Download Articles of Confederation

From Revolution to Constitution
Creating our Government
Articles of Confederation
(Our first national government)
• Reflected the two main fears of colonists…
• Fear of strong national government
• Fear that some states would dominate others
• Articles established a “league of friendship” among
the states
• Each state retains sovereignty (power, authority)
But, there were numerous weaknesses…
Under the Articles…
Levying Taxes
Congress could request not demand
them from states
Regulation of Trade
Raising an army
none
Dependent on states to contribute
forces
Interstate Commerce
No control of trade between states
Federal courts
Amending document
Passing laws
Sovereignty
none
13/13 states needed
9/13 states needed
Resided with the states, each got
one vote
Critical Period
• Weaknesses of Articles led to economic and political
problems
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States in conflict (taxes, trade)
States don’t support central gov’t
States printed own money / made own laws
Can’t pay off debt
Shay’s Rebellion
• Showed that to survive the United States needed a
stronger national government
“We are one nation today and 13 tomorrow. Who will treat us on such terms?”
Constitutional Convention
Summer of 1787 in Philadelphia
• 12 of 13 states (no Rhode Island)
• 55 delegates make up Framers of Constitution
• Worked in total secrecy
• Originally called to revise the Articles  then decided
to create a new government
Federalist Papers Background
• Constitutional Convention
• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
• Federalist Papers
• 85 essays
• Publius (“the people”)
• Hamilton, Madison, Jay
Plans for Constitution
Virginia Plan
• Three separate branches
• Bicameral legislature
• Representation based
on population
• National government
with expanded powers
New Jersey Plan
• Unicameral Congress
• Equal representation
• Federal executive of
more than one person
Main Issue: How would states be represented in Congress?
Great Compromise
• Connecticut Compromise
• Bicameral Congress
• Senate  states represented equally
• House of Representatives  represented based on
population
Slave Question
Three-Fifths Compromise
• slaves counted as 3/5 for representation, but states
paid federal taxes for 3/5 as well
• Congress can’t interfere with slave trade until 1808
• Congress could regulate commerce
Constitution Information
• Written in 1787
• Took effect 1789
• New Hampshire 9th state
• New York and Virginia (40% of population)
• North Carolina and Rhode Island (all 13 only with
addition of Bill of Rights)
• “Supreme Law of the Land”
• Lays out basic framework and procedures of our
government
Less than 7,000 words, but able to guide the country through two centuries!
How did the Constitution address the weaknesses of
the Articles of Confederation?
Levying Taxes
Regulation of Trade
Raising an army
Congress could levy on individuals
Yes
yes
Interstate Commerce
yes
Federal courts
Amending document
yes
2/3 of both houses of Congress plus
¾ of state legislatures
50% + 1 of both houses plus Pres.
approval
Const. supreme law of the land
Passing laws
Sovereignty
U.S. Constitution
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Section
Subject
Preamble
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
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• Article VII
• 27 Amendments
Purpose
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Relations among Sts.
Amending the Const.
Nt. Debts, supremacy of
national law, oaths
• Ratifying Constitution
• Changes to Constitution
Purpose of Govt
Outlined in the Preamble
• Form a more perfect union
• Establish justice
• Insure domestic tranquility
• Provide for the common defense
• Promote the general welfare
• Secure the blessings of liberty
Reflect
On the piece of paper from the beginning of class,
reflect on how the Constitution answered the
problems of the Articles of Confederation. Give at
least two examples.
The Six Basic Principles
of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty
• The people are sovereign (have supreme authority)
• Government only with the ‘consent of the
governed”
“We the People…”
Limited Government
• Government may do ONLY
what the people give it
power to do
• It is not all powerful
• Rule of Law /
Constitutionalism: Leaders
are never above the law
Judicial Review
• One of the checks and balances
• Courts may rule that a law or an action of an
government is unconstitutional
Federalism
• Power divided b/w national gov’t and state govt’s
• All powers not explicitly granted to the national
gov’t are reserved to the states
Separation of Powers
• Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary powers
separated into distinct branches
• Congress
• President
• Supreme Court
What powers does each branch
hold?
Checks and Balances
“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.”
• Each branch subject to restraints by the other
branches; each branch may check the workings of
the others
• makes compromise necessary
• intended to prevent tyranny of majority
What is an example of a check held by
one branch over another?
Amendment Game
• Directions:
• Take out your Amendment Graphic Organizer
• Clear all other materials off of your desk
Amendment Pictionary
• Rules and Guidelines:
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No words
No numbers (or something that leads to counting)
No acting out / dramatizations
Other teams may not distract / disrupt the groups
Amendment Pictionary
• Rules and Guidelines:
• One artist from a team will be chosen to come up at a time to
draw a representation of an amendment
• All Teams will use their amendment graphic organizers to guess
the amendment
• Each team will get up to 1 minute to correctly ID an amendment
(once you have the answer quietly write it on your white board)
• Each team that gets it right gets 1 pt
• The artist’s team that gets it right gets 2 pts