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

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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


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SLIDE 1

In the Beginning…

Chapter 2

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SLIDE 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”

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SLIDE 3
  • You learned ours in kindergarten
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SLIDE 4
  • 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

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SLIDE 5

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

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SLIDE 6
  • 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

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SLIDE 7

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”

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SLIDE 8
  • By 1650, all 13 colonies have elected

legislatures

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

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SLIDE 9

What goes wrong?

  • The usual

– Wars, taxes, bad choices

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

– Increasing American resentment of British gov’t

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SLIDE 10

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

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SLIDE 11

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

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  • Problems:

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

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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

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SLIDE 14
  • 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
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SLIDE 15

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

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SLIDE 16
  • 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

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SLIDE 17
  • “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

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SLIDE 18

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
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SLIDE 19

Checks and Balances

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