1. Creating a New Government

2. Articles of Confederation Weak central government States rights Lacked the ability to – Tax – Regulate commerce No common currency They were able to raise an army, sign treaties and declare war

3. Shays’ Rebellion A mob of angry backcountry farmers in Massachusetts Farm/Mortgage foreclosures Armed Shaysites kept courthouses closed to stall foreclosures until an army was sent in to stop them Ended in bloodshed Conservatives feared “mobocracy”

5. Constitutional Convention 1787 “for the sole and express purpose of revising” the Articles of Confederation (p186) R.I. did not send a representative Philadelphia

7. Chairman of the Convention George Washington

8. Father of the Constitution James Madison

9. Virginia Plan “large-state plan” Bicameral Congress – Both houses- representation based upon population – Advantage to?

11. New Jersey Plan “small-state plan” Unicameral Congress – Equal representation for all states, regardless of size or population

12. Great Compromise Bicameral Congress – House of Representatives- representation based upon population * appeased larger states – Senate- equal representation (2 per) *appeased smaller states

14. Slavery Issue

15. Three-Fifths Compromise Slaves count as 3/5 of a “person” for both representation and taxation

16. Checks and Balances Each branch of government will check and be checked by the other branches. This allows for the balance of power. No one branch can be more powerful than the others. No one person or branch can act alone.

19. Ratification 9 out of the 13 states needed to ratify the Constitution in order for it to become the supreme law Federalists- supported the Constitution as it was written Antifederalists- supported states rights and a weaker central government, wanted a Bill of Rights added before ratification

21. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Supported the new Constitution A strong central government AKA Nationalists The Federalist Papers John Jay, Madison, Hamilton Wealthy- North Supported existing balance of power Revision of AofC, not rewrite Feared weakened states Lacked unification Wanted a Bill of Rights Agriculture- small South and West