Birth of a Nation
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Causes
• British debts after the
French and Indian War =
new taxes
– Stamp Act
– Tea Act
• Many colonists felt their
rights as Englishmen
were being violated
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The American Revolution
• After the Boston Tea Party,
Britain closed the port of
Boston
• British soldiers and colonists
fired on one another at
Lexington and Concord
starting the Revolution
• Second Continental
Congress appointed George
Washington to command the
army
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Founding Fathers
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Benjamin Rush
• A physician (doctor) and
supporter of the American
Revolution.
• Called the “Father of American
Medicine”
• Signed the Declaration of
Independence
• Favored educating women and
making a public university to
train public servants.
5
John Hancock
• Merchant, statesman, and Patriot of the American Revolution.
• Most known for large and stylish signature on the United States Declaration of Independence.
• One of the wealthiest colonists in Boston and used his wealth to support the colonial cause.
• President of the Second Continental Congress
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John Jay • President of the 1st Continental Congress
• Helped negotiate the peace treaty with England ending the American Revolution
• Supported the Constitution by being one of the authors of the Federalist Papers
• First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
• Governor of New York
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John Witherspoon • Scottish immigrant
• President of the College of New Jersey (Princeton University)
• Signer of Declaration of Independence
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Charles Carroll
• Wealthy financier of the Revolution, from Maryland. • Catholic and promoted the acceptance of the Catholics in the colonies
• Served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of Declaration of Independence
9
Jonathan Trumbull Sr. • Served as Governor of
Connecticut
• Only colonial governor to
offer full support to the
colonists.
- Supplied Washington’s
army
- Only governor to remain in
office throughout the war
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John Peter Muhlenberg
• Minister from
Pennsylvania
• Enlisted men into the
Continental Army
• “Black Regiment” –
minsters who wore their
robes but worked to
recruit men into the army
• Rose to the rank of
general
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The Declaration of Independence
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Foundations of a Democratic Nation
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Republic of Rome
Magna Carta 1215
English Bill of Rights 1689
Virginia House of Burgesses
Mayflower Compact
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The Decision
• Delegates at the Second Continental
Congress voted to Declare Independence
from Britain
• Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the
document
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Theory of Government
•
Issued July 4th, 1776 Many ideas were borrowed from John Locke
•
Purpose of government should be to protect citizens’ unalienable rights
– “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
•
Citizens had the duty to overthrow an oppressive government that
failed to protect rights
•
Declaration listed grievances (complaints) against King George III
15
Articles of Confederation
• Weak central government; fearing the kind of rule under British Monarch. • Experiment in government
• Did not want to threaten rights of the people
‐ Could not levy and collect taxes
‐ No national army or navy
‐ No national currency
‐ Weak central government
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US Constitution
17
Constitutional Convention
• Philadelphia, 1787
• Delegates decided to abandon the Articles and write an entirely new constitution
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The Framers
• Established the basic structure of our national government
• Wanted to create a national government strong enough to defend the nation’s interests and to promote its general welfare
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• Federalist Papers
written to encourage ratification of the US Constitution. • Ratified in 1791. • U.S. Constitution respected and admired by nearly all peoples around the world. 20
Principles of the U.S. Constitution
• Limited Government‐ Powers of the federal government limited to those listed in the Constitution
• Republicanism‐ (Republican government) a democratic government of representatives elected by the people
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• Separation of Powers‐ divides the powers of government into 3 branches
Legislative‐ Makes the laws
Executive‐ Executes the laws
Judicial‐ Interprets the laws
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• Popular Sovereignty‐ The people are sovereign they hold all the power. The powers of government come from the consent of the governed
• Federalism‐ Powers of government were divided between the national government and the states
‐ Ex. of state control: education, licensing 23
• Checks and Balances‐ Each branch has ways to stop the other branches – ensures no one branch becomes too powerful • Amendments‐ the Constitution could be amended to take into account important changes. This makes the Constitution flexible
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Bill of Rights
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• The Bill of Rights are the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution • Proposed by James Madison
• Added to protect individual liberties (unalienable rights)
• Ratification of the Constitution was only obtained when its supporters (Federalists) promised to add a Bill of Rights
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• 1st Amendment‐
Freedom of speech, religion and press; right to assemble; right to petition • 2nd Amendment‐ Right to bear arms; militia
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• 3rd Amendment‐ No quartering of troops without home owners permission. • 4th Amendment‐ No unlawful search and seizure without probable cause.
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• 5th Amendment‐ No double jeopardy; do not have to testify against yourself. Guarantees due process of law
•6th Amendment‐ Right to a fair fast and public trial, right to a lawyer, right to be told charges. 29
• 7th Amendment‐ Trial by jury
• 8th Amendment‐ No cruel or unusual punishment; no excessive bail.
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• 9th Amendment‐
Rights reserved to the people, citizens hold other rights. 10th Amendment‐ Powers reserved for the state
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Generalization
• What importance do the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights have on American history?
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European Ideals come to America
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• European society was divided into hereditary social classes
– Nobles enjoyed privileges and land
‐ Serfs Worked the land
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Alexis de Tocqueville
• French political thinker wrote Democracy in America.
• Analyzed the rising living standards and social conditions of individuals • Believed American society was egalitarian because Americans lacked a hereditary social class of nobles. • Believed in populism a political philosophy supporting the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite
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Tocqueville Beliefs • Liberty‐ Value of individuals to have control over their own actions. • Equalitarianism‐ having a society of equals; free land created equality
• Individualism‐ Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self‐reliance and personal independence
• Laissez‐faire‐ Belief government should not interfere with business practices. • Populism ‐ Philosophy supporting the rights and power of the people against the privileged elite
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The Civil War
• Southern states attempted to secede • Four year war 1861‐1865
• North won
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Civil War Amendments
• 13th – abolished slavery
• 14th – guaranteed all citizens “due process rights” and “equal protection”
• 15th – prohibited denying voting rights based on race
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