American Government

PS 1010, American Government 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Summarize the origins of American political thought. 1.1 Identify how the Enlightenment and philosophers such as John Locke influenced the Founding

Fathers. 1.2 Discuss the major goals of the Framers of the Constitution. 1.3 Describe the events preceding the creation of the Articles of Confederation and the

weaknesses that led to the Articles' demise.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1.1 Unit I Lesson Reading: “2. Foundations of American Government” Unit I Assessment

1.2 Unit I Lesson Unit I Assessment

1.3

Unit I Lesson Reading: “2a. The Colonial Experience” Reading: “2b. Independence and the Articles of Confederation” Unit I Assessment

Reading Assignment To access the following resources, click the links below.

Independence Hall Association. (n.d.). 2. Foundations of American government. Retrieved from

http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2.asp Independence Hall Association. (n.d.). 2a. The colonial experience. Retrieved from

http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2a.asp Independence Hall Association. (n.d.). 2b. Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Retrieved from

http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2b.asp

UNIT I STUDY GUIDE

Foundations of American Government

PS 1010, American Government 2

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Unit Lesson We have all heard about the Founding Fathers and their vision of making America a melting pot, but the trials and tribulations of establishing the government of the United States fly a bit further under the radar. This unit will examine the thoughts and strategies behind our nation’s founding and the ideas and principles utilized to create our Constitution. In the Beginning What is politics? What part do we as citizens have in the political process? The United States has a political culture that was begun during colonial times and refined during the Revolutionary War. When the colonists declared their independence from Great Britain, the Founding Fathers declared that Americans were entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Along with this entitlement also came a duty because nothing is ever free. It should be our active goal as U.S. citizens to understand how politics affects every part of our lives from the moment we are conceived until we depart this world. We should be informed of what those who represent us are doing so that we can guide their steps and keep them accountable. Early American core values for governing were centered on the ideas of liberty, individualism, equality, and self-government. Establishing these ideals was not without issue. The First and Second Continental Congresses were fraught with turbulence and animosity, as were the weeks and days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. When Richard Henry Lee presented a three-part resolution to Congress on June 7, 1776, his motion served to create even greater tension. In what was a blatant call for severing all ties with Great Britain, Lee called upon Congress to declare independence, form foreign alliances, and prepare a plan for a colonial confederation (A&E Networks, 2009). This platform remains deep within the American government today and is the ideal that serves as the foundation for the United States. New Ideas and a New America While we have attempted over the years to transplant American ideas regarding government to other areas around the world, the United States is, to date, the only place they have worked. The United States is unique among the countries of the world because, while most countries are built on a shared heritage, we come from everywhere and work from shared ideals. These shared ideals stem in part from the period of Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, that had spread throughout Europe at the time. The Enlightenment was a movement in which the ideas of liberty, reason, and the scientific method rose to the forefront of thought. The Enlightenment was originally a French movement inspired by human potential and manifested in the ideas of vacating or even rebelling against political oversight and religious tradition. It quickly moved into the Americas. Whereas Europe had centuries of tradition to help slow the effects of this philosophy, the United States was largely a blank canvas for new ideas and worked like a sponge to soak up the potential for innovation. In tandem with the strengthening of communities and increased literacy among multigenerational families, the ideas of free thinkers would quickly spread from the elite to the lower classes through public displays and intentional attempts to rouse a response. These free thinkers included John Locke, John Smith, Thomas Paine, François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire), Denis Diderot, and eventually American leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Signing of the Declaration of Independence (Trumbull, 1819)

“The First Prayer in Congress.” The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774. Stephen Crane is the second person to the right of the Rev. Jacob Duché at the lectern. (Matteson, 1848)

