Government Unit: The Constitution and Its Power. Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation First attempt at a governing document. First attempt.

Government Unit:Government Unit:

The Constitution and Its The Constitution and Its Power Power

Articles of Confederation First attempt at a governing document.First attempt at a governing document.

– Created a weak national government with the Created a weak national government with the emphasis on emphasis on STATES’ RIGHTSSTATES’ RIGHTS: a loose union : a loose union where the state maintained its own sovereignty, where the state maintained its own sovereignty, freedom, and independencefreedom, and independence

“…“…a firm league of friendship with each a firm league of friendship with each other…”other…”

One house legislature (Unicameral)One house legislature (Unicameral)– Confederation CongressConfederation Congress

Each State had ONE voteEach State had ONE vote– 9 out 13 states had to approve any decision9 out 13 states had to approve any decision

Federal Gov’t PowersFederal Gov’t Powers

Powers of CongressPowers of Congress

1.1. Declare warDeclare war

2.2. Coin moneyCoin money

3.3. Establish Post OfficesEstablish Post Offices

4.4. Send and recall Send and recall ambassadorsambassadors

Congress could NOTCongress could NOT

1.1. Levy taxesLevy taxes– Impose or place uponImpose or place upon

2.2. Regulate or control Regulate or control trade of goodstrade of goods

3.3. TariffsTariffs were set by were set by the statesthe states

– Taxes on imported Taxes on imported goodsgoods

4.4. No Judicial or No Judicial or Executive (President) Executive (President) branchesbranches

Constitutional Constitutional ConventionConvention

Began as a way for the large Began as a way for the large states to discuss trade states to discuss trade issues.issues.

Met Met SECRETLYSECRETLY in in Philadelphia (1787).Philadelphia (1787).

55 Delegates55 Delegates– Every state but Rhode IslandEvery state but Rhode Island– Wealthy, respected, Wealthy, respected,

merchants, physicians, merchants, physicians, generals, governors, generals, governors, lawyers…lawyers…

George WashingtonGeorge Washington— — ChairmanChairman

James MadisonJames Madison— ”Father of — ”Father of the Constitution”the Constitution”– Drafted much of the final Drafted much of the final

copycopyJames Madison

The Virginia PlanThe Virginia PlanLarge StatesLarge States

Proposed by Proposed by Governor Governor Edmund RandolphEdmund Randolph (Virginia)(Virginia)

Included the following:Included the following:– 3 Branches of government3 Branches of government– Checks and balancesChecks and balances– Bicameral legislatureBicameral legislature– Membership based on free Membership based on free

population of statepopulation of state– Legislature chooses Legislature chooses

executiveexecutive– Make lawsMake laws– Set up the courtsSet up the courts

Small states felt this gave Small states felt this gave far too much power to the far too much power to the Larger statesLarger states

StatStatee

PopPop StatStatee

PopPop

DLDL 5959 NCNC 394394

GAGA 8383 VAVA 692692

NJNJ 184184 NYNY 340340

RIRI 6969 PAPA 434434

NHNH 142142 MDMD 320320

SCSC 249249 MAMA 379379

CTCT 238238Chart is in thousandsChart is in thousands

SmallSmall LargeLarge

The New Jersey PlanThe New Jersey Plan

Small StatesSmall States Wanted to change Wanted to change

very little about the very little about the Articles of Articles of Confederation.Confederation.– Unicameral legislatureUnicameral legislature

Each state would have Each state would have equal representation.equal representation.

Allow Congress to Allow Congress to tax nation’s citizenstax nation’s citizens

Edmund RandolphEdmund Randolph

The Great CompromiseConnecticut (Small State)Connecticut (Small State)

Took ideas from both plans and constructed what we now know as Took ideas from both plans and constructed what we now know as the Constitution.the Constitution.– CompromiseCompromise: a way to settle disagreements in which each side gives : a way to settle disagreements in which each side gives

way a little in it’s demandsway a little in it’s demands Created a Created a bicameral (two house)bicameral (two house) legislature: legislature:

– SenateSenate: upper house…each state has 2 members: upper house…each state has 2 members– House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives: lower house…by state population: lower house…by state population

Roger Sherman, ConnecticutRoger Sherman, Connecticut

Secondary Convention Secondary Convention IssuesIssues

1.1. SlaverySlavery– Three-fifths CompromiseThree-fifths Compromise: 3/5 of the states slave population could : 3/5 of the states slave population could

count towards the overall populationcount towards the overall population i.e..5000 slaves in a state=3000 counted towards that states populationi.e..5000 slaves in a state=3000 counted towards that states population

