1. The First Constitution
Chapter 2
Section 3

2. Nation’s Earliest Governments
Even before the Declaration was signed, colonial leaders were writing state constitutions to replace the old colonial charters
Jan. 1776: New Hampshire is first state to write constitution
Constitution: a written plan for government

3. Nation’s Earliest Governments, continued
By 1780, Massachusetts became the last state to draft its own constitution
These state constitutions set up governments similar to each other. Each state had
a governor, elected by the state legislature or the citizens
a judicial/court system
a bicameral legislature, like the English Parliament.
Bicameral: two houses

4. Massachusetts Constitution: Perfect Example
Even though Massachusetts was the last state to write its constitution, this would be the model for the U.S. Constitution we use today.
At this time, however, the country was unified under a different constitution:
The Articles of Confederation

5. As the situation with Great Britain worsened and the first shots of the war were fired, Americans realized that they must organize a national government of the country’s best men.

6. The Second Continental Congress met from May 10, 1775 until March 1, This would serve as America’s governing body during the war.

7. “A league of friendship”
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation
The AOC established a “league of friendship” among independent states
This is known as America’s first constitution, but it would only survive for less than 10 years.

8. Confederation: group of individual governments who band together for a common purpose.

9. The Articles of Confederation were sent to all the states to be ratified in 1777, but were not passed into law until 1781.
At this point, the Second Continental Congress became the Confederation Congress.

10. Finally, in 1783 the United States became an independent nation when it defeated Great Britain and signed the Treaty of Paris, declaring peace between the two nations.