Government Topic Illustration Define w/ Information

Declaration of Independence
1776 / / “We hold these truths to be self-evident
  • “all Men are created equal”
  • “life, liberty, pursuit of happiness”
  • Governments “secure these rights”
with the “consent of the governed”
  • people must “alter or abolish”
governments that are “destructive”
towards the People’s rights
Articles of Confederation
1781-1788 / / WEAK CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
  • opposite of British Monarchy
  • no Executive or Judicial Branch
  • “League of Friendship”
  • lacked power to collect taxes
  • negotiated USA independence
  • failures highlighted by Shays’ Rebellion in 1786

Northwest Ordinance
1787 / /
  1. USA plan to cooperate in organizing territories for the admission of new States
  1. Prior to the “New” US Constitution…a great success!

Constitutional Convention 1787 / / “New” US Constitution written
  1. Stronger Central
Government
  1. “Bundle of Compromises”
  2. Creates 3 Branches of
Government
The Preamble… / / “We the PEOPLE of the United States in order to form a more perfect Union
  • Claims the purposes of the
“New” US Constitution
  • 6 goals for Central Government

Great Compromise / / CONGRESS = “Bi-cameral Legislature”
  • US SENATE = States are Equal
  • HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
based on population /# People
  • Small + Large STATES cooperate

3/5 Compromise / / Slaves are counted as 3/5 person for representation in the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES…
Slave STATES + Free STATES cooperate
Electoral College
/ / President + VP elected to lead the EXECUTIVE BRANCH are elected
  • State by State/winner-take-all
  • By “Electors” chosen by states
  • The PEOPLE have “indirect” voting power

Supreme Court / / Federal judges / US Supreme Court lead the JUDICIAL BRANCH are
  • nominated by the US President
  • approved by the US Senate

Separation of Powers / / 3 Branches of US Government each use their DELEGATED powers to
LEGISLATE-EXECUTE-JUDGE
  • Legislature = CONGRESS
  • Executive = PRESIDENT
  • Judicial = SUPREME COURT

Checks + Balances / / 3 Branches of US Government
  • EACH use their DELEGATED powers toCheck / Cancel the powers of the other 2 branches
  • Veto, Override, Nominate, Approve, Deny, Negotiate, Ratify, Overrule, Suspend, etc

Delegated Powers
Articles I + II / / aka “Enumerated Powers”
  • specifically assigned to
US Congress + President
  • negotiate Treaties
  • raise Army + Navy
  • declare War

Implied Powers
Art. I Sec.8 #18 / / aka “Elastic Clause”
  • Congress can make “all laws deemed necessary + proper”
  • flexibility to deal with changing times + circumstances

Executive Powers
Article II / / The US PRESIDENT is the …
  • Chief Executivelaw enforcement
  • Commander-in-Chief military
  • Chief Diplomat foreign policy

Judicial Powers
Articles III + VI / / US SUPREME COURT interprets laws
  • Disputes between STATES
International laws + treaties
  • Based on US CONSTITUTION
Power = “Judicial Review”
Ratification
Debate
1787-1788 / / 9 States needed to RATIFY
(approve) the new Constitution
…or the USA was finished…
FEDERALISTS +
Federalist Papers
1787-1788 / / Federalist leaders included Washington, Franklin, etc…
…Hamilton, Madison, Jay wrote
essays published in newspapers
Anti-FEDERALISTS + Bill of Rights
1787-1791 / / Anti-Federalist leaders included Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, etc… oppose the new Constitution w/out a Bill of Rights…ratified later in 1791
BILL of RIGHTS
1st 10
Amendments / / Protects individual rights + freedoms from “tyranny” or discrimination by the new powerful National Government
RESERVED Powers
“STATES’ Rights”
10th Amendment / / STATES keep all their rights and powers notspecifically DELEGATED to the US Govt.
aka “RESERVED” to the States
CONCURRENT
Powers =
SHARED Powers / / National, State, Local Govts.
…SHARE powers to make laws,
enforce laws, tax, spend, lend, borrow, etc… e-pluribus-Unum
“UNWRITTEN”
Constitution / / Traditions for government…
  • Cabinet appointments
  • Political parties
  • Lobbyists / Special interests
  • 2-term Limit for President

Political Parties
e-pluribus Unum
“loyal opposition” / / Political organizations formed to obtain power / influence
by winning elections + making policy
via decision making…
Hamilton + Jefferson = beginning
…Majority + Minority debate…
President George
Washington’s
“precedents” / / President George Washingtonestablished stable government
  • Cabinet appointments
  • Hamilton Plan / Whiskey Tax
  • Neutrality foreign policy
  • 2 – term limit for Presidents

Hamilton Plan / / Created a stable USA financial system w/ USA National Bank, taxes, flexible national debt
Jeffersonian Vision / / Individual + States’ Rights are best protected by growing the agricultural citizenry base of …USA property owners
Election 1800
USA politically
divided by parties,
policies, regions / / Jefferson wins Presidency by only ONE VOTE in House Reps
…USA survives 1st peaceful transition of political power
…without secession / civil war
Louisiana Purchase
Treaty 1803
“Loose / Broad
Interpretation” / / JEFFERSON succeeds in doubling
USA territory by negotiating…
…Constitutional authority forLouisiana Purchase challenged by rival FEDERALIST Party
Marbury v Madison
SC Decision 1803
“Judicial Review”
established / / US SUPREME COURT succeeds
declaring law “unconstitutional”
…checks + balances increase
“Judicial Review” established
…power to interpret laws based
on the US Constitution