The US Constitution PDF

The American Revolution Part Two The Articles of Confederation (and Perpetual Union) was the first written constitution of the United States of America. - Written in 1777, it was created to lessen central (federal) authority, more state power - It was ratified on March 1, 1781. It was a disaster… -...

The American Revolution Part Two The Articles of Confederation (and Perpetual Union) was the first written constitution of the United States of America. - Written in 1777, it was created to lessen central (federal) authority, more state power - It was ratified on March 1, 1781. It was a disaster… - The States were independent and had their own currency, financial system was not stable - Congress served as a body to appeal disputes. - Congress could make treaties and alliances, maintain armed forces and coin money. - BUT they couldn’t levy taxes or regulate commerce - Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, George Washington, and others knew a Constitutional Convention was needed - They needed to modify and evolve their govt. - in 1787, they met in Philadelphia to create a new US Constitution. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 Its aim was to create a government with a stronger central government than the Articles of Confederation. - To safeguard individual civil rights for each citizen (land-owning) - A separation of powers in the government by creating three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) with checks and balances. (Montesquieu) - The convention was done in secret The Virginia Plan: Based on the population - The New Jersey plan: gave each State an equal vote. - The Virginia Plan was supported by the larger States, and the New Jersey plan preferred by the smaller. The Great Compromise (the Connecticut Compromise): The House of Representatives based on population (CA has the most: 53, DE&VT only 1), elected every 2 years - The Senate would represent each state equally, (every 6 years) - The President would be elected by the Electoral College. - The creation of an Independent Judiciary (system of courts) The Constitution has been amended 27 times. - An amendment must be ratified by ⅔ of House and Senate, and 3/4 of the State legislatures - Amendments have a specified a time frame to be passed. On September 17, 1787, 39 of the 55 delegates signed the New Constitution - Some refused to sign because it protected slavery and the slave trade. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay set out an eloquent defense of the new Constitution in what came to be called the Federalist Papers. - Those who opposed it wrote the Anti-federalist papers The Bill of Rights was added and based on: - The Virginia Declaration of Rights, the English Bill of Rights, the writings of the Enlightenment, and the rights defined in the Magna Carta, - The Bill of Rights is fundamental to America and its national character 1. The Establishment clause (no official govt religion. 2. 1st Amendment; freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. 2nd Amendment “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” 3rd Amendment: No quartering of soldiers in homes 4th Amendment: No unreasonable searches or seizures without probable cause (you need a warrant or court order) 5th Amendment: You do not need to self-incriminate yourself. (I plead the fifth) 6th Amendment: All citizens have the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of your peers 8th Amendment; nor cruel and unusual punishments (Capital punishment) 10th Amendment: Any power not listed in the Constitution is left to the states or the people. 13th Amendment: prohibits slavery and the slave trade in all US States and jurisdictions; it’s the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments. 14th Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. It is the “Equal Protection under the law amendment, where all persons is afforded equal protection under the law 15th Amendment: the right of U.S. citizens to vote may not be abridged by the government on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, the voting rights act 13th, 14th, and 15th of the Civil War Amendments