Roots of American Constitution

1
Roots of American Constitution

• Political and Economic Factors
• Early Steps
• Declaration of Independence
• Articles of Confederation

2
Political Factors

• Distance
• Colonial self-government
• Arbitrary restrictions and demands
• 1763 no further westward settlement
• 1765 Mutiny or Quartering Act

3
Economic Factors

• Sugar Act of 1764
• Stamp Act of 1765
• Townshend Acts of 1767
• Tea Act of 1773
• Coercive Acts of 1774

4
Early Steps

• Sons of Liberty S. Adams P. Henry
• Protests
• Stamp Act Congress in 1765
• 9 of 13 colonies
• List of violations of rights
• no taxation w/out representation
• Committees of Correspondence
• 12 colonies had by 1774

5
First Continental Congress

• Philadelphia, Fall 1774
• 56 delegates, all but GA
• Goal iron out diffs w/ George III
• Resolution vs. Coercive/Intolerable Acts
• Formal org. to boycott British good
• Declaration of Rights and Resolves

6
Second Continental Congress

• Philadelphia, Spring 1775
• Preceded by more hostility bloodshed
• Set stage for war
• Washington Commander of Army
• George III rejected Olive Branch Petition and
  sent troops
• July 4, 1776 voted to adopt D of I

7
Declaration of Independence

• Jefferson
• Political rhetoric
• Different audiences
• Colonists
• George III
• British citizens
• European countries
• Future Generations

8
Declaration of Independence

• Part I Preamble
• course of human events
• becomes necessary
• Laws of Nature and Natures God
• Respect to opinions of mankind
• Requires them to declare the causes

9
Declaration of Independence

• Part II Theory
• all men created equal
• unalienble rights
• Purpose of govt to secure these rights
• Power of govt derives from consent of govd
• If govt breaks the contract, right to alter or
  abolish if long train of abuses

10
Declaration of Independence

• Part III List of Grievances
• 27 in total
• Political
• Legislative arbitrariness
• Judicial arbitrariness
• Executive arbitrariness
• Economic
• Trade
• Taxes

11
Declaration of Independence

• Part IV Logical Conclusion
• We tried repeatedly
• We the Reps of the United States of America, in
  General Congress, Assembled
• appeal to the Supreme Judge of the world
• by the authority of the good people
• United Colonies are, and by right ought to be
  free and independent states

12
Articles of Confederation Written 1776,
Ratified 1781

• States, not people, are parties to the contract
• league of friendship
• Congress, only
• Delegates selected and paid by state
  legislatures
• Significant list of powers, but 9 (really
  unanimity) required

13
Problems under A of C

• Political chaos
• No source of revenue
• No executive no implementation
• No judiciary no way to settle disputes
• Economic chaos
• No national currency
• Competition for foreign trade
• No regulation of commerce among states
• Shayss Rebellion economic elites at risk

14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)