2305+-+The+Legislature+-+Definition+and+Historical+Background

Power Points



Description: Were going to start looking at the institutions of American government in depth in thei section. The point here will be to look at the development of the legislative branch over history. This will take us back to the Magna Carta when a group of English Barons forced the reigning monarch to sign a document that placed limits on his powers. As we will see, this was just the begining of a slow process that resulted in the separated powers that we enjoy today in our Constitution. A careful look at this history allows us to recognize the organic development of the institution, and the fact that the items contained in the Constitution have long histories.

Goals: After reading through the material above, you should be able to address the following questions:

- What is a legislature and what does it do? - What is a "bicameral" legislature? What are its chief components and what are main features of those components? - Be familar with basic terms used to describe various aspects of the legislature? - What was the Magna Carta? What circumstances led to its drafting? Why did it have limited impact initially? - What was the Petition of Right? Who presented it to whom? What was its purpose? What specific accusations were made in the Petition of Right?- Be familar with the conflict between the British Parliament and the Stuart Monarchs. - What was the British Bill of Rights? What was its content? What was its principle accomplishment? - Be familiar with the history of assemblies during the US colonial era. Why were asemblies formed? What were their priniple functions? - What grievances against the British monarch focused on abuses of legislative power? What specific things did they claim about the king's actions and his intent? - What type of legislative system was establihed under the Articles of Confederation? What were the advantages and disadvantages of that design? What deficiencies led the Federalists to call for a constitutional convention to discuss remedies to these defects?