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'''American Government and the Constitution Lectures''': [[American Government and the Constitution Lecture One|1]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Two|2]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Three|3]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Four|4]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Five|5]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Six|6]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Seven|7]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Eight|8]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Nine|9]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Ten|10]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Twelve|12]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Thirteen|13]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Fourteen|14]]

'''American Government and the Constitution Lectures''': [[American Government and the Constitution Lecture One|1]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Two|2]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Three|3]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Four|4]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Five|5]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Six|6]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Seven|7]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Eight|8]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Nine|9]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Ten|10]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[American Government and the Constitution Lecture Twelve|12]]

<br><br>{{cquote|Hold on my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. '''''Miracles do not cluster and what happened once in 6,000 years may not happen again'''''. Hold on to the Constitution!}}

<br><br>{{cquote|Hold on my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. '''''Miracles do not cluster and what happened once in 6,000 years may not happen again'''''. Hold on to the Constitution!}}

Early in the convention, [[Edmund Randolph]] proposed the [[Virginia Plan]] for national government, or the "Large States Plan," because it was favored by the larger states.  Our three branches of government -- legislative, executive, and judicial -- originated in the Virginia Plan.  Unlike the Articles of Confederation, this plan gave government the power to directly enforce laws.  The Virginia Plan assigned delegates to both houses of Congress (a "bicameral" legislature) based on a state's population, and the legislature selected the chief executive (president) and the judges under this Plan.  The Virginia Plan contributed much to the finished Constitution, although Edmund Randolph himself refused to sign it in the end.

Early in the convention, [[Edmund Randolph]] proposed the [[Virginia Plan]] for national government, or the "Large States Plan," because it was favored by the larger states.  Our three branches of government -- legislative, executive, and judicial -- originated in the Virginia Plan.  Unlike the Articles of Confederation, this plan gave government the power to directly enforce laws.  The Virginia Plan assigned delegates to both houses of Congress (a "bicameral" legislature) based on a state's population, and the legislature selected the chief executive (president) and the judges under this Plan.  The Virginia Plan contributed much to the finished Constitution, although Edmund Randolph himself refused to sign it in the end.

In June 1787, William Paterson next proposed the [[New Jersey Plan]], which was more favorable to the small states and which departed less from the Articles of Confederation.  This plan was favored by small states because each state was represented equally in Congress.  This allowed small states to have an equal amount of power.  The Virginia plan, in contrast, would have allowed large states much more power than small ones because representation in Congress was based on population under the Virginia plan.

In June 1787, William Paterson next proposed the [[New Jersey Plan]], which was more favorable to the small states and which departed less from the Articles of Confederation.  This plan was favored by small states because each state was represented equally in Congress.  This allowed small states to have an equal amount of power.  The Virginia plan, in contrast, would have allowed large states much more power than small ones because representation in Congress would be based on population.

This conflict between the big and small states was the most difficult to resolve in the entire Convention.  For weeks there was no progress.  Then Benjamin Franklin proposed that each day be opened by prayer.  He said, "In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend?  or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?  I have lived, Sir a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God Governs in the affairs of men.  And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probably that an empire can rise without His aid?"  In response to Benjamin Franklin's suggestion, the delegates felt a minister was needed to say a proper prayer, but they could not afford to hire one!

This conflict between the big and small states was the most difficult to resolve in the entire Convention.  For weeks there was no progress.  Then Benjamin Franklin proposed that each day be opened by prayer.  He said, "In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend?  or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?  I have lived, Sir a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God Governs in the affairs of men.  And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probably that an empire can rise without His aid?"  In response to Benjamin Franklin's suggestion, the delegates felt a minister was needed to say a proper prayer, but they could not afford to hire one!

:Article V: outlines the procedures for amending the Constitution.  Contrary to the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent of the states is not required to amend the Constitution.   

:Article V: outlines the procedures for amending the Constitution.  Contrary to the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent of the states is not required to amend the Constitution.   

:Article VI: declares the Constitution to be the supreme Law of the Land.   

:Article VI: declares the Constitution (and all federal laws enacted under the Constitution) to be the supreme Law of the Land.   

:Article VII: establishes the procedure for ratifying the Constitution.

:Article VII: establishes the procedure for ratifying the Constitution.

Although the rules of the Constitutional Convention required that everyone destroy their notes, such that only the Constitution itself was supposed to survive, some of the notes kept by participants were not destroyed and are used today to interpret the Constitution.  Most notably, James Madison preserved his very detailed notes which he took during the proceeding, and they were published after his death decades later.  Because of James Madison's detailed notes about the proceeding at the Constitutional Convention and his participation in writing some of the ''Federalist Papers'' (see below), he is sometimes called the "Father of the Constitution," but Madison's influence over the Constitution was no greater than that of many other Framers.  Many of Madison's suggestions at the Convention were actually rejected by the group, rather than accepted.

Although the rules of the Constitutional Convention required that everyone destroy their notes, such that only the Constitution itself was supposed to survive, some of the notes kept by participants were not destroyed and are used today to interpret the Constitution.  Most notably, James Madison preserved his very detailed notes which he took during the proceeding, and they were published after his death decades later.  Because of James Madison's detailed notes about the proceeding at the Constitutional Convention and his participation in writing some of the ''Federalist Papers'' (see below), he is sometimes called the "Father of the Constitution," but Madison's influence over the Constitution was no greater than that of many other Framers.  Many of Madison's suggestions at the Convention were actually rejected by the group, rather than accepted.

