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The American Nation
Chapter 7
Creating a Republic
1776–1790
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
The American Nation
Chapter 7: Creating a Republic 1776–1790
Section 1:
A Loose Confederation
Section 2:
The Constitutional Convention
Section 3:
Ideas Behind the Constitution
Section 4:
Ratification and the Bill of Rights
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
A Loose Confederation
Chapter 7, Section 1
• Why did state governments write
constitutions?
• What were the weaknesses of the Articles
of Confederation?
• What process did the Articles create for
admitting new states?
• Why did many Americans call for changes
in the Articles?
Most States Wrote Constitutions
Chapter 7, Section 1
• Constitution—document that sets out the laws,
principles, organization, and processes of a
government
• Bill of Rights—list of freedoms that the
government promises to protect
Reasons for a written constitution:
• would spell out the rights of all citizens
• would limit the power of government
The Articles of Confederation
Chapter 7, Section 1
Articles of Confederation—first American constitution; created a
loose alliance of independent states
Congress could:
• declare war
• appoint military officers
• coin money
• take care of foreign affairs
Congress’s powers were limited:
• nine states had to approve a
law before it could go into
effect
• could not regulate trade
• had no power to tax; had to ask
the states for money; states
could not be forced to
contribute
• there was no president to
execute, or carry out, the laws
• there were no courts to settle
conflicts
Weaknesses of the Confederation
Chapter 7, Section 1
Conflicts between states
• The central government did not have power to resolve such
conflicts.
Money problems
• The central government did not have power to raise taxes. States
often refused to contribute money. The government could not pay
its debts.
• Continental Congress had printed paper currency, or money.
However it had little value because it was not backed by gold or
silver.
• Each state printed its own money, which caused confusion.
Foreign countries took advantage of the confederation
• Britain refused to pull troops from the Ohio Valley.
• Spain closed the port of New Orleans to Americans.
How Congress Admitted New States to the Union
Chapter 7, Section 1
Land Ordinance of 1785
• set up a survey system that divided the land into townships
and sections
• set aside land to support public schools
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
• set up a government for the Northwest Territory
• guaranteed basic rights to settlers
• outlawed slavery in the territory provided for the region to
be divided into separate territories; once a territory had
660,000 free settlers, it could ask Congress to be admitted
as a new state, equal to the original states
Land Ordinance of 1785
Chapter 7, Section 1
Why Americans Called for a Change in the Articles
Chapter 7, Section 1
• The nation suffered a depression—a period when
business activity slows, prices and wages fall,
and unemployment rises.
• Massachusetts raised taxes, and the courts
seized the farms of those who could not pay.
Many farmers took part in Shays’ Rebellion, led
by Daniel Shays. They attacked courthouses and
kept officials from seizing farms.
• Many Americans saw Shays’ Rebellion as a sign
that the Articles of Confederation did not work.
Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 1
Under the Articles of Confederation,
a) the President had the power to conduct foreign affairs.
b) Congress passed tax laws that were a burden on farmers.
c) the central government was too weak to enforce the laws passed by
Congress.
d) the approval of all 13 states was needed to pass a law.
What was a major accomplishment of the Northwest Ordinance?
a) It provided a way to admit new states to the nation.
b) It settled disputes between the states over claims to western lands.
c) It demanded that the British remove troops from the Ohio Valley.
d) It set up a survey system for the Northwest Territory.
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Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 1
Under the Articles of Confederation,
a) the President had the power to conduct foreign affairs.
b) Congress passed tax laws that were a burden on farmers.
c) the central government was too weak to enforce the laws passed by
Congress.
d) the approval of all 13 states was needed to pass a law.
What was a major accomplishment of the Northwest Ordinance?
a) It provided a way to admit new states to the nation.
b) It settled disputes between the states over claims to western lands.
c) It demanded that the British remove troops from the Ohio Valley.
d) It set up a survey system for the Northwest Territory.
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The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7, Section 2
• Who were the leading delegates to the
Constitutional Convention?
• What were the main differences between
the two rival plans for the new
Constitution?
• What compromises did the delegates have
to reach before the Constitution could be
signed?
Leading Delegates to the Convention
Chapter 7, Section 2
When the Constitutional Convention met on May 25, 1787, to consider
a new system of government, every state except Rhode Island sent
representatives.
Revolutionary Leaders:
Benjamin Franklin
• oldest delegate
• signed Declaration of
Independence
George Washington
• president of convention
New Generation:
Alexander Hamilton
• wanted strong central
government
James Madison
• ideas on democratic
government influenced
others
• “Father of the
Constitution”
Rival Plans for the New Constitution
Chapter 7, Section 2
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Purposed by Edmund Randolph and
James Madison of Virginia
Purposed by Wiliam Paterson of New
Jersey
Supported by large states
Supported by small states
Strong national government with three
branches.
