1. Creating the Constitution
Chapter 8

2. Introduction
Articles of Confederation created after declaring independence in 1776
A loose union in which the 13 states cooperated for common purpose
Run by Congress, in which each state had 1 vote
Had power to make war and peace, raise an army, print money and create postal system
Powers limited by inability of Congress to impose taxes

3. Articles of Confederation

4. I. Early Quarrels & Accomplishments
Pre-Revolution Quarrels
Taxes on goods crossing state borders
Boundary lines
Developing Western Lands
Land Ordinance of 1785 – western lands were divided up into 6 mile squares (townships)
Then divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each
Laid out in Ohio Valley and sold starting in 1787
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
Divided Northwest Territory into smaller territories, each with a governor
Population of 5,000 adult males – could elect legislature
Population of 60,000 – could apply for statehood
Slavery banned in Northwest Territory

5. II. Shay’s Rebellion & Need for Change
Money Problems
Paper money printed during war – worthless
Congress had power to make coins that would not lose value but no gold or silver to mint them
States tried to solve problem by printing own money
Massachusetts Farmers Rebel
Judges ordered farmers to sell land and livestock to pay off debt
Daniel Shays led rebellion
Closed down courthouse
Marched to arsenal to seize weapons
Rebellion ended with arrival of militia troops
Call for a Convention (Philadelphia, May 1787)
Each state invited to send delegates to revise Articles of Confederation

7. III. Opening the Constitutional Convention
First Actions
1. George Washington as president of convention
Delegates
55 delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island boycotted)
2/3 were lawyers, 1/3 owned slaves
Father of the Constitution
James Madison addressed convention 200+ times
wrote down nearly every word (600 printed pages)
Rule of Secrecy
Wanted to be free to speak minds w/o causing alarm or opposition w/ public
Kept secret until convention was over

9. III. Opening the Constitutional Convention
Shared Beliefs & Clashing Views
Government should protect rights
Powers of government came from the governed
Reflected ideas of Enlightenment – liberty and equality
Question of Representation
Many wanted to keep government close to people by preserving rights of state
Others thought if government was too weak, it cannot do its job

10. IV. Issue 1 – How Should States Be Represented in the New Government?
Purpose of Convention?
Originally to revise Articles of Confederation
Delegates designed new framework of government
Virginia Plan
Called for a strong national government with 3 branches
Legislative branch (Congress) – make laws
Executive branch (President) – carry out laws
Judicial branch (courts) – interpret and apply laws
Congress would be made of 2 houses – Senate, House of Representatives
a) Number of lawmakers from state depended on population
New Jersey Plan
Called for government with 3 branches
Legislative branch would only have 1 house
Each state would have equal vote no matter the size

11. V. Resolution 1 – Great Compromise
Tempers Rise
Delegates from large states thought representation based on population seemed logical and fair
Smaller states had fears of being overcome
Compromise is Reached
Kept a 2 house Congress
House of Representatives would represent the people based on the state’s population
Senate would represent the states with each state having 2 elected senators

12. Great Compromise

13. VI. Issue 2 – How Should Slaves Be Counted
People or Property?
9/10 of slaves lived in South. Southerners thought slaves should be counted the same as any other people
North challenged that slaves should be counted as property and could be taxed like any other property
a) If slaves used in determining representation, then make them citizens and let them vote
New Thinking on Slavery
In the North, seeing slavery as evil led one state after another to pass laws ending slavery
In the South, the people felt the economy was too dependent upon the labor of slaves
a) Some southern states made it easier for owners to free slaves

14. VII. Resolution 2 – 3/5 Compromise
slaves counted as 3/5 of a person
Made mockery of “all men are created equal”
Slave Trade
Northerners favored giving Congress power to control trade between the states and other countries
Southerners worried Congress might try to tax southern export crops and outlaw slave trade
Compromise – Congress would have power to control trade w/ 2 limitations
Could not place any tax on exports going to other countries
Could not interfere with slave trade for 20 years (until 1808)
Also agreed to Fugitive Slave Clause – escaped slaves had to be returned to their owners

15. VIII. Issue 3 – How Should the Chief Executive Be Elected?
1 Executive or 3?
Proposed 3 executives taken from different parts of country
Settled on 1 executive = president
Limited term to 4 years
Vice president also elected to fill in if president dies
Choosing the Chief Executive
By Congress?
By the People?
By a special group of Electors?

16. IX. Resolution 3 – Electoral College
60 votes = Compromise
1. President elected by Electoral College
Electoral College System
Made of electors who vote to elect president, vice president every 4 years
Each state has as many electors as the number of senators, representatives it sends to Congress
Before 1820 – state legislature chose electors
Now – people choose
Originally voted for 2
1 – most votes = president
2- runner-up = vice president

17. Electoral College

19. X. Convention Ends Approving the Constitution Signing the Constitution
9 states were needed to approve Constitution
Constitution would be approved at special conventions by delegates elected by people in each state
Signing the Constitution
September 17, 1787 – Constitution declared complete
BrainPOP

20. XI. Constitution Goes to the Nation
Federalists
Constitution would create a national government that was strong enough to unite the states into a republic
Powers given to government were strictly limited and divided among 3 branches
Anti-Federalists
Congress would ruin the country with taxes, the President would rule like a king
Listed the powers of the government but not of the people