12.05.2009
George Washington on the one dollar bill.
United States Constitution : Congress, President and Supreme Court make the government.
also click here for speration of powers
Executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch.
Legislative branch is: Congress ( Senate and House of Representatives)
Executive branch is: President with his secretaries. Secretaries are not part of the government. President is part of the government.
Judicial branch : Supreme court.
Bill of Rights: There are ten article in the reader. This the
Bill of rights of England, and you do not have to know it for the exam. I just put it for general knowledge for those
whom are interested in.
BILL OF RIGHTS AMENDMENTS I-X : These are the rights of the indibidual
American citizen. There are 27 amendments.
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment 2
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment 3
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war,
but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment 4
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no
warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment 5
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the
militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any
criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just
compensation.
Amendment 6
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which
district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Amendment 7
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any
court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment 8
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment 9
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment 10
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
About half of the states have capital punishment. Capital punishment is more expensive than lifetime inprisonment. If you are interested in that please click here to read the article.
You can choose between electrical chair, gas chamber, injection or hanging, but hanging is very unusual.
Since two years ago, in 5 states there has been same-sex marriages. These are: Oregon, New England, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine.
You can carry a riffle in Texas. Riffles, shotguns may be carried openly. You cannot buy a pistol easily, but you can buy a riffle easily.
Texas is a casstle doctrine state. In Texas it came into effect in Septermber 1st 2007. According to the casstle doctrine, shooters have right for a defensive shooting.
Here is the updated list of the states which have adopted some form of Castle Doctrine law, as of June 21 2008.
Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming. For source click here
The red states below on the map are the states which have the Casstle Doctrine law.
In Massachusetts, all guns should be registered. No one can carry a gun openly. It should be locked safe. All these go back to article 2 and article 10 , or amendment 2 or amendment 10 in other words.
Northwest Ordinance : For the meaning of ordinance please click here.
Definition: Land agreement of 1787 that created the Northwest Territory, enabling the United States to expand into the Great Lakes area. States created from the Northwest Territory included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Also click here for another internet explanation.
The old 13 colonies became 13 states. At that times, northwest was the west of Appalachians. The congress passed the Northwest Ordinance and the ordinance enabled people to settle in these places which are blue on the map above. Today the northwest is Oregan.But at that times it was not Oregon.
The Northwest Ordinance for Sections please click here
Sec. 8. For the prevention of crimes and injuries, the laws to be adopted or made shall have force in all parts of the district, and for the execution of process, criminal and civil, the governor shall make proper divisions thereof; and he shall proceed from time to time as circumstances may require, to lay out the parts of the district in which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished, into counties and townships, subject, however, to such alterations as may thereafter be made by the legislature.
Indian titles have been extinguished into counties and townships. It means Indian titles have no right. Division into counties and towns is the typical grid system of the U.S. The states were called Indiana Territory, Texs Territory, Kansas Territory. If you look at the Kansas Territory, it was divided into counties.
Sec. 9. So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants of full age in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the governor, they shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect a representative from their counties or townships to represent them in the general assembly: Provided, That, for every five hundred free male inhabitants, there shall be one representative, and so on progressively with the number of free male inhabitants shall the right of representation increase, until the number of representatives shall amount to twenty five; after which, the number and proportion of representatives shall be regulated by the legislature: Provided, That no person be eligible or qualified to act as a representative unless he shall have been a citizen of one of the United States three years, and be a resident in the district, or unless he shall have resided in the district three years; and, in either case, shall likewise hold in his own right, in fee simple, two hundred acres of land within the same; Provided, also, That a freehold in fifty acres of land in the district, having been a citizen of one of the states, and being resident in the district, or the like freehold and two years residence in the district, shall be necessary to qualify a man as an elector of a representative.
As soon as 5 thousand people begin to live in a trritory, let`s say it is Ohio, It can send a delegate to the congress. It can join the democratic process to have a seat in the congress.
Sec. 14. It is hereby ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, That the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact between the original States and the people and States in the said territory and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to wit:
Art. 3. Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Section 14 Article 3 of the Ordinance shows the tricky relationship between whites and Indians from the beginning of colonization. It also clashes with Section
8.
Art. 6. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted: Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid
There was no slavery in the north-west territories. It was prohibited by the Nothwest Ordinance. If slaves could escape from South Caroline to North-west, he is a fugitive and should be given back to the master. Slave is a furniture.
Northwest Ordinance is a dubious document about Indians and Slaves.
New Orleans : It is a French-catholic-colony city and catholic law is valid there. It is almost impossible to divorce in Louisiana. Louisiana is the neighbour state of Texas. New orleans is the largest city in Louisiana.
New York City became the first capital of the United States on September 13, 1788 under the U.S. Constitutional Convention. On April 30, 1789 the first President of the United States, George Washington, was inaugurated at Federal Hall on Wall Street. New York City remained the capital of the United States of America until 1790, when the honor was transferred to Philadelphia.
