1. Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution
Unit 3

2. Articles of Confederation
Postwar depression
Weakness of the Articles
-Congress could not
Levy taxes and
Regulate Trade/
Commerce
Challenges
Under The
Articles of Confederation
Debt
All 13 states required to approve changes to the Articles

3. The states sent delegates to the convention in Philadelphia to solve the problems of the Articles of Confederation.
Our first national government—under the articles of confederation— was characterized by a weak central government that caused commercial and political problems within the country.
Convention at Philadelphia, (1823), artist unknown

4. Cause and Effect of the Constitutional convention
Causes
Immediate Effects
Weaknesses of the Articles of confederation
Strain of economic problems
Shays’ Rebellion
Establish 3-Branch Government
Stronger central government
Establish federalism
Long-term Effects
Increased confidence in national/ central government
Debate over States’ Rights

5. Geography: United States Western land claims
The Land Ordinance of 1785 called for surveyors to measure and divide the Northwest Territory into townships.
The Northwest Ordinance determined how the Northwest Territory was to be governed and described how territories could become states.

6. The Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest Territory
Illinois Indiana Ohio

7. SHAYS’ REBELLION, AN ARMED REVOLT OF Pennsylvania farmers, helped America's leaders realize that a change in the national government was needed.
9mUObE
The constitutional convention was originally called in 1787 in Philadelphia to revise the articles of confederation. Eventually, the articles were abolished altogether, and a new constitution was written.
The colonies modeled their representative government after parliament, Britain’s legislative body.

8. Confederation to constitution 1776-1791
1777 Continental Congress passes the Articles of Confederation.
1777–1781 States debate ratification of the Articles of Confederation.
1781 Articles of Confederation go into effect.
1786 Annapolis Convention is held.
1786–1787
Shay’s Rebellion occurs.
1787 Constitutional Convention is held in Philadelphia.
1788 U.S. Constitution is ratified.
1789 Government created by the new Constitution takes power.
1791 Bill of Rights is added to the Constitution.

9. Delegate contributions at the constitutional convention
James Madison
Took notes on the Convention; earned the nickname “Father of the Constitution”
George Washington
Presided over the Convention
Edmund Randolph
Offered the Virginia Plan
William Paterson
Offered the New Jersey Plan

10. The Virginia plan
The Virginia plan, which provided for three branches of government with a 2- house congress (senate & House of Representatives), was the basis for the new constitution.
Because his Virginia plan became the basis for the constitution, James Madison is widely considered the “father of the constitution.”

11. compromises
Compromises dealing with slavery as well as political representation enabled the constitution to be written.
The great compromise at the constitutional convention settled the issue between large and small states on how they would be represented in congress.
The 3/5 compromise settled the issue of how slaves would be counted for representation in congress and taxation.

13. 7 Basic principles of government
Popular Sovereignty
the governments right to rule comes from the people
Limited Government
the government has only the powers that the Constitution gives to it
Separation of Powers
the Constitution divides the government into three branches:
Congress-legislative branch makes laws
President-executive branch carries out the laws
Courts-judicial branch explains and interprets the laws

14. Popular Sovereignty The power to rule comes from the people.
“Consent of the Governed”
The Constitution established popular sovereignty in the preamble,
“We the People. . . establish
this Constitution for the
United States of America.“

15. Limited Government
In the American government everyone, citizens and powerful leaders alike, must obey the law. Individuals or groups cannot twist or bypass the law to serve their own interests.

16. Separation of Powers
Established in order to avoid having too much power might fall into the hands of a single group
This principle creates the division of basic government roles into 3 branches. No one branch is given all the power.
Articles 1,2, and 3 of the Constitution detail how powers are split among the three branches
*Article 1
*Makes Laws
*Congress
*Article 2
*Enforce Laws
*President
*Article 3
*Interprets Laws
*Supreme Court

17. 7 Basic principles of government
Checks and Balances
each branch of government has the power to check or limit the actions of the other two
Federalism
division of power between the federal government and the states
Republicanism
citizens elect representatives to carry out their will
Individual Rights
The Constitution protects individual rights- 1st amendment Rights
such as freedoms of speech, press, religion, Petition, and peaceful assembly.

18. Checks and Balances
Based on the philosophy of Baron de Montesquieu, an 18th-century French thinker, "Power should be a check to power.“
Each branch of government can exercise checks, or controls, over the other branches. Though the branches of government are separate, they rely on one another to perform the work of government.
This ensures that the branches work together fairly.

19. Federalism
Federalism is a system of government in which the states and national government share powers. The Framers used federalism to structure the Constitution.
The Constitution assigns certain powers to the national government. These are delegated powers.
Powers kept by the states are reserved powers.
Powers shared or exercised by national and state governments are known as concurrent powers.

20. Federalists and antifederalists
*Stronger national government
*One person to head the executive branch
Both
*Different branches of the government
*Supported a Bill of Rights
Antifederalists
*Stronger state government
*Feared a strong executive branch

21. Republicanism
Republicanism is based on the belief that people exercise their power by voting for their political representatives.
Article 4, Section 4, of the Constitution also calls for every state to have a "republican form of government."
A republic is a form of government in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.
In a republic, people elect others to represent them in the government.

22. Individual Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution shield people from an overly powerful government. These amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
the Bill of Rights guarantees certain individual rights, or personal liberties and privileges.
1st Amendment includes Freedom of speech, press, religion, petition, and assembly.

23. Federalist papers
Federalists, such as alexander Hamilton and James Madison, favored ratification of the constitution because they favored a strong central government.
The federalist papers were essays describing why citizens should ratify the constitution.
Written by alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and john jay
Anti-federalists oppose ratification of the constitution because they believed it made the state government too weak, and it had no bill of rights.
The bill of rights, the first 10 amendments to the constitution, guarantees inalienable rights and freedoms to Americans.

24. Problems and solutions
Western lands
States give up Western claims. Congress passes laws to organize the territories.
Postwar depression
Annapolis Convention is called to discuss problems of commerce.
Representation in the new government
Philadelphia convention is held. Delegates agree to Great Compromise to settle issue of representation.
slavery
Three-Fifths Compromise addresses issue of slavery and representation. Congress delays discussion of banning the slave trade.

25. Articles of confederation to us constitution
Crash course: constitution
Liberty’s kids: we the people
School house rocks: preamble to the constitution