1. Creating the US Government
Shaping a New Nation:
Creating the US Government

2. Introduction
After the Americans declared independence from Great Britain, they had to figure out what type of government they would create, and how much power that government would receive.
Before the US created the Constitution…Americans lived under another government structure, outlined in the Articles of Confederation.
Through trial and error, the US figured out a successful, new, and unique system of government the world had ever seen.

3. Introduction In this lecture, we will discus:
The Articles of Confederation
Creating the US Constitution
Final Draft of the US Constitution
Ratification of the Constitution

4. The Articles of Confederation:
Established a weak central government
Provisions included:
unicameral Congress
no executive or judicial branch

5. The Articles of Confederation
Congress:
could ask states for money, but not levy taxes
could approve treaties
could not regulate foreign or interstate trade
could not pay off national debts
could call for raising an army, but had to rely on states to provide men

6. The Articles of Confederation
Robert Morris- superintendent of finance
Created the Bank of North America
part national bank/part privately owned
hold government funds, lend money to government, issue currency

7. The Articles of Confederation
The years under the Articles of Confederation saw conspiracies, uprisings, land disputes, and diplomatic issues threaten to tear the new government apart.
Newburgh Conspiracy
Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Diplomacy issues with the British, Spanish, and Natives
Shays’s Rebellion

8. Creating the Constitution
May 1787, Delegates from the states of the United States met to discuss changing the Articles of Confederation to create a better, stronger, central government.
They met for 4 months during a hot summer to create a new set of laws that would eventually become the US Constitution.

9. Creating the Constitution
The People:
Delegates were young and very diverse.
55 men attended the meetings at one time or another and 39 actually sign the Constitution
Major figures:
George Washington , Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and George Mason
Not Present or Barely there:
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton

10. Creating the Constitution
Most at the Convention agreed upon:
Governments get their power from the consent of the governed.
Citizens need a voice in government, but government should not be completely ruled by the masses.
People are selfish.
There should be 3 branches of government with a system of checks and balances.

11. Creating the Constitution
Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan- James Madison; toss out the Articles and create a new document.
New Jersey Plan- opposed the Virginia Plan and called for a restructuring of the Articles

12. Creating the Constitution
Major issues at the Convention:
Do you amend the Articles of Confederation or draft an entirely new document?
In terms of representation, should it be configured by all states are equal, size of population, or any other way?

13. Creating the Constitution
The Great Compromise:
resolved some of the issues regarding the makeup of Congress
Congress would be made up of 2 houses:
House of Representatives
Senate

14. Creating the Constitution
The issue of slavery was also brought up at the Convention:
Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia depended on slavery for their economies to thrive.
The framers of the Constitution purposefully left out the words “slave” or “slavery” in the Constitution, leaving this issue for future generations of Americans to deal with.
3/5 Compromise

15. Final Draft of the Constitution
The US would be a representative government.
3 Branches of Government:
Legislative Branch- makes the laws
Executive Branch-executes the laws
Judicial Branch- determines if laws line up with Constitution

16. Final Draft of the Constitution
Legislative Branch: Makes laws
Congress
House of Representatives
Senate

17. Final Draft of the Constitution
Executive Branch- executes law
President’s powers:
veto power
commander in chief of military
signs laws into action
power to appoint judges, diplomats, and various other offices
report annually on state of union and recommend legisl.

18. Final Draft of the Constitution
Judicial Branch- rules on if laws are Constitutional
Supreme Court
Implied Powers for Supreme Court

19. Final Draft of the Constitution
US Constitution:
gave the federal government vast new powers compared to Articles
divided sovereignty between the people and government
allowed future generations to add onto the Constitution through the amendment process

20. Ratification of the Constitution
The last article in the Constitution said that the document would be effective upon ratification by at least 9 out of the 13 states through a special convention designed to approve it.
In regards to the ratification process, American leaders were split into 2 camps:
Federalists
Anti-Federalists

21. Ratification of the Constitution
Federalists:
Those who were in favor of ratifying the Constitution, as is, and favored strong central government.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
The Federalist Papers

22. Ratification of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists
Those people who wanted to ratify the Constitution, but did not trust a strong national government and favored stronger states rights.
Patrick Henry, George Mason, James Monroe, Sam Adams
Wanted a Bill of Rights that guaranteed the freedoms of individuals added onto the Constitution

23. Final Ratification All 13 states ultimately ratified the Constitution:
1787- Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey
1788: Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York
1789- North Carolina
1790- Rhode Island

24. Conclusion
The US Constitution has provided a government system that has remained flexible over time and allows lawmakers, judges, and presidents to adjust it and make it applicable to their own day and age.
What are you thoughts on the US Constitution?
What could have the Founding Fathers done better?
Do you think it is a “living document”?