Although, New York City was the first capital, there were still supporters of King George III. It was still loyalist.
In 1790, Philadelphia, William Penn`s city became the capital.
In 1799, Washington, D.C. ( District of Columbia) became the capital of the U.S. It is named after General George Washington. In Washington, D.C. same-sex marriages are allowed.
In internet in some sources the date is mentioned as 1800. However, professor mentioned it in the lecture as 1799.
Origin of the Name Washington, District of Columbia - The name Washington was to honor the first president of the USA, George Washington. The name Columbia is in reference to Christopher Columbus.
Nickname - D.C.
Official Motto - "Justia Omnibus" - Justice for All
Official Song - The Star-Spangled Banner, words by Francis Scott Key
Change of Place Names:
King`s College was changed into Columbia University due to Christopher Columbus.
King`s County became Brooklyn. It is a Dutch name and it probably means ´´broken land``.
Queen`s County kept its name for some unknown reasons.
county: Constitution doesn`t allow aristocratic names, but why ´´county`` was kept is again unknown.
Each state is divided into counties.
Thomas Jefferson established dollar system. In 1792 Americans began to use dollar, no more British pounds.
The $ sign was attested in business between prerevolutionary British North Americans and Mexicans in 1770s.
The $ sign is in true Spanish tradition, Pollock used an abbreviation for pesos, yet his penmanship made the abbreviation appear to be the transposition of the letters "p" and "s."
Spanis-Mexican peso was known as Spanish dollar.For more infoormation click here
please.
If you break a Spanish one dollar into eight pieces, 2 of them makes a quarter. A quarter is 25 cents and it is called 2 bits. There are also 4 bits or 6 bits.
So, U.S . Americans adopted the Spanish money system.
Benjamin Franklin invented a lot of instruments. For infortmation please click here. Also, he was a collector of books., and he had 40 thousand books which was the biggest library of the U.S. in his time. Congress owned his books after his death.
In 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition. Click here and then here please. By the order of Thomas Jefferson, Lweis and Clark traveled across the Rockies till the Pacific, and they brought geographical information and maps.
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: click here and then here
After America finally broke away from Great Britain, a new system of government was needed to maintain order and protect the rights of the people. Naturally, not everyone agreed on how this should be done, and two groups arose with opposing points of view on how the new American government should be run. These groups were the Federalists and Anti-federalists. The Federalists were in favor of a strong central (federal) government, while the Anti-federalists believed in strong state governments. Although their views were divergent, their motive was still basically the same. Both were venturing out to find a way to preserve the liberty, independence, and security of the people. For the source click here.
There was no party system according to the constitution. Founding Fathers did not do it. States wanted a strong union or a weak union. This was the conflict between the states.
In Austria there are 9 Bundesländer (states), 9 fairly not independent but almost independent states. There is one head and 9 states in Austria, and federal means Bundesstaatlich for Austria. For the U.S. it is the opposite. Federal means central, and limited powers to the states.
The explanation of confederation click here and here. vest definition click here
The explanation of federation click here and here
Please click here for the difference and also here
In Federation, the central government is strong, whereas in confedartion the local governments are strong. This article explains the situation of Austria.
Unitary state is run by only one government unit.
Federation is administration by a government composed of an executive, legislative and judicial bodies under a central government.
Confederation is composed of different federal states under a national government.
George Washington said that we want to be a confederation, and states should have central power, otherwise British soldiers come back.Confederation became federation with the ratification of the current US constitution in 1789.
Federalists say that: We want one strong army, strong Washington and one federal bank. No bank of Texas or bank of New England. Federalists became republican.
Anti-federalist Jefferson was a democrat, or in other words was the member of the democratic party.
Federalists want strong America, strong dollar, and strong army.
Anti-Federlaists want weak central government.
Louisiana Purchase : By a treaty signed on Apr. 30, 1803, the United States purchased from France the Louisiana Territory, more than 2 million sq km (800,000 sq mi) of land extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. The price was 60 million francs, about $15 million; $11,250,000 was to be paid directly, with the balance to be covered by the assumption by the United States of French debts to American citizens. For source click here
Napoleon Bonaparte sold Louisiana to Thomas Jefferson, because he needed money. New Orleans was French, and France could block Mississippi. Jefferson did not want it.
War of 1812 : Vermont is a state between Newyork and New Hempshire and it is on the Canadian border. It was not part of the United States, however it was accepted as the 14th state in March 4th 1791. King Edward, in other words the British Empire was afraid that such a thing can happen, but it happened. Another reason was that Americans planned to expand the U.S. by seizing the control of Canada. This was the second big conflict between the U.S. and the U.K.
These are the reasons mentioned in the lecture.
In June of 1812 the United States declared war on Britain. This declaration was the result of almost thirty years of stormy relations between the two nations. Stormy relations can be traced back to the these events counted above.
