Download Articles of Confederation

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Articles of Confederation
Unicameral legislature where each state had one vote.
Could
Could not
Make laws
- Tax
Control military
- Enforce laws
Organize treaties
- Regulate trade
- Establish national courts
- Control money supply
- No single authority
Federal system: Power is divided between national and state governments.
AOC Accomplishments
Ordinance of 1785 – system of surveying land and established townships
o IN, OH, MI, WI, IL
Northwest Ordinance – method for governing new territories and admittance into the Union.
o No slavery in these states
The End of the AOC
The Articles proved to be too weak for the country.
Shay’s rebellion: A group of farmers in Massachusetts were in debt because of heavy state taxes.
1200 rebelled but were defeated.
Constitutional Convention
May 25, 1787 55 delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia.
The purpose of the meeting was to revise the Articles of Confederation.
The delegates agreed on four things:
1. Throw out the articles.
2. Each state had one vote regardless on the amount of delegates.
3. Keep it secret for 25 years.
4. George Washington would be in charge.
PLAN
AUTHOR
Virginia
James
Madison
Plans
DESCRIPTION
1. Bicameral legislature based on population.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3. National Court System
New
Jersey
William
Patterson
1. Unicameral legislature with equal representation.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3. National Court system
Connecticut
Roger
Sherman
1. Bicameral legislature: Upper house equal and
lower house based on population.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3. National Court system
Compromises
Compromise
Details
Bicameral legislature:
Great
Upper: Equal (Senate)
Lower: Based on population (House of Rep)
Three-Fifths
One slave equals three-fifths of a person for the
purposes of taxation and representation.
Slave Trade
Congress can control all aspects of foreign and interstate
trade, but they can not stop the slave trade until it is readdressed in twenty years.
Executive
The Executive branch will be lead by one individual
called “President” and will be elected every four years
by the Electoral College.
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Ratification
Nine out of 13 states had to ratify the Constitution.
It was signed by the delegates on September 17, 1787.
Federalists supported the Constitution. They wrote a series of essays called the Federalist papers that
were published in newspapers across the country. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John
Jay were the writers defending the Constitution.
Anti-federalists were those that opposed the Constitution. That felt that too much power was given to
the National government. They wanted a bill of rights.
June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Rhode Island was
the 13th state to ratify it in 1790.
Constitution
Supreme law of the land.
Provides the framework for government in the United States.
All powers of each branch of government are in the Constitution.
Constitution Breakdown
1. Preamble
2. Seven Articles:
I. Legislative Branch
II. Executive Branch
III. Judicial Branch
IV. Relations among states
V. Amending process
VI. National Supremacy
VII. Ratification process
3. Twenty-seven amendments
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Checks and Balances
The powers of the government are divided into three branches:
o Legislative: Congress (House of Reps. And Senate) Make laws
o Executive: President. Enforce laws.
o Judicial: Supreme Court. Interpret laws.
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The system of checks and balances keeps one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
Four basic principles
The Constitution was designed on four basic principles:
o Popular Sovereignty
o Limited Government
o Federalism
o Separation of powers
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Popular Sovereignty
The right of the people to rule themselves (vote).
Voters elect representatives and through the Electoral College, they elect a president.
The president and representatives are there to serve the people.
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Limited government
A danger is that the majority may deny rights to the minority.
The Constitution protects the rights of all Americans.
The Bill of Rights was added later to secure the rights of the people.
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Separation of Powers
Montesquieu believed that executive, legislative, and judicial powers should be separated.
The Constitution separates powers and incorporates a system of checks and balances.
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Federalism
National government shares power with the states.
This gives Americans freedom to provide for their own needs.
The main reason is sectional differences.
Types of Power:
o Enumerated: Powers given to the national government. Can be expressed or implied (Elastic
clause).
o Reserved: Powers given to the state governments.
o Concurrent: Powers shared between national and state.
Amending Process
Process to formally change the Constitution.
An amendment must be proposed and ratified.
An amendment can be proposed by a 2/3 vote from both houses of Congress or by a national
convention called by 2/3 of the state legislatures. The national convention has never occurred.
An amendment can be ratified by the approval of ¾ of the state legislatures or by special ratifying
conventions that pass in ¾ of the states. The ratifying convention has occurred only once.
