Articles of Confederation

• Very weak Federal Government

• States were too autonomous (self-governed)

• Everyone had their own currency

• Everyone could declare war

• No Federal Courts - squabbles between states

Constitution

• Sets up the structure of our Federal Government

• Enumerates powers to the Federal government

• Reserves powers to states

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Bill of Rights

• Recognition of Natural Rights aka Unalienable Rights

• Lists citizens Civil Liberties

• 8th Amendment - Cruel and unusual punishment

• 14th Amendment - Defined Citizen for the first time

Federal, State, and Local Governments

• Senate vs. House

• Senate has exclusive power to approve international treaties

Branches of Government

• Executive - Office of President (signs and approves laws) + Cabinet

• Legislative - Bicameral; House of Reps and Senate (creates laws, controls money)

• Judicial - Supreme Court (deems laws constitutional or not)

Local Government

• County - in charge of elections and education, ect.

• Municipalities - in charge of garbage, roads, sewers, etc.

Supreme Court

• Jurisdiction: Constitutional Cases

• Judicial Review: power to determine if something is constitutional

Supreme Court

Briefs

Gibbons v. Ogden

Aaron Ogden required steamboat operators to have NY license to use river. Ogden sued by Gibbons for steamboat monopoly on Hudson River. Supreme court decided that interstate commerce power extended to navigation. Federal license had precedent over state.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supreme Court decision on "Separate but Equal" . Justice John Harlan dissented the ruling, saying "The Constitution is color-blind" . Meaning law does not see differences in citizens such as skin color. (Good or bad?)

Essay Structure

• Introduction to Essay - includes topic

• Topic - the subject of the essay

• Body - includes points to expound upon the topic

• Conclusion - Reviews the points and confirms the topic