS ......

WATCH THIS.........

Revolutionary War

READ THIS


WatchVideo



The Militia and the Continental Army 

There were two main groups of soldiers who fought on the American side during the Revolutionary War. 

One group was the militia. The militia was made up citizens who were ready to fight in case of an emergency. Most cities and communities in the colonies had a militia in order to fight off Indian war parties and bandits. Most of the men between the ages of 16 and 65 were members of the militia. They only trained a few times a year. 

The other group of American soldiers was the Continental Army. The Continental Congress established the Continental Army as the first real army of the United States. They made George Washington the commander. The army was made up of paid volunteers who enlisted for a period of time. At first the enlistments were for shorter periods like six months. Later on in the war, the enlistments were as long as three years. The soldiers in the Continental Army trained and drilled as fighting men. 

How many soldiers were there? 

As many as 150,000 men fought as part of the Continental Army over the course of the Revolutionary War. However, there were never nearly that many serving at the same time. The largest the army was at one time was around 17,000 soldiers. 

Were the soldiers paid? 

When soldiers signed up for an enlistment period they were promised to receive a bounty at the end of the time. The bounty was either money or land. They also received a monthly salary: privates earned $6, sergeants $8, and captains $20. Soldiers had to buy their own uniforms, gear, and weapons with their own money, however. 

Who joined the Continental Army? 

People from all walks of life and from all the different colonies joined the Continental Army. This included farmers, tradesmen, preachers, and even slaves. Some slaves were offered their freedom for fighting. Many poor people saw the bounty of land as a way to better themselves. 

How old were the soldiers? 

The soldiers were of all ages from young boys to old men. The majority of the soldiers, however, were ages 18-24. Young boys in the army worked as messengers, water carriers, and drummers. 

Medicine and Disease 

During the Revolutionary War more soldiers died from disease than from combat. Soldiers had a poor diet, worn out clothes, damp shelters, and lived in unsanitary conditions. Diseases such as smallpox and typhus killed thousands of soldiers. 

Hospitals and medicine were not very good at this time in history. An injured soldier was often better off if he was left to heal by himself rather than being treated by a doctor. 

What if you were taken prisoner? 

Perhaps the worst thing that could happen to a soldier was to be taken prisoner. The British treated their prisoners terribly. Over 8,500 American soldiers died while in prison, that's almost half of all the American deaths during the war. The British barely fed the prisoners and kept them in crowded disgusting conditions. Many prisoners were held in prison ships near New York City. Getting sent to one of these ships was practically a death sentence. 





QUESTIONS : 


1. Imagine you are a Soldier in the Revolutionary War, What would you be thinking about for your future? (family, freedom, and sacrifice) 

2. During the War who had the most advantages weigh out all the options and put your personal thoughts?