• legislative branch—passes laws
• executive branch—carries out laws
• judicial branch—courts would decide
if laws were carried out fairly
Supported by small states
Legislative branch—two houses
Seats awarded on basis of population.
Larger states would have more
representatives than smaller states.
Legislative branch—one house
Each state gets one vote. Small states
and big states would have equal
representation.
The Delegates Compromised
Chapter 7, Section 2
Compromise—a settlement in which each side gives up some
demands in order to reach an agreement.
Great Compromise
• Large states wanted two houses of Congress with a state’s
representatives decided according to the state’s population.
• Small states wanted Congress to have one house and each
state to have two senators.
• The compromise—a two-house legislature.
• Members of the lower house—the House of Representatives—
would be elected by popular vote. Seats would be awarded
according to population.
• Members of the upper house—the Senate—would be chosen
by state legislatures. Each state would have two senators.
The Delegates Compromised
Chapter 7, Section 2
Three-Fifths Compromise
• Southerners wanted to
include slaves in the
population count to
determine seats in the
House, even though they
could not vote.
• Northerners objected. Since
slaves could not vote, they
should not be counted.
• The compromise - Three
fifths of the slaves in any
state would be counted.
The Slave Trade
• Northerners wanted to ban
the slave trade.
• Southerners said a ban on
the slave trade would ruin
their economy.
• The compromise - Congress
would not outlaw the slave
trade for at least 20 years.
After that, Congress could
regulate the slave trade.
Meanwhile, no state could
stop a fugitive slave from
being returned.
Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 2
In the Great Compromise the delegates decided Congress would have
a) two houses, one where each state had two senators and one with
seats awarded according to state populations.
b) one house, in which each state had one vote.
c) two houses, both with seats awarded according to state populations.
d) one house, in which seats are awarded according to state populations.
What did the Constitutional Convention decide to do about the slave trade in
the United States?
a) ban the slave trade in the entire nation
b) do nothing
c) allow each state to decide forever for itself
d) say Congress could not outlaw the slave trade for 20 years, then could
reconsider
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Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 2
In the Great Compromise the delegates decided Congress would have
a) two houses, one where each state had two senators and one with
seats awarded according to state populations.
b) one house, in which each state had one vote.
c) two houses, both with seats awarded according to state populations.
d) one house, in which seats are awarded according to state populations.
What did the Constitutional Convention decide to do about the slave trade in
the United States?
a) ban the slave trade in the entire nation
b) do nothing
c) allow each state to decide forever for itself
d) say Congress could not outlaw the slave trade for 20 years, then could
reconsider
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Ideas Behind the Constitution
Chapter 7, Section 3
• What did American leaders learn from
studying ancient Rome?
• What traditions of freedom did Americans
inherit from Great Britain and from their
own colonial past?
• How did Enlightenment ideas shape the
development of the Constitution?
What the Founding Fathers Learned From Ancient Rome
Chapter 7, Section 3
• Founding Fathers—the patriots who laid the
groundwork for the United States, such as
Madison and Jefferson.
• They admired the Roman Republic. They created
a republic, a government in which citizens rule
themselves through elected representatives.
• They admired Roman citizens who served the
republic out of a sense of public service.
• They saw the collapse of Rome’s republic as a
warning. They wanted to avoid a dictatorship, a
government in which one person or small group
holds complete authority.
Traditions of Freedom
Chapter 7, Section 3
British Traditions of Freedom
Magna Carta
• English monarchs
themselves had to obey the
law. For example, the king
could not raise taxes without
consulting the Great Council.
• English nobles—and later,
other people—had rights,
including rights to property
and the right to trial by jury.
English Bill of Rights
• It stated that parliamentary
elections should be held
regularly.
• It upheld the right to trial by
jury.
• It allowed citizens to bear
arms.
• It affirmed the right of habeas
corpus, the idea that no
person could be held without
being charged with a specific
crime.
Traditions of Freedom
Chapter 7, Section 3
The American Experience
Constitutional Tradition
• Mayflower Compact, the first
document of self-government
in North America
• written colonial charters
Revolutionary Era
• memory of grievances
against the English king,
expressed in the Declaration
of Independence
• experience of the Second
Continental Congress
• experience with the Articles
of Confederation
• experience with state
governments and state
constitutions
Traditions of Freedom
Chapter 7, Section 3
Teachings of the Enlightenment
John Locke
Two Treatises of Government
• All people have natural rights to
life, liberty, and property.
• Government is an agreement
between ruler and ruled. The ruler
must enforce the laws and
protect the people.
• If a ruler violates the people’s
natural rights, the people have a
right to rebel.
Baron de Montesquieu
The Spirit of the Laws
• The powers of government
should be clearly defined.
• There should be a separation of
powers, that is, the powers of
government should be divided up
among branches of government
so no person or group gains too
much power.
