K STAFFORD MBMS 2013 Road to Ratification and the US Constitution

Articles of Confederation Ratified in 1781 by all 13 States One House Legislature Each State had 1 Vote Legislature known as the Confederation Congress

Articles of Confederation Two Lasting Ordinance from the A of C  Ordinance- A law Ordinance of Set up a plan for surveying Western Land Northwest Ordinance- Set up a government for the NW territory and a process for admitting new states to the Union.

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation

Shays’s Rebellion After Revolutionary War:  US in heavy debt ( Borrowed lots to finance War)  Congress couldn’t collect money  High state taxes  Trade Slows  People Suffer

Shays’s Rebellion An uprising in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays Shays farm was about to be taken from him because he hadn’t paid his taxes Led 1200 farmers to attack a Federal Arsenal After the uprising many questioned the newly formed country’s ability to govern

Constitutional Convention Began on May in Independence Hall in Philidelphia Original task was to fix the Articles of Confederation Every State EXCEPT Rhode Island sent Delegates Total of 55 Delegates Attended

Constitutional Convention Fun Facts All were educated Mix of Doctors, Lawyers, Merchants, College Presidents, Generals, Planters, and Governors All had Political Experience 8 had signed the Declaration of Independence 7 State Governors 41 Past/Current Members of the Confederation Congress No Women, African Americans or Native Americans

Constitutional Convention Fun Facts Benjamin Franklin (Penn) was the 0ldest at 81 George Washington and James Madison would go on the be Presidents 19 would become Senators 13 would become House of Representative Members 4 would be Federal Judges 4 would become Supreme Court Justices

Beginning the Constitutional Convention George Washington is elected to head the Convention Each state would have one vote ( Not Population Based) 7 votes were needed to pass any changes( A of C required 13 votes) Wished to keep meeting secret, Doors and windows shut, few written notes from the convention.

The Virginia Plan Written by James Madison Had a President, courts and a 2 house legislature Representation based on population of state Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York All Favored the Plan Smaller states disliked this plan because they thought they’d be overlooked.

The New Jersey Plan Written by William Paterson Based on A of C Kept One House Congress, Each state 1 vote Congress could set taxes, regulate trade A committee would carry out the laws Favored by Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey Large states thought it unfair for not factoring in population

The Great Compromise Committee led by Roger Sherman Congress would have two houses- Senate and House of Representatives Each state would have two seats in the Senate The House of Representative membership would be based off state population

3/5 Compromise Several issues remained after the Great Compromise, one was slavery Southern States wanted the enslaved people to count as part of their state representation so they would have more seats in the House of Representatives North argued they were property not citizens Agreed that every 5 slaves would count as 3 free persons

Other Compromises Trade  Northern States wanted Congress to regulate Foreign Trade  South feared that would hurt exports (Cotton)  Compromise- Congress could regulate trade between states and other countries, no tax on exports, slave trade could not be banned before 1808 (20 years) Electoral College  Some wanted Congress to elect President  Others the People  Compromise- Electoral College would be made up of chosen delegates who determine Pres and VP