Civics and Economics Outline

CIVICS AND ECONOMICS OUTLINE

COMPETENCY GOAL 1. The learner will investigate the foundations of the American political system and explore basic values and principles of American democracy.—11 days

OBJECTIVES:

1.02—Trace and analyze the development of ideas about self-government in British North America. (ch. 1 and 2)

1) Government

a) Government—institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.

i) Public policies—things a government wants to do.

ii) Three basic components to government

(1) Legislative power—make laws

(2) Executive Power—execute or enforce laws

(3) Judicial power—power to interpret laws

iii) controls these powers determine the type of government

(1) dictatorship—all three powers in hands of one person

(2) democracy—three powers in hands of the people

b. State—people, defined territory, government, sovereignty

State development
Force Theory—one person or a group of people claimed control over an area and forced people to submit
Evolutionary Theory—developed naturally out of the family
Divine Right Theory—god created the state and appointed its leaders
Social Contract Theory—(America)—State is a social contract
Enlightenment—new ideas of government and rights—English—1600’s
Hobbes—State exists to serve the will of the people, created by people
John Locke—governments are formed by the consent of the people and may be freely overthrown by them—
Natural rights—life, liberty, property
2nd Treatise of Government

c. Forms of Government

Three classifications
Who can participate in the governing process
democracy—supreme political authority rests with the people
direct democracy—will of people translated into public policy (Athens)
indirect democracy—will of people translated into public policy by representatives
dictatorship--government not held responsible to the will of the people
autocracy—1 person rule
oligarchy—few have power and rule
Distribution of governmental power
Unitary government—Centralized government, (England—Parliament holds all power (local governments only aid Parliament)
Federal government—powers divided --central government and several local governments (states)
Confederation—alliance of sovereign states—one or more purposes--EU
Relationship between the legislative and executive powers
Presidential government—presidential and legislative powers are distinct and separate
Parliamentary government—President (Prime Minister) is part of parliament –member of the majority party—Executive is chosen by parliament

d. Concepts of Democracy

Worth of the individual—each individual is a distinct human being—may be subordinate to that of the many
Equality of all persons—“all men are created equal”—equal opportunity, legal equality
Majority rule, Minority Rights—Will of the people but with fair treatment to the minority individual
Necessity of compromise—find the position most acceptable to the largest number—individual first and each individual is equal to all others
Individual freedoms—not complete freedom, each individual must be as free to do as he or she pleases as far as the freedom of all will allow.

2) America’s political beginnings—SEE HANDOUT

a) Sources of their thought

i) Magna Carta—1215—land barons (only protected privileged) forced King John to sign (Great Charter)

(1) Military campaigns and heavy taxes

(2) Trial by jury

(3) Due process of law

(4) Arbitrary taking of life, liberty and property

ii) Petition of Right—1628—With the Parliament’s power growing, forced Charles I to sign:

(1) Right to a trial before punishment

(2) No martial rule in time of peace

(3) Shelter troops without their consent

(4) Challenged divine right of kings

iii) English Bill of Rights—1688

(1) After Glorious Revolution William and Mary and all future monarch from:

(a) Standing army in peacetime without Parliament’s permission

(b) Parliament makes laws, and levies taxes

(d) Fair trial, excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment

1.01—Describe how geographic diversity influenced economic, social, and political life in colonial North America

1) Colonial organization

b) Established over 125 years

i) Royal Colonies—direct control of the Crown

(1) NH, Mass., NY, NJ, Virginia, NC, SC, Georgia

ii) Proprietary Colonies

(1) Proprietary—Maryland, Pennsylvania.(Delaware) organized by a proprietor--person to whom the king had made a grant of land (landlord)

iii) The Charter Colonies

(1) Charter—written permission to establish a colony or government

(2) Conn. (1662) and RI(1663)

(3) Self governed—governor elected by white, landowners (ultimately approved by the King. (VERY LIBERAL)

a) Settlement of Virginia

(1) 1605—Virginia Company—

(2) Joint Stock Company—investment—partial ownership of company

(3) May 1607—settled Jamestown

(a) First permanent English colony in the New World

(b) Indentured servants—settlers who were bound for a period of years to the person who paid their way—Tobacco!!

(4) House of Burgesses 1619

(5) First -- representative government in North America

ii) Massachusetts

Plymouth (Pilgrims) and Massachusetts Bay (Salem, MA)—RELIGIOUS FREEDOM--Puritans

(1) Anglican Church—Official Protestant Church of England

(2) No separation of church and state--Paradox

(3) Puritans—Protestants who wanted to “purify” the English Church

(4) Pilgrims—1620—left Plymouth, England on the Mayflower [landed too far north, were supposed to land on Virginia’s shores]

(i) Mayflower Compact

Town meetings=local government
First example of direct government in North America: majority rule: self government

(b) Roger Williams 1644—charter--colony of Rhode Island

(c) Fundamental orders of Connecticut--1639—Thomas Hooker: left Mass. for Conn.—1stwritten Constitution: representatives: local laws: elected gov. and judges.