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It was during this period that the founding fathers began developing the original laws that were to govern the United States. Their first attempt was the creation of the United States’ first constitution, the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation The Articles were developed on Nov. 15, 1777, in what would ultimately be known as the First Continental Congress. The Articles legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first governing document. They also provided for an international agreement that would establish central institutions for conducting vital domestic and foreign affairs (Boundless, 2016b). The Articles of Confederation were drafted as a means of unifying the colonies under one government. By formalizing themselves in this manner, the Continental Congress sought to legitimize themselves domestically as well as abroad. The Articles also afforded the States with the ability to direct the Revolutionary War, engage in diplomacy with Europe, and negotiate with the native Americans on territorial issues (OpenStax American Government, 2018). The development of the Articles and the issues they addressed were a clear reflection of the political, cultural, and social environment. “Newly separated from a monarchy with a unitary or highly centralized power structure, the representatives sought an emphasis on local government within the states, which they believed were best suited to manage states’ separate interests. “Fearful of replacing one oppressive national government with another, the framers of the Articles of Confederation created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government” (OpenStax American Government, 2018, para. 3). Issues Emerge As might be expected with the differences among regions and the power struggle between state and federal authority, there was soon to be a series of debates. Just as it is today, the local government was much more visible to the common voter than the federal government. Likewise, local government was more likely to hear the voice of the common voter. As a result, this was part of the expectation of true republicanism reflected in the Articles. The problems with the Articles were many, perhaps in large part due to the calculated decision, coming on the heels of the recent conflict with the king of England, to focus on states’ rights. It was also problematic that the central government had no power to tax and no power to maintain a proper military. In addition, there was no chief executive, which rendered the United States quite weak. Perhaps the greatest issue was the debate regarding slavery, a regional issue that would quickly blossom into a national concern. In only a few years’ time, the issues of domestic and international debt and relationships with its own citizens and other nations had become unavoidable pressures on the new nation. Soldiers had not been paid; citizens had not been recompensed for food and personal property stolen and/or damaged during the war, and those European nations who stepped in to sway the war’s outcome demanded the United States’ attention. The states, as a loose association, simply did not have the strength, finances, or unity to represent themselves as one economic entity. There needed to be a centralized national authority.

The Articles of Confederation Faults and Weaknesses Strengths

Unicameral legislature with one vote per state Could declare war and make peace

No separation of powers Had the power to issue money

Central government which had no power to collect taxes, raise an army, or regulate trade

Could engage with foreign countries

No executive branch Provided for settlement of the West

No court system States were empowered

All 13 states had to vote unanimously to make or change laws

Allowed for creation of new states

Provisions of the Articles of Confederation (OpenStax American Government, 2018)

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Once the Revolution ended and the everyday business of running a country commenced, the Founding Fathers recognized that the Articles simply were not feasible. Changes were needed. They needed a new guiding document, one that would better set forth the powers and governance of America. The Path Forward It was clear that the Articles of Confederation were not working and the envisioned utopian republic was dying; therefore, a new government was necessary. Leaders from the 13 states were called to Annapolis, Maryland, in 1786 to amend the Articles, but only five delegations opted to attend. Absent a quorum, the only decision that could be made was the setting of another meeting in Philadelphia for May 1787. This second attempt in 1787 would be called the Philadelphia Convention or the United States Constitutional Convention. The Philadelphia Convention sought to create the first continent-wide system of governance. In developing their vision, the Founding Fathers looked to several philosophers of note who had emerged during the Enlightenment. In particular, the teachings and principles of John Locke were highly regarded. Locke spoke of a social contract and liberties, ideas that also served as part of the Founding Fathers’ vision for the United States. This social contract is an individual’s agreement to abandon some freedoms in order for the government to regulate life and ensure safety. Locke’s concept of a social contract played a significant role in creating a framework for the new Constitution, as did his belief in human rights such as life and property. These were the circumstances and vision that would serve as the premise for the new Constitution. The next unit will take a closer look inside the creation and contents of the Constitution, federalism, and democracy.

References A&E Networks. (2009). Lee resolution presented to Continental Congress. Retrieved from

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lee-resolution-presented-to-continental-congress Encyclopedia Britannica. (2014, November). Social Contract. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-contract Gneller, G. (1697). JohnLocke [Painting]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JohnLocke.png Matteson, T.H. (1848). The-first-prayer-in-congress-september-1774 [Painting]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The-first-prayer-in-congress-september-1774.jpg OpenStax American Government. (2018). 2.2 The Articles of Confederation. Retrieved from

https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:GAg9oV-J@8/The-Articles-of-Confederation Trumbull, J. (1819). The Declaration of Independence July 4 1776 by John Trumbull [Painting].

Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Declaration_of_Independence_July_4_1776_by_John_T rumbull.jpeg

John Locke, circa 1689 (Gneller, 1697)

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Suggested Reading To access the following resource, click the link below. The following website contains the full text of the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. (1777). Retrieved from

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/confederation.htm