US History: Colonial Period and Government

Government's Impact on Daily Life

• Laws, taxes, education, public safety, and healthcare are influenced by government decisions.

Purpose & Objectives of the US Constitution

• Establishes government structure, protects citizens' rights, and ensures a balance of power.

Key Actors During the Colonial Period (18th Century)

• Key figures included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and King George III.

British Taxation After 1760

• Britain taxed the colonies to pay off war debts (French and Indian War).
• Examples of taxes included the Stamp Act (1765, tax on paper goods) and the Tea Act (1773, granting a British company control over tea sales).

Colonists' Response to British Taxation

• Colonists protested British taxes, including the Boston Massacre (1770, British soldiers killed colonists).
• The Boston Tea Party (1773) involved colonists dumping British tea into Boston Harbor.

British Retaliation to the Boston Tea Party

• British punished the colonists with the Intolerable Acts (1774), restricting self-government and closing Boston's port.

First Continental Congress (1774)

• Colonial leaders met to protest British policies.

Second Continental Congress (1775)

• Led the Revolutionary War and created the Declaration of Independence.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

• Declared the colonies' freedom from Britain, justifying the revolution.

Articles of Confederation (1781)

• The first U.S. government, characterized by its weakness and its lack of power to tax or enforce laws.

Strengths & Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• Strengths included managing the Revolutionary War and creating a system for new states.
• Weaknesses included a lack of power to tax and a weak central government.

Annapolis Convention & Shay's Rebellion

• Annapolis Convention (1786) aimed to improve the Articles, but progress was limited.
• Shay's Rebellion (1786-87), a farmer-led rebellion, highlighted the weakness of the government.

Constitutional Convention (1787) & Key Plans

• The Constitutional Convention aimed to replace the Articles with the U.S. Constitution.
• Key plans included the Virginia Plan (favoring large states), the New Jersey Plan (favoring small states), and the Great Compromise (establishing a two-house Congress).

Slavery & The 3/5th Compromise

• The 3/5th Compromise counted enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation.

Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution

• Key differences include a stronger national government and the power to tax in the Constitution compared to the Articles.

Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances, Federalism

• Separation of Powers divides government into three branches.
• Checks and Balances enable each branch to limit the powers of others.
• Federalism divides power between national and state governments.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

• Federalists supported the Constitution, while Anti-Federalists opposed it, advocating for a Bill of Rights.

Ratification of the Constitution & Bill of Rights (1791)

• The Bill of Rights protects individual freedoms through the first ten amendments.

Amending the US Constitution

• Amendments require approval from Congress and the states.

Civil Liberties & Civil Rights

• Civil Liberties protect freedoms from government interference.
• Civil Rights ensure equal treatment and protection against discrimination.

Civil Liberties in the Original Constitution

• Examples include no ex post facto laws and no religious tests for office.

Bill of Rights (1791)

• First ten amendments protecting individual freedoms.

Doctrine of Selective Incorporation

• Supreme Court applies parts of the Bill of Rights to the states.

Freedom of Religion

• Establishment Clause: No official national religion.
• Free Exercise Clause: Right to practice any religion.
• Lemon Test: Laws must not promote or hinder religion.

Freedom of Speech

• Strict Scrutiny: Government needs strong reason to limit speech.
• Political Speech, expressive speech, and public forum speech are highly protected.

Freedom of Press

• Prior restraint: Government can't censor material before publication.

Key Supreme Court Cases

• Engel v. Vitale (1962): No school-led prayers.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961): No illegal searches.
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Miranda Rights.
• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): Students' free speech rights.
• Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Corporations can spend unlimited money in elections.
• Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014): Businesses can refuse to provide birth control for religious reasons.

Explore the influence of government on daily life, the objectives of the US Constitution, and key actors during the colonial period. This quiz also covers British taxation and colonists' responses, including significant events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.