1. Articles of Confederation
Finding an Identity

2. Birth of a Nation X 13 colonies were now the 13 states.
Favored strong state rights with weak federal government.
Fear of a possible monarchy
Continental Congress created the Articles of Confederation in 1781. X

3. Articles of Confederation
Confederation- group of individual states, who band together for a common purpose.
Articles of Confederation became the United States’ first constitution.
Created a system of cooperation between the 13 states.

4. Division of Powers One-house-legislature No courts or figurehead
Each state had one vote
Could control military
And deal with foreign countries
No courts or figurehead
Federal Government could not:
Enforce laws
Had to have 9 state votes to create laws
Amendment of laws took 13 state votes
Impose taxes
Could only ask states for money

5. The Success of the Articles
Northwest Ordinance
Ohio River Valley land gained in the Treaty of Paris 1783.
United States could now legally expand westward by the addition of new states, rather than extending old states.
Ohio River was the dividing line for slavery
Northwest Ordinance was the only success of the Articles of Confederation.

6. Map of the Northwest Territory 1787

7. Testing the Articles……
The Revolutionary War left the country/states in serious debt.
State governments taxed citizens heavily.
Forced farmers out of business
Caused resentment
Riots erupted in most states
Shays’ Rebellion in Massachusetts
Created a sense of urgency throughout the states for a tougher government.

8. Shay’s Rebellion
In 1786, a Massachusetts farmer led a revolt to protest unfair state taxes.
Heavy state taxes impoverished many farmers and businesses which led to general public unrest.
1,200 farmers participated in Shay’s Rebellion. The Governor had to call out the state militia to stop the rebellion.
Many feared that more violence would follow.
In 1787, the Constitutional Convention met to change or amend the Articles.

10. Major Concern of the “new” American:
Avoiding centralized power that might threaten rights and liberties of citizens
King George III
AOC
US Constitution
STRONG CENTRAL GOV’T.
WEAK CENTRAL GOVT.

11. Philadelphia Convention
May 1787
12 of 13 states attended
55 delegates
Average age : 43
½ college educated
½ lawyers
½ planters, merchants, physicians, college professors

12. Early Decisions… Determine success
George Washington unanimously selected as president of Convention
Meet in secret
AOC to be replaced

13. Agreement among Delegates
A strong central government with
Power to tax
Power to regulate commerce
Power to raise an army and require military service
A strong executive to lead the government
An easier amendment process

14. Disagreement among Delegates
Means for determining representation
Slavery and Slave Trade
Nature of the Executive Branch

15. Virginia Plan Judiciary of Supreme court and inferior courts
Executive chosen by legislature for 7 yr. term
Bicameral legislature with representation determined by population
Lower house – elected
Upper house – chosen by state legislatures

16. New Jersey Plan Supremacy Clause
Written by William Paterson to maintain Articles of Confederation
Equal representation of each state
Congressional power to tax
Congressional power to regulate trade
Executive committee appointed by Congress with no veto power
Supreme Court
Supremacy Clause

17. The Great Compromise Settled conflict over REPRESENTATION:
Lower House – representation by population
Number of representatives to be determined by census every 10 years
Upper house – representation by state
2 Senators who vote individually
POWER TO TAX
POWER TO RAISE AN ARMY
POWER TO REGULATE COMMERCE

18. Diagram: Compromise Leads to a Plan of Government

20. Progress Monitoring Transparency: Section 2PM
TRANSPARENCY
Progress Monitoring Transparency
Answer C A
Progress Monitoring Transparency: Section 2

21. 3/5 Compromise
Debate over counting slaves as part of state’s population (representation in Congress) and for taxation purposes.
3/5 of total number of slaves count for representation and taxation

22. Trade Compromises
Simple majority vote of Congress to impose import duties (TARIFFS)
Export duties forbidden
Congress could make no law regarding the slave trade for 20 years

23. Slave Trade Compromise
Southern economy also depended heavily on slave trade.
South feared Congress would stop the slave trade.
Compromise:
Congress could not deal with the issue of slavery until 1808.
1808, no more slaves could be imported into America.
Slave auction in Md.

24. Executive Branch President – serve 4 year term / be reelected
Chosen by Electoral College
Candidate with most votes = President
Candidate in 2nd place = Vice President
No Majority = House of Representatives decide among top 5 choices

25. Selecting the President:
Many delegates felt Congressman should pick the President.
Others felt, people should vote.
The Solution:
The Electoral College
A group of people selected by the legislature to select the President and the Vice President.
Still used today, but the people select the legislatures.

26. National Supremacy Established
Elastic Clause
Supremacy Clause
STATES THAT IN CONFLICTS BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE LAWS, NATIONAL LAW IS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND
ALLOWS CONGRESS TO PASS LAWS THAT ARE “NECESSARY AND PROPER” TO CARRY OUT POWERS ENUMERATED IN THE CONSTITUTION

27. Ratification Debate Federalists Supported
Need for central government that was stronger than the states
Belief that checks and balances would prevent abuses of power
Anti Federalists Opposed
Feared central government would take away all powers of states
Feared central government would use power to abuse rights of people

28. Quick Study: Principles of the Constitutions