• A government should have three
separate branches—legislative,
executive, and judicial.
Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 3
A republic is a kind of government where
a) one person or group holds complete authority.
b) military power is placed above civilian authority.
c) citizens rule themselves through elected representatives.
d) all citizens vote on all the laws.
“Separation of powers” means that
a) the powers of government should be clearly defined and divided up
among different branches of government.
b) the powers of government are decided by the legislative branch and
approved by the judicial branch.
c) no person shall be held in jail without first being charged.
d) the Founding Fathers worked separately from each other to suggest
plans for a government.
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Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 3
A republic is a kind of government where
a) one person or group holds complete authority.
b) military power is placed above civilian authority.
c) citizens rule themselves through elected representatives.
d) all citizens vote on all the laws.
“Separation of powers” means that
a) the powers of government should be clearly defined and divided up
among different branches of government.
b) the powers of government are decided by the legislative branch and
approved by the judicial branch.
c) no person shall be held in jail without first being charged.
d) the Founding Fathers worked separately from each other to suggest
plans for a government.
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Ratification and the Bill of Rights
Chapter 7, Section 4
• What were the key issues in the debate
between the Federalists and the
Antifederalists?
• How was the Constitution finally ratified?
• How was the Bill of Rights added to the
Constitution?
Key Issues in the Debate Between Federalists
and Antifederalists
Chapter 7, Section 4
Federalists
• for a strong federal, or national,
government.
• The Constitution gave the
national government enough
power to function effectively.
• The Constitution still protected
the rights and powers of the
states.
• James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a
series of essays—The Federalist
Papers—to explain and defend
the Constitution.
• The Constitution already
protected the rights of citizens
well enough.
Antifederalists
• against the Constitution.
• The Constitution made the
national government too strong.
• The Constitution made the states
too weak.
• Patrick Henry gave a speech
saying that, under the
Constitution, the President had
too much power and that
someday a President might try to
become king.
• The Constitution had no bill of
rights to protect natural rights,
such as freedom of speech and
religion.
After Much Debate, the Constitution Was Finally Ratified
Chapter 7, Section 4
December 1787
Delaware was the first to ratify. Pennsylvania and New Jersey
soon followed.
February 1788
Sam Adams and John Hancock convinced the Massachusetts
convention to recommend adding a bill of rights to the
Constitution. Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify.
June 1788
When New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the
Constitution, the new government could go into effect. Still, the
largest states—New York and Virginia—had not yet ratified the
plan.
Virginia voted to ratify the Constitution when the Federalists
promised to support a bill of rights.
July 1788
In New York the struggle between Federalists and
Antifederalists went on until July.
November 1789
North Carolina
May 1790
Rhode Island became the last state to ratify.
A Bill of Rights Was Added
Chapter 7, Section 4
• The first election under the Constitution for President
and members of Congress was held in January 1789.
• The first Congress met in New York City. Congress
turned its attention to a bill of rights.
• To amend, or change, the Constitution, Congress
followed the process established in the Constitution.
Congress proposed twelve amendments. The
amendments went to the states for their approval.
• By December 1791, three fourths of the states had
ratified 10 of the 12 amendments. These 10
amendments became known as the Bill of Rights.
The Writing of the Constitution
• New government
includes President
and two-house
legislature
• Power is divided
between national
and state
governments
• Compromises allow
slavery to continue
• States debate and
ratify Constitution
• Bill of Rights is
added
Effects Today
Effects
• Articles of
Confederation
creates weak
national government
• Trade and money
problems arise
between states
• Foreign nations take
advantage of weak
government
• Shays’ Rebellion
breaks out
• Convention meets to
revise Articles of
Confederation
The Writing of the Constitution
Causes
Chapter 7, Section 4
• United States is
world’s oldest
continuing
constitutional
democracy
• Debate about federal
versus state power
continues
• Amendments extend
rights to more
citizens
• New democracies
look to the
Constitution as a
model
Section 4 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 4
One issue the Federalists and Antifederalists argued over was
a) how to amend the Constitution and add a bill of rights.
b) where the nation’s first capital should be.
c) how many states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into
effect.
d) whether the Constitution made the central government too strong.
Antifederalists fought to add a bill of rights to the Constitution in order to
a) provide a process for amending the Constitution.
b) protect the people’s natural rights.
c) explain the political theory behind the American system of government.
d) make it less difficult for the government to function.
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Section 4 Assessment
Chapter 7, Section 4
One issue the Federalists and Antifederalists argued over was
a) how to amend the Constitution and add a bill of rights.
b) where the nation’s first capital should be.
c) how many states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into
effect.
d) whether the Constitution made the central government too strong.
Antifederalists fought to add a bill of rights to the Constitution in order to
a) provide a process for amending the Constitution.
b) protect the people’s natural rights.
c) explain the political theory behind the American system of government.
d) make it less difficult for the government to function.
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