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==='''V. U.S. Constitution'''===

==='''V. U.S. Constitution'''===

Over 225 years ago, in 1781, there was no federal government.  Then the colonies agreed on the Articles of Confederation, but that created a federal government with very few powers.  The colonies retained all the power.  Why did they ultimately give up power to the federal government we have today?

Over 225 years ago, in 1781, there was no federal government.  Then the colonies agreed on the [[Articles of Confederation]], but that created a federal government with very few powers.  The colonies retained all the power.  Why did they ultimately give up power to the federal government we have today?

Had they known what was happening, maybe they never would have.  55 colonial leaders met in Philadelphia during the hot summer of 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation, and decided instead to propose an entirely new Constitution with a powerful new federal government.  Their meetings were held in secret, so no one knew what they were doing.

Had they known what was happening, maybe they never would have.  55 colonial leaders met in Philadelphia during the hot summer of 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation, and decided instead to propose an entirely new Constitution with a powerful new federal government.  Their meetings were held in secret, so no one knew what they were doing.

Contrary to what you may hear today, our Founders did not like pure democracies.  They worried about tyranny by the uninformed masses.  They wanted a select group of people making our laws.

Contrary to what you may hear today, our Founders did not like pure democracies.  They worried about tyranny by the uninformed masses.  They wanted a select group of people making our laws.

An example is our electoral college.  Al Gore won more votes than George Bush, but Bush won more votes in the electoral college.  Our president is not chosen directly by the people.  It is chosen by the Electoral College.  Another example is the original procedure for choosing U.S. Senators.  State legislators selected them, not the general public.  (This was changed by the 17th Amendment in 1913 - see textbook p. 334)

An example is our electoral college.  Al Gore won more votes than [[George Bush]], but Bush won more votes in the electoral college.  Our president is not chosen directly by the people.  It is chosen by the [[Electoral College]].  Another example is the original procedure for choosing U.S. Senators.  State legislators selected them, not the general public.  (This was changed by the 17th Amendment in 1913 - see textbook p. 334)

The Constitution limits the power of the national government in several ways:

The Constitution limits the power of the national government in several ways: