1. American Government
Aim: Explain the problems that arose as a result of the Articles of Confederation.
Do Now: What is a constitution? Why does a country need a constitution?

2. State Government 1776 – states form their own governments
Republic – people choose representatives to govern them
Continental Congress – leaders of American government

3. National Government 13 states united in war
Articles of Confederation – document adopted by Continental Congress that outlined the government of America
1st constitution
Of America

4. Articles of Confederation
Government had few powers
Wage war, make peace, sign treaties, issue money
States had most important powers
Tax
Enforce laws

5. Weaknesses of Articles
No power to tax
Couldn’t repay debts
No power to enforce laws
Debt
Congress borrowed money during war
Owe money to soldiers

6. Northwest Ordinance Who claims western lands gained from war?
Land Ordinance of 1785 – surveyors stake six-mile-square plots in the Western lands
Northwest Ordinance – as territory grew in population, it would gain rights

7. Northwest Ordinance 5,000 people – elect an assembly
60,000 people – could apply to be a state
Slavery outlawed
Freedom of religion and trial by jury guaranteed

8. Shay’s Rebellion Massachusetts – high taxes People in debt
Thrown in jail if can’t repay
Mass. Gov’t refuses to stop taxes
People rebel
Led by Daniel Shays

9. Shay’s Rebellion
1787 – Shay and his men march on arsenal (place that stores weapons)
State militia puts down rebellion
Need to strengthen national government

10. American Government
Aim: How did leaders of the new nation plan to fix the problems of the Articles?
Do Now: Explain the problems with the Articles of Confederation.

11. Constitutional Convention
Articles need changes
Meeting in Philadelphia – 1787
55 delegates (representative)
Framers – men who framed/created Constitution
Founding Fathers (Founders) of U.S.A.
Washington, Franklin, Madison

13. Constitutional Convention
President of Convention – Washington
Convention would be secret
Questions
Strong federal government?
Representation?
Small states vs. Large states

14. Virginia Plan Edmund Randolph of VA 3 branches of government
Legislative – make the laws
Executive – enforce the laws
Judicial – interpret the laws
Two house, bicameral, legislature
Representation based on population

15. New Jersey Plan William Paterson of NJ One house legislature
Same amount of representatives in each state
More power to the states

16. American Government
Aim: How was the question of representation for the states solved?
Do Now: What was the Virginia and New Jersey Plans?

17. Great Compromise Bicameral legislature
Senate – same amount of representatives
House of Rep. – representation based on population

18. Slavery Should slaves be counted as population in south?
South – Yes Count slaves then
North – No more representative in South
Three-Fifths Compromise
3/5 slaves would be counted
Slave trade couldn’t be banned until 1808

19. Ratification Ratification – approval – of Constitution
9 out of 13 states must accept
Each state will vote on joining the new Constitution

20. Federalism
Federalism - System of government in which power is shared between the national government and the states
Federalists – those who supported signing the Constitution
Anti- Federalists – opposed the Constitution

21. Federalism
Federalists favored loose construction – a flexible interpretation of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists favored strict construction – a strict interpretation of the Constitution
Interpreting the Constitution word for word

22. Federalist Papers
Essays that appeared in newspapers to convince people to accept the Constitution
Written by
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
John Jay

23. Anti-Federalists Thought freedoms were not guaranteed
Too much power in national government
Afraid president could be king
Campaigned for people to oppose ratification

24. Ratification Bill of Rights - First Ten Amendments
Guarantees citizens’ basic freedoms
Constitution is ratified in 1789