The other reasons from internet are these: click here please
During the war British soldiers were in red. Red because of British Saint George -colour of England-.
Americans were in blue. The blue colour dye comes from Nimes. In French it is written like that: de Nimes =denim Jeaans were Genova-cut typcial sailor`s trousers. This is the reason why Americans have this blue colour. Americans wanted York. They attacked 3 times to Canada, but they were defeated three times by the British soldiers.
Battle of York (Toronto) April 1813
In 1814, British soldiers burned Washington, D.C. They burned the capitol and president`s mansion.
Francis Scott Key wrote the Star-Spangled Banner which is the text of the future U.S. national anthem. The poem has the tunes of a British drinking song. To read the poem please click here
The treaty of Ghent ended the war of 1812. The treaty was signed on December 24, 1814 in Ghent which is currently in Belgium. However, after the treaty General Andrew Jackson (also click here) and a large British troop fought in New Orleans. He defeated the British attack in New Orleans, and in this battle only 8 U.S. American soldiers died, whereas from the British side 700 soldiers died. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on 24 December 1814, but news of the peace did not reach the combatants until February 1815. For more information about Battle of New Orleans click here
Andrew Jackson is the founder of the Democrat Party in Maine in 1820. He is a kind of fishy man, not because of that battle of New Orleans, but he is known as the Indian hunter.
In 1830 Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. For Indian Removal Act also click here and here and to read the act click here
Indian Removal Act gave authority to the U.S. troops to force the Indians remove their lands across the Mississippi.
By 1837, the Jackson administration had removed 46,000 Native American people from their land east of the Mississippi, and had secured treaties which led to the removal of a slightly larger number. Most members of the five southeastern nations had been relocated west, opening 25 million acres of land to white settlement and to slavery.
Trail of Tears:Indians had to walk and thousands of them died on the way because of disease and starvation. The Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma.
Federal Style architecture : Also click here and here.
In Wikipedia it says Federal Style architecture is till 1815. However in the other two sites they last till 1840 or 1850. Professor also said that Federal Style
architecture is the style in 1810-20-30-40s which is the early republic period.
Webster`s Dictionary : Noah Webster from wikipedia click here and explanation from internet click here.
Noah Webster collected entries and evidence for a dictionary. American English is different from the British English for historical reasons. Webster served in teh American Revolution, he attended Yale College, he went on to teach and became a lawyer. He is one of the central icons of American Revolution. In 1783 he wrote the American spelling book which is known as Blue Back Speller.
In 1806 printed his first dictionary. In 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.
The American English dictionary was the rival of the British one. Samuel Johnson`s 1755 dictionary was the rival British dictionary.
Webster`s dictionary was already larger than Johnson`s dictionary. Partly because included a number of foreign language words such as Italian, Irish or only American words like Tomahawk.
Webster`s emphasis was on American pronunciation and usage and situnguished from British forms. This was again a revolutionary distinction. Benjamin Franklin was Noah
Webster`s friend, a printer and writer himself wanted to revolutionize the language even more than Webster did and affected Webster.
British theatre became American theater
centre became center. It is also logical to change re ending into er ending.
It was also economic to reduce a letter such as:
British travelling became American traveling. One letter less.
British musick became American music. At the Johnson`s dictionary music was sk at the end.
Webster`s spelling revolution was part of the American revolution. It established something which was something non-British, which was American. It is central in the understanding of the American national identity.
Democratic-Republican Party : It was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison whom were anti-federalists.
The Democratic Party was founded by Andrew Jackson in 1820 in Maine to rival the National Rebublican Party. In internet there are several debates. For example if you click on this link, it says that the Democratic Party was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792. On the other hand, Wikipedia says the party founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792 was not the Democratic Party, it was the Democratic-Republican Party. Though people typically identify themselves within the party as a Jeffersonian Democrat or a Jacksonian Democrat, there are differences between them.
But if you read the wikipedia explanation from the first link then you see that the party broke up into several factions. One faction led by Andrew Jackson would become the modern Democratic party. That is why professor said in the lesson that the Democratic Party was founded by Andrew Jackson in Maine in 1820. The other faction led by Adams and Clay was known as the National Rebublican Party. Jackson and Adams competed in the 1824 elections and Adams became the 6th president. The national Republican Party or in other terms The Whig Party was formed in opposition of the policies of Andrew Jackson. It was the party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. The National Republican Party evolved into the Whig Party.
On the otehr hand Republican Party was founded in 1854.
The Democratic-Republican Party: Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792
The Democratic Party: Founded by Andrew Jackson in Maine in 1820
The National-Republican Party: Founded by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay 1825-1833
Before 1825 when John Quincy Adams became the President, The Democratic-Republican Party, which had been the only truly national American political party for over a decade, began to dissolve, losing its infrastructure and identity.
The Republican Party: Founded by the former members of The Whig Party in 1854 in Ripon,Wisconsin. (The National Republican Party evolved into the Whig Party.)
THE END