Interpretation
Loose interpretation: Congress can make any law that the constitution does not specifically forbid.
Strict interpretation: Congress can only make laws that the constitution gives them direct authority
over.
The Supreme Court interprets the constitution and can declare laws unconstitutional.
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Articles of Confederation
______________________________________ legislature where each state had one vote.
Could
Could not
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________________________________
Control military
___________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
__________________________
Enforce laws
Regulate trade
Establish national courts
Control money supply
No single authority
___________________________________________________________________________
AOC Accomplishments
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___________________________________________________ – system of surveying land and established townships
o IN, OH, MI, WI, IL
Northwest Ordinance – method for governing new territories and admittance into the Union.
o
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_______________________________________________________________________________
The End of the AOC
The Articles proved to be too weak for the country.
o
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_______________________________________________________________________________
o _______________________________________________________________________________
Shay’s rebellion: A group of farmers in Massachusetts were in debt because of heavy state taxes. _______
______________________________________________________________________________________
Constitutional Convention
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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PLAN
The purpose of the meeting was to revise the Articles of Confederation.
The delegates agreed on four things:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Each state had one vote regardless on the amount of delegates.
3. Keep it secret for ______________________________________
4. George Washington would be in charge.
Plans
AUTHOR
DESCRIPTION
1.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3.
1.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3.
1.
2. Strong Executive Branch
3. National Court system
Compromise
Compromises
Details
Bicameral legislature:
Congress can control all aspects of foreign and interstate trade,
Slave Trade
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Executive
Ratification
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_____________________________________________________________________________________.
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It was signed by the delegates on __________________________________________________________.
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______________________________________________________________________. They wrote a series of essays
called the Federalist papers that were published in newspapers across the country.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________ were those that opposed the Constitution. That felt that too much power
was given to the National government. They wanted______________________________.
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June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Rhode Island was the 13 th state to ratify
it in 1790.
o ______________________________________________________________________________
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Federalist, No. 10 Constitution
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_____________________________________________________________________________________.
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Provides the______________________________________________ for government in the United States.
All powers of each branch of government are in the Constitution.
Constitution Breakdown
1. Preamble
2. Seven Articles:
I. ___________________________________________________________________________________
II. _________________________________________________________________________________
III. Judicial Branch
IV. ________________________________________________________________________________
V. Amending process
VI. ________________________________________________________________________________
VII. Ratification process
3. ________________________________________________ amendments
Five Basic Principles
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The Constitution was designed on ______________________________ basic principles:
o
_______________________________________________________________________________
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Limited Government – Rule of Law
o
_______________________________________________________________________________
o
o
_______________________________________________________________
Checks and Balances
Popular Sovereignty
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Voters elect representatives and through the ___________________________________, they elect a president.
The president and representatives are ______________________________________________________.
Limited government
A danger is that the majority may deny rights to the minority.
The Constitution protects the _____________________________________________________________.
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_________________________________________________ was added later to secure the rights of the people.
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
Separation of Powers
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___________________________________________________________believed that executive, legislative, and judicial
powers should be separated.
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The Constitution ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.
Federalism
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National government shares ______________________________________________________________.
This gives Americans freedom to provide for their own needs.
The main reason is sectional differences.
Types of Power:
o Enumerated: ___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________.
o
_____________________________________: Powers given to the state governments.
o
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Concurrent: ___________________________________________________________________.
New Federalism
Recently shift of some programs/authority for decision-making on the implementation of the programs
______________________________________________________________________________________
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Started with President ___________________ and continued with President ________________________
Checks and Balances
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The powers of the government are divided into _____________________________________ branches:
o
Legislative: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
o
______________________________: President._______________________________________.
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o Judicial: Supreme Court. _________________________________________________________.
The system of checks and balances keeps one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
Amending Process
Process to formally change the Constitution.
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An amendment must ____________________________________________________________________.
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An amendment can be proposed by a ________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________ The national convention has never occurred.
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An amendment can be ratified by the approval of ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________. The ratifying
convention has occurred only once.
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Interpretation
_________________________________________: Congress can make any law that the Constitution does not
specifically forbid.
Strict interpretation: Congress can only make laws that the ______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
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The Supreme Court ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________
Preamble Practice