THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION

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THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION

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The American Constitutional Conference
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THE MAKING OF THE AMERECAN CONSTITUTION

Religious Reform
Senate headed by Vice-President House of
Representatives

• Magna Carta (1215)

Colonist in the New World (Self-governing)
LEGISLATIVE (congress)
Mayflower Compact (1620)

• Common law
• (judge-made law)

Articles of Confederation (1777)
President appoints chief justice with
consent/advice of Senate

• Law statutes

BRITISH HERITAGE
Continental Congress (177489)
EXECUTIVE
Constitutional Convention (May, 1787)

• Virginia (1607)
• (primitive form of
• confederation)
• New England
• (Puritan/ May-
• flower Compact)
• Maryland
• (Catholic/freedom
• of worship)
• Pennsylvania
• (Quaker/church
• relation with
• government)

Set the power of governing the country by 3
branches
Chief Justice Supreme Court
Root of Constitution
JUDICIAL
COLONIAL HERITAGE (spirits of industrial self-reli
ance for later economic development)
CONSITUTION (1789) timeless words living
principles
Bill of Rights (1791)
Amendment 21st (1933) (repeal of Prohibition
of alcoholic beverage)

• 5 principles at the heart of
• that living Constitution
• Rule of law
• Republicanism
• Separation of powers
• Check balance
• National Supremacy
• (Article VI)

INTELLECTUALS HERITAGE
Amendment 26th (1971) (all citizens of 18 years
or older have right to vote)

• religious reformation
• (away from Mid-Age church rules so as to break
  the tie with the secondary God -- the church)

• ideological introduction of
• intellectuals
• (philosophers politicians)
• Thomas Hobbes (15881679)
• John Locke (16321704)
• Charles de Moutesquieu (16891755)
• Jean-Jacque Rousseau
• (17121778)

Amendment 27th (1992) (no law shall take effect
on the compensation of house service or
compensation of service need a fresh election)
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National Motto of the United States
In God We Trust
The phrase derives from the line And this be our
motto, 'In God is our trust,' in the battle song
that later became the U.S. national anthem, The
Star-Spangled Banner. The phrase first appeared
on U.S. coins in 1864 and became obligatory on
all U.S. currency in 1955. In 1956 it was made
the national motto by act of Congress.
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• The United States Seal is the official seal of
  the U.S. government. The dominant figure is the
  American Eagle shown with its wings spread. The
  eagle carries in its beak a scroll on which
  appears the Latin motto E pluribus unum (From
  many, one). E pluribus unum is the United States
  motto, appearing on the nation's coins and paper
  money, and on many of its public monuments.

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
The Legislature can
The Executive can
The Judiciary can
legislative

• Make laws

• Veto legislation
• Recommend
• legislation

• Review
• legislative
• acts

Power of government

• Confirm
• executive
• appointments
• (Senate)
• Override
• executive
• veto
• (2/3presented)

Executive

• Review
• executive acts
• Issue injunctions

• Enforce laws

Judicial

• Impeach

• Grant Pardons

• Interpret Laws

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useful website
for the study of American Constitution
http//www.constitution.org/
useful website for more knowledge of American
National Anthem http//www.bcpl.net/etowner/ant
hem.html