In the Beginning Chapter 2 Mythbusters One way cultures/groups - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

In the Beginning…

Chapter 2

Mythbusters

• One way cultures/groups define and sustain

themselves is through “myths”

– Stories, legends, values, events that separate “us” from “them”

• Some of the most important of these are

about origins, called “foundational myths”

• You learned ours in kindergarten

• Successful myths have large grains of truth in

them

– The myths around the American foundings are no different – However, one myth in particular deserves busting

Colonial America

• Colonialism was an economic and political

system

– All the major powers (Britain, France, Spain) practiced it – Most of Africa, North America, South America divided up

• British colonies in N. America were different

from most of the rest of the colonial world

– Settlers themselves were white, Christian, British – Small, widely spread, relatively peaceful native population

Colonial Government

• “Home Rule”

– Britain’s focus was trade, not government

• Unlike pretty much everywhere else in the

world, the American experience has always been one of “democracy”

• By 1650, all 13 colonies have elected

legislatures

– Pass laws & taxes – Debate, argument, compromise is the norm – Politicians! – Problems

What goes wrong?

• The usual

– Wars, taxes, bad choices

• Impact of 7 Years’ War (French & Indian Wars)

– Increasing American resentment of British gov’t

Revolutionary America

• Articles of Confederation

– Def: A system of government where a weak national government is given limited powers by independent states

• Designed to preserve most of the features of

home rule

Articles of Confederation

• Features:

– Unicameral legislature (Congress of the Confederation) – One vote per state

• Each state is equal

– 9 out of 13 states needed to pass laws – Unanimous vote needed for amendments

• Problems:

– States not required to help defend other states – No power to tax – Unanimous vote needed for amendments – Aftermath of war - Shays’s Rebellion

Drafting the Constitution

• Created a republic to replace the

confederation

– Def: A government where citizens elect

• fficeholders to govern on their behalf
• AKA “indirect democracy,” “representative democracy”
• Problem: gov’t will be more powerful than

most would prefer

• From the beginning, the Framers wanted to

balance 2 sets of competing goals:

• 1. An effective (powerful) government that would

still be limited

• 2. Rights of citizens vs. rights of states
• Institutional design

Engineering the Constitution

• “Something old, something new”

– Separation of powers – 3 “branches” of government with overlapping power

• “Checks and balances”

– Federalism – government’s responsibilities divided into those of the states and those of the national government

• 2 competing proposals for the new

government

– “Virginia Plan” – advocated by delegates from large-population states

• Bicameral legislature
• House of Representatives selects Senators, President,

Supreme Court

• National government more powerful than state

governments

• “New Jersey Plan” – competing proposal
• ffered by smaller states

– Unicameral legislature – Each state gets one vote in national government – Congress given tax powers – Eased unanimity requirement for amending Articles of Confederation

Compromising the Constitution

• Neither proposal had enough support to pass
• n its own.
• Result: “the Great Compromise”

– Bicameral legislature

• One chamber based on state population

– President selected by Electoral College – Many guarantees of state’s rights

• Slavery

Checks and Balances

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