A.P. Government

1. A.P. Government Government, Politics and the U.S. Constitution

2. Politics • The process among individuals and groups to influence the values, beliefs and policy goals of the society in their favor. • It is the study of who gets what, when and how.

3. Political Activities Include • Identifying and defining a problem • Relating the problem to individual and group interests • Stating a position on a problem and proposing a solution • Negotiating and bargaining with rivals • Using third parties to mediate a settlement • Casting and abiding by majority votes • Building coalitions, working on public relations

4. Wealth Prestige Education Social Class Personal charisma Leadership skills Friends and allies Communication skills Bargaining skills Control over vote Access to info Access to decision makers Legal authority Time Intelligence Resources needed to exertPolitical Power

5. Government • The set of organizations within which politics take place. • The institutional mechanism for determining the rules of the contest and who wins it over time. • Legitimacy of a government can come from birth (monarchy), power (dictatorship) and constitutions.

6. Political Definitions • Power • The ability of 1 person to get another to act according to their intentions • Authority • The right to use political power • Legitimacy • Political authority conferred by law, public opinion or constitution

7. Theories of Government • Divine right- power to rule comes from God and can not be taken away • Social Contract- People give power to one leader in exchange for protection- you give up some rights • Hobbes • Locke

8. Hobbes v. Locke • Hobbes • Power to sovereign governing authority • Citizens exchange rights for law and order • Locke • Government to guarantee rights • Power belongs to the people • Government operates on consent of people

9. Locke’s Second Treatise of Gov’t • How does John Locke describe the state of nature? • Why do men leave the state of nature and join a political society by establishing a gov’t?

10. Purposes of Government • Protect citizens from outsiders and each other • Provide public goods / services • Defining and promoting equality • Defining and protecting freedom • Defining and maintaining order

11. Purpose of Constitutions • Outline structure and function of government • Grant, disperse and limit powers • Set rule of law and limits to the law • Set election structure and processes • Serve as a symbol of the nation

12. Government Structures

13. POWER Choices in Government • Anarchy- No government, chaos • Totalitarianism- Government controls everything – total control • Limited Government - Government allows individual freedom/choice

14. Rulers • Autocracy- rule by one • Dictatorship- rule through fear or force • Monarchy- power is inherited • Absolute monarch- King or Queen • Constitutional monarch- has a King or Queen but the Parliament runs the government

15. Rulers • Oligarchy- rule by a few • Democracy- rule by all • Direct- everyone votes on everything • Representative- Choose people to speak on our behalf

16. Governing Systems • Unitary- national government rules • Confederation- State government rules • Federal State- State and national governments share power

17. US Government • The United States is a Democratic Republic (practicing representative democracy) with a limited Federal System

18. Individual Worth Civil Liberties and Rights Representative Government Majority Rule with Minority Rights Rule by Law Limited Power Principles of Democracy

19. Foundations of American Government

20. Colonists in America Colonists settled in America looking for freedom 1st English colony settled in 1607 in Jamestown

21. Types of Colonies Charter Charter is granted to colonists themselves Governor is elected Connecticut & Rhode Island Royal Direct control by King Governor appointed by King Property owners on Council Proprietary Land is granted to an individual to run Maryland, Pennsylvania & Delaware

22. Stamp Tax Leads to Boston Tea Party

23. Intolerable Acts • In response to the Boston Tea Party, these were the harshest so far of all the Acts passed by Parliament. • The closing of Boston's port alone would cost the colony (and the American colonies as a whole) a ton of money. • The Regulating Act was aimed at curtailing revolutionary activities. • The Quartering Act angered colonists who didn't want soldiers (especially Redcoats) in their houses.

24. Continental Congress 1st & 2nd Continental Congress were set up to work out problems with Britain 2nd Continental Congress agreed that there was no room for compromise June 1776 Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposes declaration of independence from Great Britain

25. What did we want in gov’t? • Limited government • Government has to follow the rules too • Prevents government from getting too much power • Representative government • People have a voice in their government • They elect officials who make decisions on their behalf • Individual freedoms • Guarantees to individuals like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from unfair laws and punishments, etc. • Rule by law • Written laws so everyone knows the rules and the consequences for breaking the rules

26. Declaration of Independence Approved July 4, 1776 Lists abuses and usurpations of the King Government is the creation of the people and is meant to serve the people Governments must be bound by their own laws

27. The Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal” “They are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE rights” “Among those rights are “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” “To secure those rights, governments are INSTITUTED among men…deriving their powers from the consent of the governed”

28. The Four Stanzas of the Declaration of Independence • Part One: The Preamble, an explanation of purpose. • Part Two: An explanation of the political ideas upon which the document was based. Emphasized “Natural Rights”, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. • Part Three: A list of grievances against King George III (examples on following slide). • Part Four: A resolution that “…these United Colonies are…and of right ought to be Free and Independent States.