(i) all religions were tolerated

(ii) Church and state were separate in Rhode Island!!!!

2) REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

a) New England Colonies—Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island

i) Commerce

(1) Sold fish, grain, lumber, ship building

(2) Involved in shipping and trade

b) Middle Colonies—New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware

i) “Bread Basket”—grew staple crops—food crops

ii) religious toleration

iii) Fur trade and shipping (Dutch)

iv) Pennsylvania—granted to William Penn

(1) “Holy Experiment”

(a) Treated Native Americans fairly

(b) Granted freedom of worship

(c) Quakers were against war and slavery

c) Southern Colonies—Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

i) Maryland toleration Act 1649

(1) Passed to protect the rights of the Catholic minority

ii) Georgia—debtor’s colony, people given fresh start

iii) Maryland—George Calvert—save haven for Catholics

d) Southern Colonies and Slavery

(1) The first African blacks --Jamestown in 1619

(2) The indentured servant system eventually gave way to slavery because of the need for labor

(3) Crops: Cash Crops: tobacco, rice, indigo, forest products, and later on, cotton (this would not become a major crop until after the invention of the Cotton Gin

e) Triangular Trade (DRAW ON BOARD)

i) European merchant ships carried goods, such as s and cloth, to Africa, were they were traded for slaves

ii) The middle passage—slaves were shipped to the Americas and sold

iii) Merchants purchased raw materials and other goods to take back to Europe

1.04—Elaborate on the emergence of an American identity.

1) The Social Contract theory—an 18th century enlightenment idea

a) -the state government exists only to serve the will of the people

b) In extreme examples, people can end bad government

c) John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes

2) Growing Colonial Unity

Early Attempts
House of Burgesses—first representative government
Mayflower Compact—direct, self-government of the people
Great Awakening—1720’series of religious revivals. Brought Colonies together religiously—questioned authority, Hope, Baptists and Methodists, Jonathan Edwards
New England Confederation. –Mass. Bay, Plymouth, New Haven and Conn. settlements formed the
league of friendship for defense against the Native Americans—dissolved in 1684

v. The Albany Plan of Union(1754)

1. Problem- of colonial trade and attacks by French and Native American allies

Benjamin Franklin-- delegates (representatives) from each colony—yearly meeting
Franklin proposed colonies could:
raise military forces
make war and peace with Native Americans
regulate trade with Native Americans
tax

England---NO

Other forming forces

Bacon’s Rebellion—1640’s—fought English restriction of settlement (Virginia)
Peter Zenger—Publisher in New York City—libel antigovernment articles—Acquitted
Education

4. Began to use the term, “American”

5. egalitarianism=equality—colonists believed they should have same rights as English citizens

6. Colonial governments and Constitutions

the First Continental Congress—Sept. 5, 1774
Intolerable Acts—Laws passed to punish colonists for troubles in Boston
Declaration of Rights—document sent to King George
protested Britain’s colonial policies
Asked for almost a National Conscience
“ firmly agree and associate, under the sacred ties of virtue, honor and love of our country”

1.03—Examine the causes of the American Revolution.

1) Economics

a) Mercantilism—economic policy

i) Colonies were a source of raw materials and as markets for goods

ii) Navigation Acts—required European goods destined for the colonies to be routed through England [why was this smart?]

b) Taxes—mostly to pay for the French and Indian War

i) Stamp Act of 1765—required the use of tax stamps on all legal documents and newspapers

(1) no taxation without representation

ii) Stamp Act Congress—Oct. 1765—Nine colonies sent delegates

(1) first time the colonies joined to oppose the British government

(2) British Parliament repealed (removed) the Stamp Act, but new laws were passed

iii) Townsend Acts 1767—taxes on glass, lead, paper, paints, and tea

(1) Many colonists supported a boycott—refusal to buy or sell English goods

2) Religion

a) Great Awakening—series of religious revivals

3) Politics

a) The French and Indian War 1754-63 (Seven Years War)

i) Causes

(1) Virginian’s western expansion (attacked by French and Indians)

(2) Disrupting trade of the colonists

ii) The Treaty of Paris 1763 ended the war

(1) Canada and all French territory east of the Mississippi

(a) Spain--surrendered Florida to the British.

iii) Proclamation of 1763—Stopped settlement of land west of the Appalachian Mts.—greatly angered colonists

iv) Boston Massacre

(1) Boston tea Party—Dec. 16, 1773—

(a) Reaction to the Tea Act and its tax on tea

(b) Intolerable Acts

(i) Series of acts meant to punish the colonists

1. Closing of the port of Boston

2. Suspension of Massachusetts government, etc.

v) First Continental Congress—Prepared Declaration of Rights—ignored!

vi) The Second Continental Congress—May 10, 1775

All thirteen colonies sent representatives
War had begun (Battle of Lexington and Concord -April of 1775)
the nation’s first national government
from the adoption of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776, until the Articles of Confederation, March 1, 1781
fought a war, raised armies and navy, borrowed funds, bought supplies, created a money system, made treaties
War ended on Oct. 19th, 1781 with Gen. Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia
Treat of Paris of 1783—officially ended Revolution

1.05—Identify the major domestic problems of the nation under the Articles of Confederation and assess the extent to which they were resolved by the new Constitution.