– The U.S. Constitution doesThe U.S. Constitution does NOT NOT mention slavery mention slavery– An agreement was made that in 20 years (1807) importation of slaves An agreement was made that in 20 years (1807) importation of slaves

would stopwould stop– Fugitive Workers ClauseFugitive Workers Clause: Runaway slaves must be returned to their : Runaway slaves must be returned to their

mastersmasters2.2. RepresentationRepresentation

– House of Representatives: popular voteHouse of Representatives: popular vote– Senate: selected by the state legislatureSenate: selected by the state legislature– President: Electoral votePresident: Electoral vote

Commander-in-Chief of U.S. armed forcesCommander-in-Chief of U.S. armed forces Responsible for relations with other countriesResponsible for relations with other countries 4 year term4 year term

What made the Constitution a great document was that it What made the Constitution a great document was that it allowed for changes as the country grew (Amendment allowed for changes as the country grew (Amendment Process)Process)

– AmendAmend:: to change without having to rewrite to change without having to rewrite (Bill of Rights: 1(Bill of Rights: 1stst Ten) Ten)

Constitutional FactsConstitutional Facts

Georgia SignersGeorgia Signers: : Abraham Baldwin and William FewAbraham Baldwin and William Few– Delegates also included: William Pierce and William HoustounDelegates also included: William Pierce and William Houstoun

9 States needed to 9 States needed to ratify (approve)ratify (approve) the Constitution: the Constitution:– DelawareDelaware: 1: 1stst to ratify Constitution to ratify Constitution– GeorgiaGeorgia: 4: 4thth to ratify Constitution (Jan. 2, 1788) to ratify Constitution (Jan. 2, 1788)– Rhode IslandRhode Island: last to ratify Constitution (1790): last to ratify Constitution (1790)

Wanted all (Large) states to ratify before they signed.Wanted all (Large) states to ratify before they signed. George WashingtonGeorge Washington: 1: 1stst President of U.S. (Aug. 30, 1789) President of U.S. (Aug. 30, 1789)

Abraham Baldwin William Few

Post-Revolutionary Post-Revolutionary Georgia Georgia

17851785: Georgia’s capital moved : Georgia’s capital moved from Savannah to Augustafrom Savannah to Augusta– Met to change state Met to change state

constitution to be more like constitution to be more like United States (1789)United States (1789)

Bicameral LegislatureBicameral Legislature– General AssemblyGeneral Assembly

17891789: Georgia’s 2: Georgia’s 2ndnd Constitution…to model Constitution…to model after the U.S. after the U.S. ConstitutionConstitution– (Bicameral-GA General Assembly)(Bicameral-GA General Assembly)

Census (1790)Census (1790):: the 1the 1stst counting of counting of U.S. citizens, occurs every 10 years.U.S. citizens, occurs every 10 years.

p. 135-137p. 135-137

Historic AugustaHistoric Augusta

CREDITS ICREDITS I Page 2: Page 2: http://asms.k12.ar.us/armem/99-00/coffmanc/moremar.htm Page 3: Page 3: http://members.tripod.com/~csxsafety/mypage2.htm Page 3: Page 3: http://www.stagecoach.bz/new_page_1.htm Page 5: Page 5: http://www.uga.edu/profile/history.html Page 6: Page 6: http://ngeorgia.com/history/lotteries.html Page 7: Page 7: http://www.eliwhitney.org/ Page 7: Page 7: http://www.vaes.vt.edu/steeles/mccormick/bio.html Page 10: Page 10: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/ Page 10: Page 10: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jm4.html Page 12: Page 12: http://rs6.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/randolph.html Page 13: Page 13: http://www.ctssar.org/patriots/roger_sherman.htm Page 15: Page 15: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/baldwin.htm Page 15: Page 15: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/few.htm Page 16: Page 16: http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=7789 Page 17: Page 17: http://gatewayno.com/history/LaPurchase.html

CREDITS IICREDITS II Page 17: Page 17: http://www.monticello.org/ Page 18: Page 18: http://members.tripod.com/~war1812/treaty.html Page 18: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htmPage 18: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htm Page 19: Page 19:

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/54horseshoe/54horseshoe.http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/54horseshoe/54horseshoe.htmhtm

Page 19: http://www.nps.gov/hobe/home/parkhistory.htmPage 19: http://www.nps.gov/hobe/home/parkhistory.htm Page 20: http://belgium.embassyhomepage.com/map_of_belgium.htmPage 20: http://belgium.embassyhomepage.com/map_of_belgium.htm Page 22: http://belgium.embassyhomepage.com/map_of_belgium.htmPage 22: http://belgium.embassyhomepage.com/map_of_belgium.htm