29. A Selection of Grievances…against King George III • For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us. • For imposing taxes on us without our consent. • He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power. • For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world. • He has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian Savages, whose know rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. • He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burned our towns and destroyed the lives of our people.

30. Declaration of Independence

31. Articles of Confederation1777-1789 • First written plan of government for newly independent states • Granted too much power to the states • Did not provide for powers needed in central gov’t

32. Under the Articles, Congress could… • Borrow or request money from the states • Declare war • Maintain an army and navy • Make treaties and alliances

33. Weaknesses of the Articles • Congress could not collect taxes from the states • Congress could not control the currency in the states • Congress could not regulate trade/commerce • 9 states were needed to make decisions • ALL 13 states had to agree to amendments to the Articles • there was no executive (president) or judicial (court) power • Each state got 1 vote no matter how big or small • Members of Congress only served 1 year terms • Congress couldn’t pay the army • Congress couldn’t enforce it’s laws

34. Question: Why did so many Americans tolerate the weak government established by the Articles of Confederation?

35. Answer: For most Americans, respect for freedom was so great, and fear of tyranny so intense, that a strong national government was an unacceptable risk!

36. The Nationalists • A group of Americans who wanted a stronger national government. • Most were very wealthy. • Included: George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. • Predicted that with no army, no courts, and no economic policy, the US would have no respect in the world. • Worried that Americans’ tendency to challenge authority would get out of control.

37. The Annapolis Convention • Held in 1786 to discuss economic problems that the Articles could not solve. • Twelve delegates from five states were present. • They only came to one agreement…To meet in Philadelphia the following year.

38. Shay’s Rebellion… • Led by Daniel Shays (veteran of Bunker Hill and Saratoga) • Angry farmers wanted courts to close so that farmers would not lose their land to creditors • Central government had no power to stop the rebellion • State militias were called out to control - 4 killed

39. Daniel Shays • Was a Revolutionary War veteran and small farmer. • Could not pay his debts and was facing jail time. • In 1786, he led a rebellion that spread through the area. • Tax collectors were driven off and courts were closed down by the rebels.

40. Helpless… • The government, with no army, couldn’t stop him. • A group of wealthy Bostonians finally raised a private army to confront Shays. • They were finally defeated in February, 1787. • Shays and a few others were sentenced to death.

41. Differing Views of Shays’ Rebellion • Thomas Jefferson: "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.” • Translation: The rebellion was NO BIG DEAL. • James Madison: “Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as by the abuses of power”. • Translation: Our government is TOO WEAK; we must DO SOMETHING.

42. Effects of the Rebellion • Demonstrated Americans’ commitment to defy authority when it acted against the wishes of the people. • Also demonstrated that something had to be done to strengthen the national government. • Leads to another convention, this time in Philadelphia.

43. Constitutional Convention • 74 delegates appointed, 55 attended, 39 signed (Rhode Island did not attend) • Young, well educated, wealthier • Most had college education, about 1/2 were lawyers • Ben Franklin was oldest (81) • George Washington chosen to lead • Each state got one vote; majority vote to pass measures; 7 votes for quorum • Meetings held in secret - no official records • Madison kept most accurate diary – known as Father of Constitution

44. Proposals for New Government

45. Virginia Plan(The Large State Plan) Proposed by Edmund Randolf 3 branches of government Bicameral Legislature (2 houses) Both houses based on population Lower House – elected by people Upper House – chosen by lower House Executive (president) chosen by legislature Judicial (courts) chosen by legislature National legislature would have veto power over the states

46. New Jersey Plan(The Small State Plan) Proposed by William Patterson 3 branches of government Unicameral Legislature (one house) Equal representation from every state Multiple executives (presidents) chosen by legislature Judicial (court) appointed by Executive and approved by legislature Appointed for life Each state gets one vote

47. Connecticut Compromise Proposed by James Madison 3 branches of government Bicameral Legislature (2 houses) Lower House – elected by people based on population 3/5 compromise Upper House – chosen by lower House – 2 per state Executive (president) chosen by Electoral College Judicial (court) appointed by Executive and approved by legislature Appointed for life Had a national supremacy clause

48. Three-Fifths Compromise • One difficult question remained…When calculating population, should slaves be included? • If slaves were counted, the south would be more powerful. • If slaves were omitted, the south would be weak. • In this compromise, every five slaves would be counted as three people.

49. Compromises

50. Trade Compromise