1. Chapter 7

2. What Now? American Revolution is over. Who won? What should we do?
Plan our government?

3. Chapter 7.1

4. 13 Independent States
1. Britain ignored the Treaty of Paris and kept troops at frontier posts in American territory
Why? They felt the new American government was weak and ineffective.

5. 2. Constitution: plan of government
Congress asked the states to organize their governments and each moved quickly to adopt a State Constitution
Connecticut and Rhode Island kept their colonial charters
Their experience with British rule made Americans cautious about placing too much power in the hands of one ruler
The states Adopted constitutions that limited power of the governor

6. 3. Limiting Power
Most states established a two-house or Bicameral legislature
Wanted to keep the power in the hands of the people

7. Voting
State legislators were popularly elected (Popular vote wins) and
Elections were held frequently (Vote often)
Who can vote?
21 yr old white males who owned land
Some states allowed free African Americans to vote
The Legislature was the most powerful branch of government

8. 4.
They agreed the country should be a Republic: a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives
Weak central government
States act independently
Work together to wage war and handle relations with other nations

9. 5. New Government During the Revolution
The 2nd Continental Congress met to write a plan for a central government
Articles of Confederation was adopted in November 1777

10. Articles of Confederation
1st Constitution
new central government
Was WEAK - states gave up little of their power

11. 6. What could the Congress do?
Conduct foreign affairs
Maintain armed forces
Borrow money
Issue currency
Could NOT:
Regulate trade
Force citizens to join the army
Impose taxes

12. 7. Under the new plan Each state had one vote in Congress
regardless of population
All states had to approve the Articles as well as any amendments
On March 1, 1781, the Confederation formally became the government of the United States
Add: No chief executive

13. Some things it did accomplish: Won independence Expanded foreign trade
8. The Articles of Confederation did not provide a government strong enough to handle the problems facing the US.
Some things it did accomplish:
Won independence
Expanded foreign trade
Helped settle and govern western areas

14. 9. New Land Polices
Congress realized it had to Extend its national authority over the frontier and bring order to the territory
Thomas Jefferson’s plan divided the western territories into self-governing districts
They could Petition, or apply to, Congress for statehood

15. 10. Ordinance of 1785 Ordinance - law
Established a procedure for Surveying and selling the western lands north of the Ohio River
The new law divided this territory into townships six miles long and six miles wide.Townships were further divided into 36 sections – section 16 reserved
for schools

16. 11.Northwest Ordinance Passed in 1787
Created a single Northwest Territory out of lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River
Once the population reached 60,000 could petition for statehood
Once entered they would have the same rights as the original 13 states
Stopped the spread of Slavery in the west

17. 12. Financial Problems Money printed during the Revolution depreciated
-Depreciate: fall in value
No gold or silver to back the money
Value of the money plummeted
Caused Riots

18. 13. Problems with Britain British troops still in America
Never withdrew after Treaty of Paris
British kept America out of the West Indies and other profitable British markets

19. Problems with Britain
John Adams went to London to discuss the problems
England angry because we never repaid the Loyalists

20. 14. Problems with Spain
Closed the lower Mississippi River to American shipping
Western settlers depended on this for commerce

21. 15. Many Americans began to
agree the country needed a stronger government

23. Chapter 7.2

24. Economic Depression
Depression-period when economic activity slowed and unemployment increased
Plantations damaged
Trade slowed
Currency shortage

25. Farmer’s problems Could not sell goods Couldn't pay back debts
Lands seized or jailed
Protests & Revolts

26. Shays’s Rebellion
Daniel Shays lead 1,000 farmers to the federal arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts
Militia warned them to stop
4 men were shot and killed

27. Shays’s Rebellion Frightened many Americans
Government could not control
Washington “mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government”
Jefferson “a little rebellion now and then, is a good thing”

28. Slavery Legal in all states
Some states had a high tax on the importation of slaves
Quakers 1st antislavery society
Started to gradually end slavery in some states

29. Slavery Even if freed, still discriminated Separate facilities
Plantation system in south was built on slavery
many feared that the economy could not survive without it

30. Slavery Virginia passed a law that encouraged manumission
Manumission-freeing of slaves
This began to divide the country
North vs. South
Decided to now change the Articles of Confederation

31. Time for Change Some were satisfied with the Articles of Confederation
Yet, many more felt that a STRONG government is what we needed
Demanded reform

32. Time for Change James Madison- Virginian and “Father of Constitution”
Alexander Hamilton-New York
Called for a convention, a need for change
In Philadelphia

33. Constitutional Convention
In Philadelphia
Began May 1787, hot!!
55 delegates
Very educated
President of convention George Washington

34. Constitutional Convention
Ben Franklin
James Wilson
Gouverneur Morris
Edmund Randolph
James Madison “Father of the Constitution”

35. Virginia Plan
Edmund Randolph proposed that the delegates create a STRONG national government instead of revising the Articles
Plan for a two-house (bi-cameral) legislature, a chief executive chosen by the legislature and a court system
James Madison idea

36. Virginia Plan Legislature-people vote for
Upper house chosen by lower house
Proportional or corresponding in size to population
Largest population states would have more representation
Large states support

37. New Jersey Plan Kept the Confederations one-house legislature
One vote for each state
Congress set taxes and regulate trade
Weak executive branch with more than one person
Small states support

38. Questions & Compromise
Revise Articles of confederation?
Write a new Constitution?
Equal Representation?
How elected?
Vote on June 19-voted to work with the Virginia plan, but still needed more

39. Great Compromise
Compromise- an agreement between two or more ideas in which each side gives up some of what it wants
Roger Sherman Suggested

40. Great Compromise Two-house legislature
House of Representations: based on population
Senate: 2 per state

41. Three-Fifths Compromise
How to count Slaves?
Property or people?
Count each enslaved person 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and representation
5 Slaves = 3 Free People

42. Slave Trade Needed to resolve issue This divided the North and South
Agreed that Congress could not get involved in the Slave trade until 1808
Then congress could limit

43. Chapter 7.3 New Plan of Government

44. Enlightenment Knowledge, Reason & Science can improve society
John Locke
Natural Rights:
Life Liberty Property

45. 1215 Magna Carta Placed the limits on the power of the King
Defined the rights of the British monarchs & citizens

46. Federal System State & Federal working Together
Division of powers between the national & state governments

47. Executive Branch To check Congress the President can Veto President
Enforce the law

48. Legislative Branch Law Making Congress House of Representatives Senate
Based on population
Senate
2 per state

49. Judicial Branch Supreme Court Judge the Law Interpret the Law
Compare to the Constitution

50. Electoral College Votes for the President
Almost always vote majority vote

51. Checks & Balances Checks the other branches
Keeps any one branch from gaining too much power

52. Federalists
Member of a former political party in the United States that favored a STRONG centralized federal government
“Federalist Papers”
Support Constitution

53. AntiFederalists
Opposed the adoption of the Constitution of the United States
STRICT Interpretation
Must SPELL it out
Afraid Constitution would take the rights away from the people

54. George Washington President of Constitutional Convention
1st President of USA
General in American Revolution

55. Constitutional Convention
George Washington
Alexander Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin
James Madison

56. Constitution United States Government FINAL authority
Constitution is our law

57. Bill of Rights George Mason proposed
Needed so the new government would not abuse our powers

58. Amendments 1st 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights
1st Amendment Freedoms
Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition

59. Approval Hard to get unanimous vote 9 of 13 states needed to approve
September 17, 1787 meet in Philadelphia to vote