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Unit 1, Presidential Oath of Office The president swears an oath to…

- - - - Constitutional Convention
        
        States would determine voting qualifications; suffrage for property owners only [Const, amended over time to 'fix' this...]
        
        Provisions designed to increase the economic powers of the central government [taxing and spending to get things done!]
        
        Agreed on national government consisting of legislative, executive, and judicial branches
        
        Agreed on the need for a strong executive and an independent judiciary
        
        All delegates supported republican government (representative republic); scrap Articles
      - Compromises
        
        The Virginia Plan (favored by more populous states)
        Representation in each house based on population and/or monetary contributions to the national government by the
        
        The New Jersey Plan (favored by small states)
        Representation in house would be equal among the states
        
        The Connecticut Compromise
        Created bicameral legislature-two houses in one congress
        One house in which representation would be based on population(only place with representatives directly elected)
        In the Senate, each state would have an equal vote.
        
        North & South
        
        Ratification of treaties:
        Southern delegates insisted on a two-thirds vote (supermajority) in the Senate before presidents could ratify treaties. (A treaty is as powerful as the Constitution...)
        
        Three-fifths Compromise:
        issue of counting slaves for representation in the House of Representatives. North 'happy' because South has to pay more taxes. South happy because they get more reps
        
        Slave Trade compromise:
        The North wanted Congress to regulate trade, the South thought Congress would use this power to ban the slave trade. Couldn't ban slave trade for 20 years (1808).
      - Debates over strength of national government
        
        Federalists
        wanted a stronger national government
        
        Elites are most fit to govern
        
        Feared "excesses" of democracy See Fed #10 & 51)
        
        Anti-federalists
        wanted stronger state governments
        
        Feared concentration of power in hands of elites; the government should be closer to the people
        
        Feared the lack of Bill of Rights (which would be added later)
      - Important Dates
    - - Article I – Establishes the first of the three branches of the government, the Legislature
        The principal mission of the legislative body is to make laws. It is split into two different chambers – the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress is a legislative body that holds the power to draft and pass legislation, borrow money for the nation, declare war and raise a military. It also has the power to check and balance the other two federal branches.
      - Article II – The Executive Branch.
        This branch of the government manages the day-to-day operations of government through various federal departments and agencies, such as the Department of Treasury. At the head of this branch is the nationally elected President of the United States.
        
        Electoral College
        
        4 year terms
      - Article III – The Judicial Branch.
        Article III outlines the powers of the federal court system. Determines that the court of last resort is the US Supreme Court and that the US Congress has the power to determine the size and scope of those courts below it. All judges are appointed for life unless they resign due to bad behaviour. Those facing charges are to be tried and judged by a jury of their peers.
        
        Key take away
        Constitution establishes supreme court, but congress may establish inferior courts
      - Article IV – The States.
        This article defines the relationship between the states and the federal government. The federal government guarantees a republican form of government in each state, protects the nation and the people from foreign or domestic violence, and determines how new states can join the Union. It also suggests that all the states are equal to each other and should respect each other’s laws and the judicial decisions made by other state court systems.
      - Article V – Amendment.
        Future generations can amend the Constitution if the society so requires it. Both the states and Congress have the power to initiate the amendment process.
      - Article VI – Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
        Article VI determines that the US Constitution, and all laws made from it are the ‘supreme Law of the Land’, and all officials, whether members of the state legislatures, Congress, judiciary or the Executive have to swear an oath to the Constitution.
      - Article VII – Ratification.
        This article details all those people who signed the Constitution, representing the original 13 states.
    - - formal
      - informal
        changes to the constitution that do not involve actually changing the wording of the constitution
        i.e it alters the meaning and interpretation of the words in the constitution
        
        Congressional Actions
        Congress has passed laws that reinterpret and expand Constitutional provisions
        
        Commerce Clause
        allows Congress to regulate and promote interstate and international commerce
        Over time, Congress has passed many laws that define the Commerce Clause, including regulations o forms of commerce that didn't exist in 1789, such as railroad lines, air routes, and internet traffic
        
        PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS
        
        Executive privilege/executive orders (latter has the force of law so far)
        
        Executive agreements with other countries
        
        As Commander in Chief.... Declarations
        As Commander in Chief: sends armed forces into hostilities
        As "Chief Legislator:" propose legislation to Congress and work
        to secure its passage one of 7 'hats' of the Pres)
        
        JUDICIAL ACTIONS
        The judiciary has been the most influential in interpreting the Constitution
        
        Article III defines the power of the judiciary very broadly, but
        does not specifically mention judicial review
        
        Supreme Court has changed constitutional interpretations to reflect new social economic conditions (Brown v. Board, Texas v. Johnson -flag burning)
        
        CUSTOM AND USAGE
        custom and usage has democratized our Constitution (presidential and vice
        presidential TV debates)
        
        Examples
        
        parties
        
        Presedentail Primaries
        
        committee system in Congress
        
        Cabinet
        
        senatorial courtesy
        a custom whereby presidential appointments are confirmed only if there is no objection to them by the senators from the appointee's state, especially from the senior senator of the president's party from that state.
        
        legislative veto
        
        presidential nominating
        conventions
  - - - Shays Rebellion
        1786, Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays led an armed rebellion in Springfield, Massachusetts to protest what he perceived as the unjust economic policies and political corruption of the Massachusetts state legislature.
        
        Significance:
        Showed the weakness of the federal government to exert control. Acted as a catalyst to amend/strengthen the articles of confederation
    - - Congress lacked the power to levy taxes; had to ask the states for revenue ($)
      - Congress lacked the power to regulate or promote commerce among the states (trade)
      - No chief executive and no national judiciary
      - No national currency
      - Laws required passage by 9 of the 13 states (~70%)
      - Amendments required unanimous consent of all 13 states
      - Weak and inadequate central government