Confederation to Constitution

Confederation to Constitution

Chapter 8

The Confederation created a loose association of 13 independent states, NOT 13 United

States

Articles of Confederation

Governed the nation during the American Revolution

Created Treaty of Paris 1783 at the end of the war

Created Northwest Ordinance 1787

Articles of ConfederationStrengths

NO power to enforce laws

NO power to tax, regulate trade, or settle disputed of land. (Only states has these powers.)

BOTH national government AND each state was allowed to coin (make) it’s own type money.◦ That is 14 different

currencies!

Articles of ConfederationWeaknesses

NO national court system

NO chief executive (president)

NO national army or navy

One State = One Vote in Congress

Required ALL 13 to pass amendments

Articles of ConfederationWeaknesses (cont’d.)

In the text box, answer the following question.Q: What do you think was the greatest strength and weakness of the Articles of Confederation? Why?

Articles of Confederation

A:

Remember the Proclamation of 1763? After the first Treaty of Paris (1763), the Proclamation of 1763 stated that Colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains because it was too expensive to continue fighting with the Natives. Then…

The Treaty of Paris 1783 gave all land east of the Mississippi River to the United States

Now the Confederation is faced with what to do with the Western lands it now controls.How will it be divided? Who will govern it?

What to do…? What to do…?

Created rules for the new territory to become future states.

Each had to have 60,000 free citizens to become a state

Outlined settlers rights

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

A group of about 1,500 farmers led by Daniel Shays rebelled against the government because of high debt and high state taxes.

They marched on a federal arsenal being defended by 900 state militia soldiers.

The farmers were quickly defeated BUT they won the sympathy of many.

America’s leaders realized that an armed uprising of common farmers spelled DANGER for the nation. (Remember, there is NO national gov’t or army under the Articles of Confederation.)

This forced those in charge to look at our system of government.

FYI: Shay and his followers were captured. A dozen (or so) were sentenced to death. Two of the rebels were hung for looting, but

all the others, including Shay, were pardoned.

Oh! Oh! It’s magic…

Magic Date: 1787CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN

May 25, 1787 Constitution was written; James

Madison “Father of the Constitution” Caused by Shay’s Rebellion This is where our Founding Fathers got

together to discuss problems with the government established after we won the American Revolution.

Instead of revising the AOC, they ended up writing a totally NEW system of government…which we still use today.

Constitutional Convention 1787

How do we create a new government? Should we create a STRONG or a WEAK Federal

Government? ◦ (We saw how no central gov’t didn’t work with

the AOC) Will the new gov’t continue to be: 1 state = 1

vote? Or will it be based on population? We know we need a central gov’t with more

power and we need 3 (mostly) equal branches. The states will still want to keep their power for

themselves… What will we do about the slavery issue…?

Issues to Debate

3 Branches of Government

Legislative Branch would have 2 Houses

Houses based upon population

BIG states want to be represented based on population.

Virginia Plan

AKA:

BIG

Stat

e Plan

Legislative Branch would have ONE house

• House will have: “1 State = 1 Vote”

Supported by SMALL states (Ex. Delaware and Maryland) because they want every state to have EQUAL representation.

New Jersey Plan

AKA:

Small

Stat

e Plan

3 Branches of Government

(Bicameral) 2 Houses in Legislative Branch

Senate will be based upon equality: 2 Senators per state

House of Representative will be based upon Population

Great Compromise

Q: Well…What about

slaves?

Slaves should count for taxation Slaves = Property

Slaves should NOT count as citizens for Representation

North (Idea)

How will slaves affect taxes and population?

Slaves should NOT count for taxation

Slaves SHOULD count for the population

South (Idea)

How will slaves affect taxes and population?

Because the issue of slavery was preventing the ratification (approval) of the Constitution, the delegates came up with yet another compromise.

In the 3/5ths Compromise, slaves will count as 3/5ths of a person when setting taxes and representation

5 slaves = 3 free people

Although a compromise is reached, the North and South still do not agree on the issue of slavery.

3/5ths Compromise

Federalists Debated for ratification They wanted:

◦ Strong Central Government◦ Powerful Executive Branch◦ To ratify the document

(Constitution) AS WRITTEN Supporters include:

◦ James Madison◦ Alexander Hamilton◦ John Jay

They wrote and published essays called the Federalist Papers to help support ratification.

Federalist vs. Antifederalist

Anti - Federalists Against ratification They wanted:

◦ Wanted stronger states (states’ rights)◦ More people’s rights◦ Demanded Bill of Rights be added to protect the people from the

Government

Supporters include:◦ Patrick Henry◦ George Mason

They thought that the constitution didn’t do enough to ensure the people’s rights.

Federalist vs. Antifederalist

With your shoulder partner, each of you needs to choose a point of view (Federalists or Anti Federalists).

Using the information in your chart above and your prior knowledge, come up with an argument as to why your point of view is the “better” opinion.

Use the space provided on your notes to write your side to the story.

Each partner will have 60 seconds to argue their point.

Quick Activity

Anti Federalists DEMANDED the addition of these in order to protect the American people from the government and would not ratify the Constitution until it was finished.

10 Amendments were added to the constitution

These amendments gave certain rights specifically to the people of the US and to the states.

Bill of Rights

1st: Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition.

2nd: Right to bear arms3rd: No quartering of troops!4th: Protects from unreasonable

searches and seizures5th: Right to due process of law and

freedom from double jeopardy and self incrimination.

Bill of Rights

6th: Right to a speedy trial7th: Right to a trial by jury in all civil cases8th: No excessive bail and no cruel or

unusual punishment.9th: People have unnamed rights like the

right to privacy.10th: Individual states and the people are

given powers not granted to the federal government. (SETS UP FEDERALISM)

Bill of Rights (cont’d)

How the grievances in the DOI were addressed in the new government…

Grievance Constitution Bill of Rights

Taxation w/out representation

Both Houses of Congress must pass taxes. (Article 1)

Quartering of troops 3rd Amendment

King James refused to have a judicial branch

Established an independent judicial branch (Article 3)

Denied Trial by Jury 7th Amendment

The states each hold conventions to vote on whether or not to ratify the Constitution.

The first states ratify (approve) it in December 1787.

The last state doesn’t ratify the constitution until 1790!

Now, the British Colonies are officiallyThe UNITED States of America!

Ratifying the Constitution