Download Government by the States

Government by the
States

Washington gives up power

Many expected him to move into new role
as head of govt. – maybe as king
Early Government

Faced many questions

Most people regarded Congress as
wartime necessity.

Americans thought they were citizens of
individual states, not of a nation.
Early Government

1777: Continental Congress adopts new
set of laws to govern United States.

Limited national government

Most political power lay with the states
Articles of Confederation

Nat. govt. has only 1 branch:
legislature(Congress) – carried out duties
of both legislative & executive branches

Each state maintained its own court
system.

Could not force taxes on states
Articles of Confederation

Constitution: plan of government that
describes the different parts of the
government and their duties and powers

State governments had more power than
national government
State Constitutions

Americans agreed new govt. should be a
democracy(govt. by the people) and the
creation of a republic(govt. run by the
people through elected representatives)
Opposition to the Articles

Wealthy men thought Articles given too
much power to ordinary citizens.

National debt of $50 million

State govts. Printed cheap paper money
Economic Problems

Nationalists: wanted to strengthen nat.
govt.
◦ James Madison, George Washington, Alexander
Hamilton

Most Americans did not agree w/ this view
Concerns about Weak Government

Feared U.S. would fail like the Roman
Republic

People were not wise enough to have so
much power over their own affairs.
Learning from History

Nationalists held to discuss economic
problems.

Took only one step: to call another
convention in Philadelphia to try to fix the
govt.
The Annapolis Convention

Wealthy people who had loaned $ to the
states demanded their money back.

Passed high direct tax – tax was to be
paid in specie: gold or silver coin

Opposition came from farmers in the
western part of the state
Shay’s Rebellion

Courts began seizing their possessions

Daniel Shay leads rebellion
Congress could only look on helplessly
 State govt. gathered army to put down
rebellion.

Shay’s Rebellion

Demonstrated their determination to defy
the authority of any government when it
acted against the people’s wishes
Effects of the Rebellion

Constitutional Convention: only 4 months
to produce United State Constitution.

May 1787

Feared weak nation might collapse
The Constitutional Convention
James Madison
 Continental Congress in 1780
 Studied history, govt., and law


Realized a new government was needed.
“The Father of the Constitution”

1st: elect Washington as first president
(unanimous vote)

Either amend the Articles or abandon
them altogether
Divisions at the Convention

Creation of two house nat. legislature

Would have more powers
◦ Right to tax and regulate commerce
◦ Veto any state laws
◦ Would have a judicial and executive branch
The Virginia Plan
Opposition came from smaller states
 Feared they would have little power in
new govt.

Same as Virginia Plan
 Equal vote in unicameral Congress

The New Jersey Plan

Legislative Branch made up of two houses
◦ Senate: each state would have two delegates
◦ House of Representatives: based on state’s
population
The Great Compromise

Slaves would be included in state’s
population count

3/5 of state’s slave population would be
counted when determining representation

Slaves could not vote
The Three-Fifths Compromise

Approved final draft of Constitution on
Sept. 17, 1787

“We the people of the United States”
A Lasting Document