1. Articles of Confederation

2. Why Were the Articles of Confederation Adopted?
Americans fearful of a powerful central government

3. Weak National Government
Articles of Confederation only established a loose confederacy
Confederacy not capable of creating a strong, single identity
Confederacy not capable of achieving common goals among majority of states

4. Characteristics of Articles of Confederation
Provided for a Weak National Government
Congress Held No Power to Tax
Congress Held No Power To Regulate Commerce (trade)
No Common Currency
One Vote Per State Regardless of Size (pop.)
No Executive Branch
No Judicial Branch

5. Congress: No Power to Tax
No power to pay off collective debt
No power to finance collective goals
Army for national defense

6. Congress: No Power to Regulate Commerce (Trade)
No power to achieve economic goals for the betterment of the Union as a whole
States acted in their own best interest, rather than in the interest of the Union

7. No Common Currency Trade is hindered
Exchange rates between states unclear, inhabitants hesitant to trade without knowing value of money traded

8. One Vote Per State
Highly populated states had the same vote as states with low populations
Example: Pennsylvania vs Rhode Island

9. No Executive Branch No formal head of state
No one person to represent the Confederacy to foreign powers
No informal head of state (figurehead)
No one person to capture the “identity” or goodwill of the Confederacy
Example: President throwing ball out to begin baseball season

10. No Judicial Branch
No unbiased court to hear disputes between the states
Example: Dispute between Virginia and Maryland over fishing rights in Chesapeake Bay
No court to hear cases on appeal from the states

11. Why the Dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation?
Americans found the new government too weak to solve the nation’s problems.
Impact: Shay’s Rebellion

12. The Nation Grows

14. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
New States:
Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin
Land Ordinance of 1785

15. Constitutional Convention

16. Fair Representation The Great Compromise (CT Compromise)
Bicameral Congress Established
Senate with equal representation
House of Representative with membership based on population of states
Three-Fifths Compromise
Placated Southern states
Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for representation purposes

17. Relationship Between States and National Government
Made federal law the supreme law of the land
States given much authority to govern themselves

18. Slavery Original attempt to abolish Ultimately allowed
Three-fifths Compromise
Slave trade must end, however
Northern states already abolishing slavery in state constitutions

19. Limit Authority of National Government
Limited powers of national government to those identified in Constitution
Establishment of three-branches of government
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Checks & Balances

20. Ratification of the Constitution
See Handout for Arguments of
Anti-Federalists and Federalists

21. Bill of Rights Ten Amendments First Amendment Freedoms Speech Press
Assembly
Religion

22. Key Leaders

23. George Washington Chairman of Convention
Added his prestige to convention
(Picture retrieved from americansfortruth.com )

24. James Madison 3 Branches of Government Basis of Constitution
“Father of the Constitution”
From Virginia
Authored the “Virginia Plan”
3 Branches of Government
Basis of Constitution
Authored the “Bill of Rights”
Political philosopher
Studied governments
Records procedings
Best records of events
Picture retrieved from m-berry.com)

25. James Madison Bill of Rights
Consulted many documents to write Bill of Rights including:
VA Declaration of Rights
VA Statute for Religious Freedom

26. George Mason Virginia Declaration of Rights
Basic human rights should not be violated by gov’ts
(Picture retrieved from )

27. Thomas Jefferson Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Outlawed establishment of church (no gov’t support for one religion)
Picture retrieved from jeremysarber.com )