1. Chapter 2:
The American Constitution
American Government and Politics:
Deliberation, Democracy, and Citizenship

2. Learning Objectives
2
 Describe the lessons the early Americans
learned about establishing effective
democratic government during the first
decade of independence.
 Explain the key controversies that divided
the delegates at the Constitutional
Convention.
 Contrast the political views of the
Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
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3. Learning Objectives
3
 Assess the extent to which the addition of
the Bill of Rights to the Constitution
served the goals of both Anti-Federalists
and Federalists.
 Evaluate whether the original
Constitution was pro-slavery or antislavery.
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4. Introduction
4
Framing the Constitution:
 Process took approximately 10 years
 Remarkably peaceful
 Important early lessons and experiences
shaped document
 Other influences include political philosophers, and
British constitutional and legal history
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5. 5
The Lessons of the
First Decade
State Constitutions
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Separation of powers
Bicameral legislature
Weak governors
Property restrictions for voting and holding
office
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6. 6
The Lessons of the
First Decade
Articles of Confederation
 First national constitution
 Weak national government
 Key provisions:
 State sovereignty
 State equality
 Limited powers
 Supermajority requirement
 Amendments
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7. 7
The Lessons of the
First Decade
Weaknesses of the National Government
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Underfunded
Unequipped army
Unable to execute unified foreign policy
Poor treatment of some Loyalists
Unable to gather quorum to do business
Conflicts between the States
 Economic
 Territorial
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8. 8
The Lessons of the
First Decade
Problems within the
States:
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Shays’s Rebellion
Deficiencies of
state laws
Rage for paper
money
Questions about
majority rule
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9. 9
The Lessons of the
First Decade
The Road to Philadelphia
 Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation
apparent in early days of the document
 Annapolis Convention (1786)
 Delegates urged Congress to call constitutional
convention
 Congress asks states to appoint delegates
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10. The Constitutional Convention
10
May 25, 1787
 Washington: presiding officer of Constitutional
Convention
 Many prominent political figures absent
 James Madison, James Wilson and
Gouverneur Morris critical in drafting
Constitution
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11. 11
Forms of Government
Throughout the World in 1790
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12. The Constitutional Convention
12
The Nationalists Set the Agenda:
The Virginia Plan
 Three independent branches
 Representation based on state population
 Rejected state-based Articles of
Confederation and proposed entirely new
government
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13. The Constitutional Convention
13
The Small States Counterattack:
The New Jersey Plan
 Increase powers of national government
 Not willing to alter basic structure of Congress
 One state, one vote
 Delegates chosen by state legislatures
 Hamilton’s speech
 Life terms for chief executive
 Appointment by national government of state
governors
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14. The Constitutional Convention
14
The Great Compromise
 Representation in House based on state
population
 Each state has equal representation in Senate
 Bills for raising and spending money must
originate in the House
 National and federal principles
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15. The Constitutional Convention
15
Completing the Constitution
 Committee of Detail drafts Constitution
 Vests Congress with new powers
 Authorizes Congress to make all necessary
and proper laws
 New restrictions on state power
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16. The Constitutional Convention
16
Completing the Constitution (continued)
 Establishes presidency
 Makes independent of legislature
 Electoral College
 Establishes bicameral Congress
 National judiciary
 Federal judges serve lifetime terms
 Supreme Court
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17. The Constitutional Convention
17
Final Form
 Committee of Style revises draft
 Adds three requirements for oaths (public
promises)
 Sent to states for ratification
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18. Ratifying the Constitution
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The Course of Ratification
 Required approval from nine state ratifying
conventions (not all states)
 Combined public opinion and deliberation
 Able leaders represent both sides of debate
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19. Ratifying the Constitution
19
Debating the Constitution
 Federalists
 Supported ratifying Constitution
 Wanted strong national government
 Federalist Papers
 Argued that large republics use representation and
protect minority interests
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20. Ratifying the Constitution
20
Debating the Constitution
 Anti-Federalists
 Opposed ratifying the Constitution
 Concerned about national government having too
much power
 Denounced necessity of standing army
 Not enough emphasis on civic virtue and
accountability
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21. 21
Methods for Amending the
Constitution
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22. Adding a Bill of Rights
22
Protecting Rights in the Original
Constitution
 Writ of habeas corpus
 Prohibitions on bills of attainder
 Ex post facto laws
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23. Adding a Bill of Rights
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Fashioning the Bill of Rights
 Many proposed by states
 Thomas Jefferson supported Bill of Rights
 Federalists agree to add, as long as does not
limit or alter national government
 Madison drafts Bill of Rights
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24. Adding a Bill of Rights
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Ratifying the Bill of Rights
 Some disagreement, but state legislatures
ratified10 of 12 proposed amendments
 Bill of Rights added to Constitution
 Fundamental rights enumerated
 Little structural change or limits on national
government
 Ended organized opposition to Constitution
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25. Slavery and the Constitution
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Debating Slavery at the Constitutional
Convention
 Three contentious issues:
 Counting slaves to determine population for
representation
 Allowing importation of slaves into U.S.
 Obligating states to return runaway slaves
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26. Slavery and the Constitution
26
The Compromises of the Constitution
 Constitution does not use words “slave” or
“slavery”
 Three-fifths clause
 Importation of slaves clause
 Fugitive slave clause
 But, avoided suggestion in Constitution that
slavery was moral or just
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27. 27
The Constitution and
Deliberative Democracy
John Adams stated that the effort to draft
Constitution was “the greatest single effort
of national deliberation that the world has
ever seen.”
 Established foundation for future deliberations
about national policy
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