1. Historical Background of the U.S. Constitution II
GOVT 2305, Module 2

2. Articles of Confederation
A confederation is a league of independent states, similar to the United Nations of today.
The Articles were America’s first constitution.

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a confederation?
States have a great deal of autonomy. The national government has little power.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a confederation?
A confederation keeps power at the local level, but it lacks national unity and uniformity of laws throughout the nation.

4. Features of Confederation Government
League of nearly independent states
States chief units of government
Unicameral Congress with states each having one vote
No executive or national judiciary
Laws must be approved by 9 of 13 states
Changes in the Articles approved by all 13 states
No power to coin money
No power to assess taxes
No power to regulate commerce among the states
No standing army

5. Framers and Property Rights
Shay’s Rebellion: An armed uprising of poor farmers angered by debt and taxes. Failure to pay often led to debtors’ prison. Shays’ men were eventually crushed by a private army.

6. Goals of the Framers
Goals were democracy and to make tyranny unlikely.
Elect leaders—House elected by the people
Limit the power of government—other officials chosen indirectly or by appointment
Restrict the power of the majority—fragment government power

7. Perspective of the Framers
Distrusted common people
Favored rule by elite

8. Connecticut Compromise
Compromise between large and small states
Bicameral legislature
Representation in the House based on population
Representation in the Senate based on state equality

9. Three-Fifths Compromise
The Constitution counted a slave as three-fifths of a person for purposes of taxation and representation in the U.S. House.

10. Slave States in 1789

11. Census of 1790

12. Ironically . . .
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. . .” Declaration of Independence, 1776

13. A less than perfect union
In what ways was the democracy created by the Constitution of 1787 imperfect?
Slavery
Status of women
Status of people who were not landowners

14. What You Have Learned What is a confederation?
How was the government under the Articles of Confederation organized?
What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
What were the goals for the framers of the Constitution?
What was the Connecticut Compromise? The Three Fifths Compromise?
How was the Constitution imperfect?