Origins of the U.S. Government

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Origins of the U.S. Government

• A.P. Government Politics
• Unit 1

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How do governments form?

• Force
• Establishing control through violence
• Evolution
• Gradual development of government
• Divine Right
• God grants certain people the right to rule
• Social Contract
• People freely enter into a state

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What are the types of government?

• Totalitarianism
• Rules with absolute authority
• May be a single or multiple ruler (oligarchy)
• May be focused on self or common good (dictator v
  monarchy)
• Unitary
• Power is held by a centralized agency and
  filtered out to local governments
• Federal
• Powers are divided between one central government
  and several local governments

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What are the types of government?

• Confederation
• An alliance of independent states
• Democracy
• Political authority rest with the people
• May be Direct or Indirect

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What influenced the founders?

• Roman Republic
• Two house legislature
• Greeks
• Democratic rule
• Focus on common good civic virtue

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What influenced the founders?

• British
• How did each of the following influence the
  founders?
• Magna Carta
• Petition of Right
• Bill of Rights

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What influenced the founders?

• Hobbes people are evil and will enter a social
  contract to escape the evil in society
• A strong central government is necessary

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What influenced the founders?

• Locke
• people are good and will enter a social contract
  to protect their natural rights
• People have three natural rights life, liberty,
  and property

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What influenced the founders?

• Montesquieu Separating powers among
  three branches creates a checks and balances
  system that protects peoples rights

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Articles of Confederation

• Problems?
• Lacked national unity
• Weak central government
• No backing for currency
• No power to tax
• Could not regulate interstate commerce
• No judicial system

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Constitutional Convention

• Attended by 55 delegates
• 39 were members of the Continental Congress or
  Confederation Congress
• 31 were college graduates
• Most important members not present
• Sam Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, and
  Thomas JeffersonRelevance?
• Average age was 42
• How did the younger delegates view the executive?
  (Madison, Wilson, Hamilton)
• How did the older delegates view the executive?
  (Franklin, Sherman)

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Convention Debates

• What were they?
• Virginia plan
• New Jersey plan
• Connecticut Compromise
• 3/5s compromise

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The Constitution
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Principles

• Popular Sovereignty The authority flows from the
  people
• Limited Government No one is above the law
• Separation of Powers All powers are divided up
  among the three branches
• Checks and Balances Each branch has some control
  over the others
• Federalism The powers divided among the central
  government and state governments

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Article IU.S. Congress
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Article I
House Senate
Members
Citizenship
Residency
Age
Term

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Article I
House Senate
Members 435 100
Citizenship 7 years 9 years
Residency In state In state
Age 25 30
Term 2 years 6 years

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Article I

• Implied powers
• Art 1 sec8 clause 18
• Borrow money create a bank

• Expressed Powers
• Regulate commerce
• Create currency
• Borrow money
• Tax
• Raise a military
• Declare war
• Create courts

• Inherent powers
• Impeach the president
• Approve executive appointments
• Approve treaties

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Article II
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Article II

• Qualifications
• Natural born citizen
• 35 years old
• Lived in the U.S. for 14 years
• Term
• 4 year term
• (no more than 2 consecutive terms or 10 years)

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Article II

• Selection
• Electoral college
• Each state sends members Congressional Rep.
• Majority wins (No majority? House decides)
• Removal
• House issues impeachment
• Senate removes

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Article II

• Executive powers
• Chief of State The ceremonial head of the
  government
• Chief Executive Has the power to execute the
  laws
• Chief Diplomat Establishes U.S. foreign policy
• Commander in Chief Head of the military

• Legislative powers
• Shapes public policy
• vetoes laws

• Judicial powers
• Appoints judges
• Pardons criminals

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Article IIIJudicial Branch
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Article III

• Qualifications
• None
• Make up
• Constitution establishes Supreme Court
• Congress establishes lower courts
• Term
• Life

• Jurisdiction
• Original jurisdiction on all federal law
• Appellate jurisdiction

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Article IV-VII

• Article IV Role of states
• State Relations
• Extradition
• New States

Article VI Supremacy of the Constitution

• Article VII Ratification
• 9 of the 13 states

• Article V Amending the Constitution
• 2/3 House Senate
• ¾ of States