The surviving records of the debates and internal proceedings of the Constitutional Convention are freely available today on the internet.<ref>http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/tocs/toc.html</ref>  They should be used (even bookmarked) in order to complete some of the homework assignments in this course.

The surviving records of the debates and internal proceedings of the Constitutional Convention are freely available today on the internet.<ref>http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/tocs/toc.html</ref>  They should be used and even bookmarked.

== The ''Federalist Papers'' ==

== The ''Federalist Papers'' ==

The ''Federalist Papers'' were a series of articles published anonymously under the pen name "Publius" in an influential New York City paper in order to urge that large State to ratify the U.S. Constitution in late 1787 through April 4, 1788.  Today we know that 51 of these articles were written by Alexander Hamilton and 29 were written by James Madison, two of the most important delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and 5 were written by John Jay, a future Supreme Court Justice.

The ''Federalist Papers'' were a series of articles published anonymously under the pen name "Publius" in an influential New York City newspaper in order to urge New York to ratify the U.S. Constitution, during the period of late 1787 through early April 1788.  Today we know that 51 of these articles were written by Alexander Hamilton and 29 were written by James Madison, two of the most important delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and 5 were written by John Jay, a future Supreme Court Justice.

Today the ''Federalist Papers'' are the leading resource for interpreting what the Constitution means.  They are cited by their article number, as in "''Federalist No. 83''," in order to reference a particular article.  Usually the person who authored the particular article is included in parentheses, as in "''Federalist No. 83 (A. Hamilton)''."

Today the ''Federalist Papers'' are the leading resource for interpreting what the Constitution means.  They are cited by their article number, as in "''Federalist No. 83''," in order to reference a particular article.  Usually the person who authored the particular article is included in parentheses, as in "''Federalist No. 83 (A. Hamilton)''."

The most famous of the ''Federalist Papers'' is ''Federalist No. 10'' by James Madison, in he which he makes a brilliant argument a strong union of the States will overcome harmful factions better than an individual State is able to.

The most famous of the ''Federalist Papers'' is ''Federalist No. 10'' by James Madison, in he which he makes a brilliant argument that a strong union of the States will overcome harmful factions better than an individual State is able to.  Today, California and New York are somewhat protected against extreme liberal factions there, due to the more conservative influence of states like Texas.

The full text of the Federalist Papers are available online for free, at many websites.<ref>http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa00.htm</ref>

The full text of the Federalist Papers are available online for free, at many websites.<ref>http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa00.htm</ref>

There were also so-called "Anti-Federalist Papers," which opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution.  The most prominent among the Founders who opposed the U.S. Constitution were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and George Clinton.<ref>http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/anti-federalist-papers</ref> They and others wrote anti-Constitution articles that almost irrelevant today, because the U.S. Constitution was ratified and very successful.

There were also so-called "Anti-Federalist Papers," which opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution.  The most prominent among the Founders who opposed the U.S. Constitution were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and George Clinton.<ref>http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/anti-federalist-papers</ref>

 

 

== Homework ==

== Homework ==

Answer the first three questions, and then either question 4 or 5:

Answer the first three questions, and then either question 4 or 5:

1.  Read the original Constitution (stopping at Amendment I) taking no more an hour, in order to see the "big picture" of the document.  An online copy is here.<ref>http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution/full-text</ref>  Do not worry if you do not understand every term or concept in it.  The entire original Constitution can be read aloud in only about 40 minutes.  Is there anything that found surprising about it?  If now, what impression of the original Constitution was confirmed by your reading the entire document now?

1.  Read the original Constitution (stopping at Amendment I) taking no more an hour, in order to see the "big picture" of the document.  An online copy is here.<ref>http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution/full-text</ref>  Do not worry if you do not understand every term or concept in it.  The entire original Constitution can be read aloud in only about 40 minutes.  Is there anything that found surprising about it?  If you are not surprised by any part of it, then what impression did you have of the original Constitution which was confirmed by your reading the entire document now?

2.  Write a brief outline for the Articles in the Constitution (do not include the Amendments, which were added later).  For example, "Article I - establishes Congress and defines its legislative power.  Article II - ...."

2.  Write a brief outline for the Articles in the Constitution (do not include the Amendments, which were added later).  For example, "Article I - establishes Congress and defines its legislative power.  Article II - ...."

3.  Which Article specifies how the Constitution may be amended?  Which Article requires each State to give full faith and credit to the laws of other States?  Which Article explains how many States need approve the Constitution in order for it to become "ratified" and the new law of the land for those States?

3.  Which Article specifies how the Constitution may be amended?  Which Article requires each State to give full faith and credit to the laws of other States?  Which Article explains how many States must approve the Constitution in order for it to become "ratified" and the new law of the land for those States?

4.  Identify two major resources for learning more about the Constitution and what it means, such as documents written at the time which are now available on the internet.

4.  Identify two major resources for learning more about the Constitution and what it means, such as documents written at the time which are now available on the internet.