Constitution

Vocabulary Constitution Legislative Branch Bicameral Executive Branch Confederation Judicial Branch Ratify Amendment Great Compromise Popular sovereignty Three-Fifths Compromise Separation of Powers Electoral College Checks and Balances Federalism Expressed Powers Anti-Federalists Reserved Powers Preamble Concurrent Powers

Early State constitutions Even before the Declaration of Independence was signed, colonists discussed independence and establishing state constitutions to replace the old colonial charters New Hampshire becomes the 1st colony to organize as a state and craft a constitution – written plan for gov’t – in 1776 By 1780, the other colonies were creating their own constitutions and own systems of gov’t

Most state constitutions consisted of: - bicameral legislature (2 houses) – made the laws - governor- enforced/carried out the laws - judges/courts – interpreted the laws Included was also a bill of rights, which guaranteed basic freedoms and legal protections for citizens

Massachusetts The Massachusetts state constitution was different from the other states in a few ways. It distributed power more evenly among the legislature, governor, and courts. (separation of powers) It gave the governor and the courts the authority to check the legislatures power. (checks and balances) The constitution itself was not created by the legislature, but by a convention of elected delegates

1780, Massachusetts became the last of the colonies to create a state constitution The Massachusetts constitution would later become the model for the United States Constitution.

Articles of confederation Although each state had their own framework for government, states would however unify under another framework of government called the Articles of Confederation. Our nation’s first Constitution and our first written framework of government

Articles Of Confederation Ratified – approved – by the states in 1781 Unicameral legislature where each state had one vote No executive or judicial branches Could Could not Make laws - Tax Control military - Enforce laws Organize treaties - Regulate trade - Establish national courts - Control money supply - Pass laws w/out approval from 9/13 states Federal system: Power is divided between national and state governments.

AOC’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ordinance of 1785 Divided the land into townships and allowed Congress to raise money by selling the land to settlers. Northwest Ordinance Laid the basis for the organization of new territorial governments and set a precedent for the method of admitting new states to the Union. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin

The End of the AOC The Articles proved to be too weak for the country States overtaxed their citizens, taxed goods from other states and foreign countries – this hurt international trade and interstate commerce Congress had no power to regulate trade between the states or for the country as a whole

A group of farmers in Massachusetts were in debt because of heavy state taxes. 1200 rebelled but were defeated. Showed the founders of our government that a stronger central government was needed forcing leaders toward revising the A of C to create a stronger national gov’t

Constitutional Convention May 25, 1787 55 delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia. The purpose of the meeting - to revise the A of C Congress could not Collect taxes, regulate trade, enforce its laws Pass laws w/out approval of 9/13 states Articles could not be changed w/out 13/13 states Lack of central control – no executive or judicial branches Because technically, it wasn't what they were supposed to be doing. They were on orders to fix the Articles of the Confederation but were not given the authority to draft a whole new Constitution. In a manner of speaking, they overthrew the government.  Remember, this is post-Revolution so Britain has already let the colonies secede. However, in light of Shaw's Rebellion, the federal government was clearly too weak to do anything and the states were unable to work together because of the varying governments and currencies. At the time they were 13 nations loosely allied together, rather than the 13 parts of a greater nation they became after the Constitution.

Not one was Native American, African American or a woman. Most of the 55 delegates were well educated and experienced in politics, law, business, military, and medicine. Not one was Native American, African American or a woman. Thomas Jefferson (Paris) and John Adams (London) were representatives of the American gov’t in Europe and did not attend the convention 41 were part of the Continental Congress - 8 had signed the Declaration of Independence - 2 would become President of the United States - 19 would become U.S. Senators - 13 would become U.S. House of Reps. - 4 would become Federal judges - 4 would become Supreme Court justices - 7 would become Governor of their states

The delegates agreed on 4 things: 1. Throw out the articles Because technically, it wasn't what they were supposed to be doing. They were on orders to fix the Articles of the Confederation but were not given the authority to draft a whole new Constitution. In a manner of speaking, they overthrew the government.  Remember, this is post-Revolution so Britain has already let the colonies secede. However, in light of Shaw's Rebellion, the federal government was clearly too weak to do anything and the states were unable to work together because of the varying governments and currencies. At the time they were 13 nations loosely allied together, rather than the 13 parts of a greater nation they became after the Constitution. Windows shut, doors guarded, public not allowed. Each delegate promised to not tell outsiders what was going on inside. Virtually no records of the convention. Only details from James Madison’s notebook – delegate from Va The delegates agreed on 4 things: 1. Throw out the articles 2. Each state had one vote regardless of the amount of delegates 3. Simple majority – 7 sates to decide an issue 4. Keep it secret – why?