Establishing a New Government 1777-1778

Essential Questions What were the Articles of Confederation? What conditions led Americans to change their system of government? What issues were resolved at the Constitutional Convention? How well did the new Constitution embody the principles of the Declaration of Independence?

What is 1 word that describes government? What is government? What is 1 word that describes government?

Preamble We the People, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

FOLDABLE

What type of government to create? Representative Democracy – rule by popularly elected representatives. (self government)

Articles of Confederation America needs a central/national government The Articles of Confederation were formed

Interpret the political cartoon – Pick at least 3 things that you notice about the picture The main idea of this cartoon is that the Articles of Confederation --- had many serious shortcomings.

Articles of Confederation Members of the Continental Congress feared individual freedom might be threatened by national government if it had too much power. Placed power in states hands making it weak. It only had 1 branch of government – Congress.

The Articles of Confederation Weaknesses Strengths No president-no leader to enforce the laws Congress could declare war No national court system to settle disputes between states Set up government for the Northwest Territory Could not regulate trade between states or states and foreign countries Appoint military officers Could pass laws but 9 out of 13 states had to approve the law before it could go into effect Passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 No power to tax. Congress had to ask states for money or borrow from them Could maintain an Army & Navy

Accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation Negotiated the Treaty of Paris with Britain in 1783 Developed the concept of limited government. Passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 Established the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Though they had many shortcomings, the Articles of Confederation cannot be considered a total failure. Under them, the government operated for nearly 12 years and managed to conduct a successful war of rebellion against what was then the most powerful country in the world. Limited government – a system in which government has only certain powers and cannot act beyond the powers it was specifically given. Under the Articles, the United States also negotiated a very favorable peace treaty in which Britain formally recognized the United States and agreed to remove all British troops from U.S. territory. From the land granted to the United States as a result of the treaty, the country doubled in size, gaining land that today holds the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. Many historians view the Northwest Ordinance as the most important piece of legislation to come out of this period. The Ordinance provided a method for admitting new states into the Union and for placing them on an equal footing with existing states. Thus, citizens from these new states would enjoy all the rights for which Americans had fought in the Revolution. The Ordinance even provided a bill of rights, something both the Articles and the original Constitution lacked. Map of the land settled in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Introduced a method for admitting these territories into the Union as new states once a population of 60,000 people was achieved within each territory. The new states were admitted on terms of complete equality with the original thirteen states.

Critical period 1781-1787 Government is weak They have too little power to govern effectively Soon trouble begins

Shay’s Rebellion Poor farmer’s in Mass wanted to stop courts from seizing their property and imprisoning them for unpaid debts. Showed how weak the gov’t actually was.

Shay’s Rebellion - Discussion Read the article on Shay’s Rebellion. Why did farmers rebel? What was the significance of the rebellion?

Constitutional Convention Representatives meet and get rid of the Articles of Confederation and make a new US Constitution. May 1787 representatives meet to revise the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they agree to discard the Articles and decide a new national constitution was needed.

Constitutional Compromises We found out the Articles of Confederation wouldn’t work and only compromises would fix it. So what compromises were made?

The “Great Compromise” Virginia Plan (Big states) Wanted 2 houses of legislature. Wanted seats based on population. New Jersey Plan (small states) Wanted 1 house of legislature. Wanted “one state one vote” Compromise created by Roger Sherman – representative from Connecticut. Compromise Two-House Legislature House of Representatives: Based on Population Senate: 1 State 2 Votes (100 people)

3/5 Compromise Compromise North South Slaves should count for taxes Slaves should not count for population South Slaves should not count for taxes Slaves should count for population Compromise Slaves were counted as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of Taxation and Representation.

Quickwrite Identify another school rule that you don’t like. Make changes to it that that would benefit both you and the school. Compromise with the school administration to come up with a better rule.

Powers of Government -3 Branches- To make the laws Legislative To apply the laws to specific situations (judge) Judicial To carry out the laws (president) Executive

Branches of the Federal Government

Constitutional Principles Limited Government Republicanism Popular Sovereignty Federalism Separation of Powers Checks & Balances Individual Rights Constitutional Principles

Limited Government Our national government has only the powers specifically granted to it in the Constitution.

Republicanism A democratic government chosen by the people where decisions are made by elected representatives.

Popular Sovereignty The right of the majority to govern themselves

Power divided between the NATIONAL and STATE governments. Federalism Power divided between the NATIONAL and STATE governments.

Separation of Powers Baron de Montesquieu- came up with the idea. Each branch of government has his own powers and responsibilities.

Rights and Responsibilities of American Citizens Individual Rights Rights and Responsibilities of American Citizens

Group Work Divide into 7 groups Each group will receive a different Constitutional Principle Use your notes, book, construction paper, markers, and group members to make a flyer. Present at the end of class.

Ratification Ratify means to approve Each state votes to ratify the Constitution. Eventually enough votes are passed and the Constitution is ratified (approved).

Anti-Federalists Opponents of the Constitution. Found several major problems in the new Constitution. Patrick Henry George Mason

Federalists Those in favor of the Constitution. Wrote the Federalist Papers. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay – authors of the Federalists Papers.

Federalist Papers Series of 85 essays that sought to convince Americans that the new nation would not last if the proposed constitution were not adopted.

Arguments against Ratification. It would create a central government that would be too strong & might threaten individual liberties. Feared future government leaders might build a strong army and use it too collect unpopular taxes. No bill of rights in the new Constitution to protect individual liberties. Gave too much power to the central government at the expense of state governments. – slavery and taxation.

Arguments for Ratification Argued that a stronger central government was needed to protect the nation from domestic unrest and foreign invasion. Argued that under the proposed plan, federalism and the separation of powers would prevent any one branch of the new central government from becoming too strong. - individual liberties would be protected.

List the Arguments on Ratification Anti-Federalist (Against) Federalist (Support) 1. need a strong central government for protection from domestic unrest and foreign invasions. 2. It creates Federalism and Separation of Powers. 1. Creates a strong central government that threatens individual freedoms. 2. feared future government leaders. 3. no bill of rights 4. limits states governments

Federalist vs. Anti-Federalists

Turn & Talk What Declaration of Independence ideas are listed in the U.S. Constitution? Go back and look at the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. What ones do you think were important enough to be listed in the U.S. Constitution?

Amendments What are amendments? Why would we need them in our Constitution?

Amendments What are amendments? Changes in the Constitution Why would we need them in our Constitution? The nation is growing and has the ability to adjust for changing times.

1. Amendment is proposed by: (2/3 vote of both houses of Congress) 2. Amendment is approved by: 3. Becomes part of: (3/4 of the state legislatures)