Chapter 4 Foundations: Background to American History.
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Transcript of Chapter 4 Foundations: Background to American History.
Chapter 4 Foundations: Background to American History
Washington’s Militia & Army
• Militiamen served as home guard and as supplement to the Continental Army
• The Continental Army was by contrast trained and more reliable
• None were battle-harden & ready to see the horror of war
Continental soldier
During the Revolution 1775-1783
• Jonathan Trumbull was the only British Governor that sided with the Americans
• John Peter Muhlenberg was a Protestant minister who recruited soldiers and rose to the rank of general
The Emergence of an American Culture• The Revolution helped
excite a sense of common nationality
• Celebration of Independence Day
• The American Consciousness and the idea of America’s Destiny
• Signers of the D. Of I. John Hancock, Ben Rush, Charles Carroll, & John Witherspoon
The Articles of Confederation• The period between 1781-
1787 was a “critical period” • During this period the
national government was weak for fear of a British-like central government
• The Confederation Congress dealt with the westward land distribution and it established three executive departments: Foreign Affairs, Finance, & War
Dickinson & the Articles of Confederation
Calls for a Stronger Government• Americans were losing their
fear of a strong central government
• Bankers, Merchants, and Mechanics now called for strong gov.
• James Madison called for a meeting in 1786 but not all the states came
• Alexander Hamilton called for a national convention the next year
James Madison
Adopting the Constitution
• The delegates who met included many participants from the Revolution
• James Madison & The Virginia Plan
• New Jersey Plan• Roger Sherman & The
Great Compromise
Signing the Constitution, September 17, 1787
Other Battles at the Convention• The battle between the
Northern & Southern delegates over slavery
• 3/5 compromise• Women’s rights left out of
constitution• In regard to citizenship it gave
Congress authority over naturalization
• American Indians would not be given citizenship until 1924
The Separation of Powers• The Founding Fathers
viewed the House as the most democratic
• The Senate would be chosen by the state legislatures
• The President could veto acts of Congress, appoint diplomats & judges, recommend legislation to Congress, & act as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Checks & Balances• The Separation of the
three branches of gov.• The President’s veto• The congressional power
of impeachment• The Courts right of
judicial review• The Senate’s power to
approve or reject treaties & appointments
• Amendments
Checks & Balances• The Separation of the
three branches of gov.• The President’s veto• The congressional power
of impeachment• The Courts right of
judicial review• The Senate’s power to
approve or reject treaties & appointments
• Amendments
The First Supreme Court• The Congress setup the
structure of the federal court system
• Congress set the number on the high court a six and created thirteen federal district courts
• Members of the Supreme Court were required to serve on circuit courts as well
The First Chief Justice John Jay
The Bill of Rights• B/C MA, NY, VA, & NC had all
requested a “bill of rights” James Madison wrote a list of amendments and presented them to congress in 1789
• In the late 1700s the US was alone in the world b/c the constitution prevents Congress from establishing an official religion
• The 10th Amendment said that powers not given to the national Gov. remained w/ the states or the people
James Madison
Freedom of Religion• One of the 1st Amendment Rights
is religion• The Anglican Church suffered b/c
of its association with the British, it changed its name to the Episcopal Church
• The Methodist, Baptist, & Presbyterian churches grew bigger
• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom
• We also got freedom of speech, press, and assembly in the 1st amendment
Jefferson & the Virginia Statue
More Amendments
• 2nd Amendment – the right to bear arms
• 3rd Amendment – we don’t have to quarter soldiers
• 4th Amendment – we are protected from unreasonable searches
• 5th Amendment – protects us from double jeopardy, from incriminate yourself, and gives the government eminent domain.
More Amendments• 6th Amendment - right to
public trail, jury, & lawyer• 7th Amendment – right to
jury in some civil cases• 8th Amendment – court
can’t inflict cruel and unusual punishment
• 9th list rights but doesn’t deny other rights
• 10th gives power to the states if not in the constitution
Alexis de Tocqueville• A French man that visited the
United States in 1831 believed America was great b/c of five values:
• Liberty – freedom, rule of law, and religious faith
• Egalitarianism – we are a society of equals
• Individualism – we are free to flourish w/o government
• Populism – common man free to participate in politics
• Laissez-faire – gov. has a “hands-off” approach to the economy