1. A New Constitution
Chapter 2, Section 3

2. Opening Question, 9/7-8
Why didn’t the Articles of Confederation succeed? Explain your answer with examples.

3. Constitution Table
Complete the “Origins of the Constitution” table with a partner or on your own.
Use the textbook, p. 45

4. The Constitutional convention and History
Delegates called to revise the AoC quickly realized they couldn’t be repaired.
They came up with a new plan: the Constitution.
Parliament: Lawmaking body.
Many held meetings in secret, and didn’t take a public stand on things for fear of pressure from the outside, or the difficulty of changing their minds publicly.
Some delegates favored open debate, but ultimately, the delegates voted to hold meetings in secret.

5. The Constitutional convention and History, (cont’d)
The framers agreed the central government needed greater power, but that states should keep powers needed to govern their own affairs.
Federalism: Divides government’s powers between the national government and state governments.
Unitary: National government possesses all power.
Serious disagreement over representation: bigger states favored a legislature was representative on state population, where the smaller states wanted equal numbers of representatives.
The Great Compromise: Bicameral (2 house) legislature we call Congress.
Senate (2 per state,) and House of Representatives (based on population.)

6. Independence hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

7. Government becomes stronger
Congressional power:
Coin/print money, raise armed forces, regulate trade among states and with other countries, and set taxes.
President to carry out laws and Supreme Court to interpret laws made by Congress.
September 17, 1787: 39 of the 42 framers signed the Constitution.
States now had to ratify, or approve, the Constitution.
9 of 13 were needed.

8. Federalists and antifederalists
Federalists favored a strong national government.
Argued a strong national government was needed to keep the country united.
Published a series of articles known as the Federalist Papers to increase support for the Constitution.
Antifederalists opposed the Constitution and the federal system of government.
Feared a constitution that established such a strong national government defeated the purpose of the Revolution, and wouldn’t protect the states’ power or the people’s freedom.

9. The constitution is ratified
The Federalists gained support, but many people were upset the Constitution didn’t contain a list of rights of the people.
The Constitution was ratified in June 1788.
April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States.

10. Closing Question, 9/7-8
What made the new Constitution better than the Articles of Confederation? Explain.