Government for the people

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  • Government for the People
    • The United States has a Federal Government of States
      • US Constitution (1787) established a federal system of government
        • Split between national and state governments
        • 13 original states
        • Constitution provided for the addition of more states as the country grew
      • Each state has a governor and legislature
        • Sends delegates to the Houses of Representatives and the Senate in Washington
      • Laws can vary in different states and areas
    • A territory with 60,000 could become a state
      • West developed into territories
      • Territories could elect some officials- but the federal government appointed many of the important ones
      • Territory became a state when the population reached 60,000
      • States were divided by their own legislatures into counties, with its own administrative seat, courthouse and jail
      • By 1890 the West had developed so much the the US Bureau of the Census declared the frontier close
    • Different courts and lawmen had different jurisdictions
      • Many town marshals only controlled law enforcement in a small area around their town
      • Federal marshals could enforce laws throughout America-crimes had to be dealt with by feral courts
      • Federal courts try different types of case to the sate courts. Final state of appeal is the state governor
      • The election of local officials made jobs like town sheriff and judge political
    • Gold.Beef and Oil fed the growth of America
      • Only a few made huge fortunes
      • Gold revenues helped pay for the transcontinental railways and the development of Western cities
      • Trading in gold with foreign countries helped make America a major world trading nation
      • oil became important in the last quarter of the 19th century

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