1. Articles of Confederation vs. US Constitution
USH-1.4

2. Articles of Confederation

3. I. Creation Articles were created by the Continental Congress
US needed a government to fight the Revolution
States, not Congress, is where the power was
State legislatures selected delegates, not the people

4. II. Economics Gov’t couldn’t collect taxes Led to Shays’ Rebellion
Had to ASK the states for money
Couldn’t pay for an army
National gov’t responsibility
Led to Shays’ Rebellion
Massachusetts farmer led group to protest b/c their farms were being foreclosed on
No army to stop them (see above)

5. III. Diplomacy Couldn’t make the British follow the Treaty of Paris
Hadn’t left their forts in US
Couldn’t restart trade
Couldn’t get Spain to let us through New Orleans
States tried to write their own treaties w/nations
No army meant no one listened

6. IV. Organization One house legislature No executive No judicial branch
One vote per state
Big or small didn’t matter
No executive
Who enforces the rules?
No judicial branch
Who resolves disputes?
Amending the Articles required a unanimous vote
Getting all to agree was impossible

7. V. Ratification
Created by the Continental Congress to run the US during the American Revolution
Weak on purpose
Just left a tyrant, why make a new one?

8. VI. Other Negotiated Treaty of Paris & ended the Amer. Rev.
Northwest Ordinance
Decided how new territory would be carved into states
Makes slavery illegal in the Northwest Territory
Makes new states the same as old states

9. US Constitution

10. I. Creation
Delegates met in Philadelphia, PA to fix problems w/Articles
“We, the People…” means power is with the people
That’s why we vote
People vote for representatives
Use electoral college for president
Judges are appointed
Gave some democracy, but not too much

11. I. Creation Three branches with separation of powers
Executive – enforces laws
President
Legislative – makes laws
Congress
Bicameral (2 houses)
Judicial – judges laws
Supreme Court
Checks and balances prevent one branch from taking too much power

12. II. Economics National gov’t could levy taxes and tariffs
Pay for an army to “maintain domestic tranquility”
Given the power to resolve conflicts b/w states about interstate trade and currency
One of the main jobs of the judicial branch

13. III. Diplomacy Gov’t has exclusive ability to make all treaties
Military and trade
Southern states didn’t like gov’t controlling trade
Thought slave trade would be ended
Compromise said gov’t would NOT stop international slave trade for 20 years
Last slave was imported in 1808

14. IV. Organization Bicameral legislature
Senate gets two votes per state
House of Representatives is based on population
President is the executive branch
Supreme Court is judicial branch
Solves disputes b/w states
100 members
435 members

15. IV. Organization Amending required only ¾ of states to say yes
Created a federal system
Power shared b/w nation and state gov’ts

16. V. Ratification Sent to special state conventions to vote on
9 out of 13 yeses needed
Federalists like the strong gov’t and tended to be elites
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay write the Federalist Papers
Designed to persuade people to vote in favor of new constitution

17. V. Ratification Anti-Federalists opposed and tended to be poor farmers
Thought state gov’t would be better at handling local problems
Fought for a list of rights to be added to protect people from the gov’t
US Bill of Rights

18. VI. Other Great Compromise
Big states want representation based on population
Virginia Plan
Small states want representation divided equally
New Jersey Plan
Compromise is to use both
Virginia Plan = House of Reps
New Jersey Plan = Senate

19. VI. Other Who counts as population?
Southern states want slaves to count, giving them higher pops
Northern states do not want them to count
3/5 Compromise says slaves count as three fifths of a person