Chapter 7.1
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Why states had their own constitutions
What were weakness of the Confederation
What disputes existed between the states
What did citizens think of the new
government.
PLEASE READ PAGES 200-205
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12 States had a
legislature and
executive branch
Legislature passed
laws
Executive enforced law
Spell out rights of
citizens
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States wrote constitutions to set limits on
government power
States feared a central government would
pass laws that were not in the best interest
of the states affected.
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New Laws required
approval of 9 states
Congress could not
regulate trade or
taxes
No president to
execute laws
No courts to settle
conflicts between
states
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Conflicts between
states
Money problems
Could not coin
money
No executive to carry
out laws
Other nations take
advantage
“So long as any individual
state has power to defeat
the measure of the other
twelve, our pretend union
is but a name, and our
confederation, a cobweb”
Noah Webster, Sketches of
American Policy
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Webster advocates a
strong central
government to be
effective
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What does Noah Webster mean when he
calls the United States “our pretend union is
but a name”…
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The federal government should pay attention to
a unified defense
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States disputing
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Virginia
New York
Massachusetts
Connecticut
North Carolina
Georgia
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Land Ordinance of
1785
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System for setting up
Northwestern Territory
Northwest Ordinance
provides way to admit
new state
Needed 60,000 free
settlers
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Farmers Revolt (Shay’s
Rebellion)
Convention Called
Leaders agree to meet
to revise Articles of
Confederation
Washington favored
call for Convention
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"A little rebellion now and then is a good
thing. It is a medicine necessary for the
sound health of government. God forbid
that we should ever be twenty years
without such a rebellion.“
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Thomas Jefferson, January 30, 1787
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What document created a loose alliance of
independent states?
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What set up a system for governing new
territories?
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Articles of Confederation
Northwest Ordinance
Giving up any claim to territories is called?
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cede
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Name a weakness of the Articles of
Confederation?
Congress lacked the power to coin money
 No executive to carry out the laws
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To become a state according to the
Northwest Ordinance, territories had to
have a population of?
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60,000 free settlers
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How many states had to ratify the Constitution
before it would become law?
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9 of 13 states
How did Americans such as George Washington
react to the violence of Shay’s Rebellion
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They wanted the Articles of Confederation
revised
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We now understand what difficulties are
created by the Articles of Confederation
We know the limited power the central
government had in governing the new
country.
We understand the call for change that was
advocated by the average citizen.
An amazing array of delegates came to hear
Some solutions to complaints that all had feared
Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Roger Sherman all knew
In hopes of a proposal by a chosen few
They met in a building better known as Constitution Hall
It was hot and uncomfortable; none of them were having a ball
Two rival plans were in dispute
New Jersey and Virginia, it wasn’t cute
Virginia wanted central power in the hands of three
Washington was there to keep peace and America free
Jersey complained each state should have one vote
James Madison was there and he took some great notes
The Great Compromise met all their needs
Eventually known as the Constitution for all to heed
A piece of paper that made it around the horn
A new Republic was ultimately born
I never said that Mr. Flynn could rap
But it sure beats reading and filling the gap
I know that some of you think this is really wack
So don’t fall asleep, you all in the back!