Constitution of the US

Constitution revision

Diversity in the US

-Its size brings with it the need for decentralisation, for the federal government established by the founding fathers in 1787

-Laws differ between states; elections, crimes and punishments.

-Conservative south; (Bible belt) Texas to Virginia.

-Liberal Northeast; Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

-Liberal leaning west coast; California cities of LA and San Francisco.

1776-83

1776; The 13 colonies on the eastern seaboard of North America declared their independence for Great Britain. In the Declaration of Independence.

1776-83; The war of independence between the former colonies and Great Britain.

1781; The independent colonies decided to establish a confederacy a loose association of states in which almost all political power rests with the individual states - by the Articles of Confederation 1781      

Articles of confederation; The compact made between the 13 original states that formed the basis for their government form 1781 until it was replaced by the constitution.

Confederacy; A league of independent states in which the central government lacks significant powers and resembles more an international organisation, such as the United Nations, than a traditional national government.

Philadelphia convention;

•  25th May 1787

•  Delegates form all 13 states were invited

•  55 of the 74 invited turned up

•  Rhode Island sent no delegates. They were fearful that the hard-won gains of the War of Independence would be lost.

•  It was presided over by George Washington

•  James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were present.

•  The stated purpose of the convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation, but they decided to scrap them and write a new constitution.

•  Divisions arose between small and large (Virginia had the largest population) states.

•  The Virginia plan set out the wishes of the large population states.

•  The New Jersey plan set out those of the small population states,

•  The Connecticut Compromise (often called the 'great compromise) provided the basis of agreement.

•  The new constitution was written by 55 delegates who became known as the 'Founding Fathers'.

•  17th September 1787, it was completed.

•  Gave America a codified constitution; A constitution that consists of a full and authorative set of rules written down in a single text.

Article 1

-'All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representative'

-Established that the congress was to be made up of two chambers

-Laid down methods of election

-Terms of office

-Their powers, Section 8; Lay and collect taxes, coin money and declare war.

-Provide for the common defense  and general welfare of the US

-'Make all laws necessary and proper' (elastic clause)

Article 2

'The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America'

-Methods of election

-Terms of office

-Powers

-Chosen indirectly by an Electoral College

Article 3

-'The…