1. Launching A New Nation: From Confederation to Constitution

2. The Articles of Confederation
After the revolution the founders wanted to set up a republican government
A government made up of elected representatives who make decisions on behalf of the people who elect them
Wrote the Articles of Confederation (March 1781)
States power was more important than federal power
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
Congress could not enact and collect taxes
Each state only had one vote
9 out of 13 states needed to agree to pass laws
Articles could be amended only if everyone agreed
There was no Executive branch to enforce laws
There was no national court system

3. The Articles Prove weak
Shay’s Rebellion
Veterans and farmers had massive debts
States had enacted heavy taxes to settle the state’s debts
Farmers debts + states debts = heavy burden on citizens
In January of 1787 farmers in Massachusetts attempted to take over the arsenal in Springfield MA and overthrow the government.
State militias were barely able to disperse the protestors.
State leaders get freaked out!
Afraid they might have rebellions on their hands

4. The Constitutional Convention
In response to Shay’s Rebellion, states sent delegates to Philadelphia to re-work the Articles of Confederation
Delegates attempted to address the issues states had with the Articles of Confederation.
Unequal representation of states in Congress
Inability for the central government to raise taxes
No executive branch to enforce laws
No court system to settle interstate disputes
No national unity

5. Confederation Problems Constitutional Solutions
#1 Unfair representation in Congress
Delegate Roger Sherman (CT) proposed that states be represented in two ways:
By population (House of Representative)
Equally (Senate)
#2 Central Government unable to collect taxes
Article 1 Section 8 Clause 1
“The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and General Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”

6. Confederation Problems Constitutional Solutions
#3 No Executive Branch to enforce laws
The Convention created drafted Article 2 which created the Presidency.
#4 No Court System
The Convention created Article 3 which creates the Supreme Court
#5 Too much power in the states
The framers created a system we call “federalism”
Shared power between states and the central government
#6 No National Unity
The Preamble to the Constitution sets out the idea of a unified people
“We the People”

7. Other Features of the Constitution
Separation of Powers
While the Congress needed an Executive they didn’t want one to get too powerful...
They creates a system of checks and balances
Legislative Branch makes the laws
Executive Branch enforces the laws
Judicial Branch interprets the laws
Indirect Democracy
The Founders also feared the people being too powerful
Created the Electoral College
Presidents aren’t elected by the people, rather by a group of electors chosen by the people

8. Ratification of the Constitution
9 states needed to ratify (approve) of the Constitution in order for it to go into effect.
First state to do so...?
Two camps developed in the wake of the convention
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
What was the Federalist position?
We don’t think the Constitution is perfect but it’s better than the Articles of Confederation.
What was the Anti-Federalist position?
This Constitution is good and all, but how will we be protected from the government?

9. The Fight for Hearts and Minds
The Federalists wrote a series of essays entitled “The Federalist Papers”
85 essays outlining why they believed the Constitution should be ratified
Believed that a strong central government was better than the weak Articles of Confederation
Key Federalists
Alexander Hamilton
John Jay
James Madison
Wrote the letters under the pen-name “Publius”

10. The Anti-Federalists The opposing faction were called Anti-Federalists
They believed the Constitution did not provide enough of a guarantee of rights to the people.
Prominent Anti-Federalists:
Patrick Henry
George Mason
Richard Henry Lee
Concerned about a central authority that was too strong.
Demanded that a list of rights be protected in the Constitution itself.

11. The Bill of Rights
The Anti-Federalists were satisfied that a bill of rights would be added to the Constitution.
Rights to protect people from government
Limiting the power of the central government over people

12. Why the Constitution Endures
It’s flexible
The framers built into the document the ability to change or make amendments to it.
This allowed the document to change with time and adjust
Examples of amendments
Women’s right to vote
Equal rights for former slaves
Lowering voting age to 18
Article I, Section 8
Gives Congress the power to make all laws “necessary and proper” to ensure the Constitution is executed