rect vote of t to appoint aid that the free speech guard their mink that it eved that it ration. They ons to vote on Fathers of the conventions to PTED rst. It accepted le vote of "no." were next. Then anted some changes aia wanted a bill of on. The other States d later. Virginia then RATIFICATION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION Article Seven: "The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient (enough) for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same." Within seven months from the date of ratification by the first State, nine States had voted to approve the Constitution. However, the new government could not have gotten along very well without the two large States, Virginia and New York. After New York had approved the Constitution, the city of New York was chosen as the first seat of the Federal Government. It was there that George Washington took the oath as President on April 30, 1789. Figure 4 Ratification of the Federal Constitution The States were anxious to have New York in the Union. If New York stayed out, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire would be separated from the other States. Alexander Hamilton, who had signed the Constitution, made a special visit to the convention in New York. He explained the new Constitution to the delegates. He urged them to vote "yes." When the votes were counted, New York had accepted the new Constitution. The States would not be separated. The Union would be strong. North Carolina and Rhode Island were too weak to stand alone. They agreed to the new Constitution. All of the States had accepted the Constitution. The new Union would be complete. SETTING UP THE NEW GOVERNMENT The next thing was to establish the new Government. The Constitution told how it should be done. The members of the new Congress had to be chosen. The Constitution said that the Congress should be made up of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The people of each State elected Representatives. Each State legislature elected two Senators. The Constitution said that there should be a President. It said that the people should vote for electors. Those electors, who were good citizens, would then choose a President. The electors in each State met and voted. George Washington was elected President. John Adams was elected Vice President. The new Congress met in New York City in March 1789. On April 30, 1789, Washington and Adams came to New York and took the oath of office. The people shouted: "Long live George Washington, first President of the United States." The Congress then passed a law providing for executive departments to assist the President. The heads of these departments were a Secretary of State, a Secretary of Treasury, a Secretary of War, and an Attorney General. President Washington appointed men to these offices who had helped to write the Constitution. He appointed Alexander Hamilton to be Secretary of the Treasury. He made Thomas Jefferson Secretary of State. He selected other good men for the other offices. These men became known as the President's Cabinet. The Congress passed a law courts. President Washington The Senate approved them. organizing the Federal appointed the judges. The Congress placed a tax on goods coming into the United States from other countries. The tax money helped the new Government to meet its expenses. The Congress no longer had to ask the States for money to carry on the work of the Nation. IDEAS OF GROUP LIFE WHICH WE FIND IN THE CONSTITUTION The Fathers of the Constitution wrote the ideas of all group life into the Constitution. Let us examine the Constitution and see whether we can find them. (1) The Constitution says that the final authority belongs to the people. But the people have delegated some of their authority to the Federal Government. For example, the Congress is given authority to make certain laws. The President is given authority to carry out the law. The Federal courts are given certain authority to decide the meaning of laws. (2) The Constitution tells the purposes of the Federal Government. The purposes are listed in the opening sentence of the Constitution. The people wanted to form "a more perfect Union" and to make sure the power of Government was in the hands of the people. (3) The Constitution says how the Federal Government is to be organized. It tells how the members of the Congress are to be elected. It gives the way in which the President and the judges of the Federal courts are to be chosen. (4) The Constitution divides the authority to govern between the Federal Government and the State governments. Both the Federal Government and the State governments are to continue. Neither can put an end to the other. The Constitution, therefore, tells how the two are to work together. It explains how the three branches of the Federal Government are to get along together. It says what they must do when they cannot agree. It tells how quarrels among the States are to be settled. PRINCIPLES IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION The Constitution was built upon certain principles. Certain things were understood. The Fathers of the Constitution did not quarrel about them. (1) It was understood that all of the States would be equal. What one State may do, every State may do. The Federal Government cannot give special favors to one State. (2) It was agreed that there should be three branches of the Government. There would be one branch to make the laws, another to enforce the laws, and a third to settle questions of law that might arise. (3) It was understood that all persons are equal before the law. Every person, whether rich or poor, can require that the law protect him in the exercise of his rights under the law. (4) The new Government was to be a government of laws and not of men. No person was to be above the law. This means that no officer of the Government can use any authority unless the Constitution or law permits him to do so. (5) It was understood that the people could change the authority of the Government by changing the Constitution. The Fathers of the Constitution set up the way in which it may be done. For example, the people changed the Constitution to say that Senators are to be elected by a direct vote of the people. ples th ld be do rs to nches make o set before n re rights nt of e law. e any im to e the stitu ay in nged ected (6) It was agreed that the Constitution, the laws, and the treaties of the United States are law. They are the highest law of the land. A State constitution or a State law that does not agree with them cannot be enforced in the Federal courts. It was also understood that the new Federal Government would be a government of all the people and not of the States alone. The government under the Articles of Confederation was a government of the States. The Government under the Constitution is a government of the people as well as of the States. THINGS TO DO Put the correct word in each open space: 1. The Fathers of the Constitution sent it to the States for a vote and in each State the vote was taken in a of delegates. The Constitution went into ef fect when it was accepted by vention in the State of cept the Constitution. States. The con was the first to ac 2. The Constitution says that the Congress shall be made up of a and a that the President shall be chosen by 3. The Constitution says that the It says Our author ity belongs to the people. The people have 5. Under the Constitution all of the States are be before and not of |