By : Garrett and Dylan

After the U.S won the Revolutionary War they were an independent country. Their government was very weak. The U.S couldn’t collect taxes. King George lll had to much power over the colonists, but when the U.S got independence the president didn’t have to much power. So the president couldn’t have all the power like King George lll. After that congress invited the states to send delegates to a meeting in Philadelphia to discuss how to change the Articles of Confederation. The government also couldn’t set up armies.

In the spring of 1787, 55 delegates traveled to Philadelphia. They came from every state except for Rhode Island. They met to discuss how to change the Articles of Confederation. Their meeting has become the Constitutional Convention. James Madison arrived before all of the delegates. He had plans for a new system of government.

The constitution divides the government into three different branches, legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own job. The legislative branch comes up with new laws. The executive branch can suggest laws and veto them. The judicial can force the laws. Each branch checks over another branch this is called checks and balances. Three Branches of Government

The authors of the United States would grow and change. So they added a bill of rights. Many Americans demanded a Bill of Rights to the constitution. James Madison agreed to the Bill of Rights. In 1791, the 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights were accepted. There were 27 amendments in all. The Bill of Rights

When James Madison was elected president in 1808, France and Britain were at war. Thomas Jefferson had to keep the United States away from the war. At that time Britain had a powerful navy. Yet British soldiers mostly worked on American ships because they were getting more money. It was like part 2 of the revolutionary war. A guy named Francis Key Scott wrote a poem, that turned out to be the national anthem. In 1810, congress began calling war against Britain. In 1812 they declared war. Congress called themselves War Hawks, because hawks are aggressive birds. The War Of 1812

As the war continued, United States army began to win more wars. Captain Oliver Hazard Perry forced British ships to surrender on lake Erie. In August 1814, the British invaded Washington, D.C. As the British Army headed for the White House, first lady Dolley Madison quickly collected important documents and a picture of George Washington. After she fled, British forces burned our Nations capitol. After two years of fighting both Britain and the U.S. didn’t get any land or money from the war. Soon the two countries signed a treaty called the treaty of Ghent. The War Of 1812

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1.Who wrote the national anthem ( The Star Spangled Banner) ? A)Dolly Madison B)Thomas Paine C)Francis Scott Key D)Samuel Adams ? QUESTIONS ?

Who saved important documents and a portrait of George Washington? A)George Washington B)Samuel Adams C)Christopher Columbus D)Dolly Madison Questions

Who won the war of 1812? A)England B)Not enough information C)Neither D)America Questions

What was the treaty called? A)Treaty of Paris B)Treaty of Ghent C)Antarctic Treaty D)Great Lakes Treaty Questions

How many amendments were there in the constitution? A)3 B)10 C)27 D)58 Questions