The War of Independence and after.

12.4.1. At first,the prospects for American victory in the War of Independence seemed small. Britain had a population more than three times that of the colonies, and the British army was large, well-trained, and experienced. The Americans, on the other hand, had undisciplined militia and only the beginnings of a regular army or even a government. But Americans had powerful advantages that in the end were decisive. They fought on their own territory, and in order to win, they did not have to defeat the British but only to convince the British that the colonists could not be defeated. In two decisive battles of the war — Saratoga and Yorktown — the Americans defeated the British army. In the Treaty of Paris of 1783 the British recognized the independence of the United States.

12.4.2. George Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the United States in 1789. At that time Washington was the most revered man in the United States. A lesser person might have used this power to establish a military dictatorship or to become king. Washington suppressed all such attempts on his behalf by his officers and continued to obey the weak and divided Continental Congress. He was a leading influence in persuading the states to participate in the Constitutional Convention, over which he presided, and he used his immense prestige to help gain ratification of its product, the Constitution of the United States. During eight years in office, Washington laid down the guidelines for future presidents.

12.4.3. The Constitution of the United States is a system of fundamental laws of the United States of America. The Constitution was drawn up by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787 and ratified by the states a year later. The Constitution defines distinct powers for the Congress of the United States, the president, and the federal courts. This division of authority is known as a system of checks and balances, and it ensures that none of the branches of government can dominate the others. The Constitution also establishes and limits the authority of the federal government over the states and spells out freedoms and liberties for U.S. citizens. The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States are known as the Bill of Rights. It establishes basic American civil liberties that the government cannot violate.

12.4.4. Many members of Congress realized that a clear and exact system of governing the country had to be worked out. They decided to call a nation-wide meeting, or convention. Each state was asked to send representatives to this convention. The delegates of the Convention decided that Congress would have two parts, or houses, as the parts were called. One house was called the House of Representatives. The other house was called the Senate. Each state would have two members in the Senate. The membership in the House of Representatives would be based on the size of population. The delegates wanted to set up a government that would be effec­tive, but at the same time not too powerful. To do this, they created a government of three branches. Each branch would have its own powers.

LECTURE 13

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