1) The Articles of Confederation

a) Ratification (formal approval) by all thirteen states was needed

i) Effective date: March 1, 1781

ii) “firm league of friendship”

b) government structure

i) unicameral (one house) Congress

ii) state sovereignty!!!!—one vote each

iii) Powers of Congress

(1) Could make war and peace, borrow money, raise an army

iv) State Obligations—THEY SHOULD

(1) Allow open trade between the states

(2) fund troops

(3) Treat other states fairly

(4) Full faith and credit to other state’s acts

c) Weakness of the Articles

i) Congress could not

(1) tax

(2) regulate trade

(3) needed 9 of 13 nine states to pass laws

(4) No national court

(5) No executive to enforce acts of Congress

(6) ALL states needed to amend

d) accomplishments

i) Ordinance of 1785—helped settling happen in the west

ii) Northwest Ordinance 1787—governing of area--organization

2) the Critical Period, 1780’s

a) Shay’s Rebellion

i) economic crisis—inflation and foreclosure

ii) need Stronger Central government

b) Annapolis Convention, Maryland—Sept. 11, 1786

i) Delegates met to recommend a plan for regulating commerce

ii) problem between Maryland and Virginia

iii) Nee to REVISE ONLY THE ARTICLES (set up Philadelphia conv.)

1.06—Compare viewpoints about government in the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist Papers.

Momentous Decision—(after about a week) Set about writing a constitution to replace Articles

1) Organization and Procedure

a) 12 of the 13 states, (Rhode Island), sent delegates

i) Framers —writers of Constitution

ii) George Washington president of the convention

iii) secrecy

iv) James Madison -“father of the Constitution” (good notes)

2) Sources of the Constitution

i) British tradition—English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta

iv) Political writings—John Locke’s—Two Treatises of Government

v) Colonial experiences—Virginia Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, etc

vi) Iroquois Constitution—(five NY tribes)—end conflict, representative form of go.

3) Congressional ideas

a) Virginia Plan—large state!!

i) legislative, executive, and judicial

(1) Legislature-- bicameral (two houses)

(a) Representation --state’s population

(i) House of Representative—people elected

(ii) Senate—chosen by the House

b) The New Jersey Plan—small state!!!

i) Unicameral Congress

(1) equal representation

ii) “federal executive” –multiple people, chosen by congress

iii) Judiciary—appointed by the executive

4) “Bundle of Compromises”

a) Compromises—both sides get and give

b) The Connecticut Compromise (the Great Compromise-representation)

i) Two House Congress

(1) House of Representatives- population

(2) Senate—equal representation—chosen by state legislators

c) the Three Fifths Compromise

i) representation!!!

(1) Slaves counted as 3/5ths of a human

d) the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

i) Congress could not tax exports and NO action on slavery for 20 years

e) Agreed upon THEMES of Constitution

(1) Popular sovereignty--people power

(2) separation of powers--three branches of government

(3) checks and balances

3) The Fight for Ratification

a) Federalists and Anti-Federalists

i) Federalists

(1) Favored ratification of the Constitution

(2) James Madison and Alexander Hamilton

Federalist Papers—supported Constitution--Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

ii) anti-Federalists

(1) against Constitution

(2) Patrick Henry and John Hancock

(3) Problem—no mention of god, states could not print money, NO Bill of rights, central government TOO STRONG

b) Article VII--Nine states are necessary to approve the constitution--

i) Delaware 1st on Dec. 7, 1787

ii) New Hampshire was the ninth (see page 57)

4) Inaugurating the government

i) New York -- temporary capital

(1) Elected George Washington as President

1.08—Compare the American system of government to other forms of government. (Ch. 22)

2.02 —Explain how the United States Constitution defines the framework, organization and structure of the tree branches of government at the national level and……2.03--how the US Constitution grants and limits the authority of public officials and government agencies.

1) Framework of the Constitution

a) Preamble—purposes

i) Art. I—Legislative Branch

(1) …All legislative Powers (make the laws!!!)

(2) Session—time Congress meets (every year) (20th Amendment)

(3) Special session—can be called by president

(4) House of Representatives—“house of the people”—popularly elected

(a) 435 Members (number set by law)