Chapter 7 Section 1 The Articles of Confederation
The revolution was won. A new nation began. The Second Continental Congress asked states to organize their govermnents.
Each state adopted a constitution, or plan of government
States adopted constitutions
that limited the powers of governors
divided duties betweenthe governor and the legislature
most states setup bicameral, or two-house legislature
wanted people to have the power
voters had to be white males at least 21 years old who owned land or paid a certain amount of taxes
a plan of government
What is a constitution? _________________________________________
a two house legislature
a two house legislature
Whis is bicameral? ___________________________________________
a plan of government
Articles of Confederation
Americans wanted the United States to be a republic. A republic is a government is which citizens rule though elected representatives.
The first government was set up in 1781 in the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation state the laws that describe the first
government of the United States.
Under the Articles,
Congress could:
Congress could NOT:
conduct foreign affairs
issue currency
borrow money
maintain the armed forces.
impose taxes
force citizens to join the army
regulate trade
States would keep most of their power. The states approved the Articles, and the Confederation became the government of the United
States.
a government in which citizens rule theough elected representatives.
What is a republic? __________________________________________________________
a document in which states the laws of the government.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation
There was no president
There were no courts to solve problems amount the different states
There was a legislature, but it didn't have the power to tax people. I count not raise money.
Each state had its own money.
Which of the following statements was a problem with the Articles of Confederation:
___________________________________________________________
Each state had its own money.
Congress could conduct foreign affairs.
Congress could maintain an army.
New Land Policies
In the late 1700s, more people began moving west. These settlers hoped to organize their
lands as states.
The central government took control of western lands and divide them into districts. These
districts could then apply, or petition, for statehood when their population increased.
Congress passed the Ordinance of 1785 to sell western lands north of the Ohio River. This
law divided the land ito sell at auction. Land speculators hoped to use the law to buy large
amounts of land cheaply. An ordinance is a law.
The Northwest Ordinance was passed to protect the property rights of settlers. This ordinance created the Northwest Territory, which was
divided into smaller territories. When the population of a smaller territory reached 60,000 it could apply to become a state.
buy large amounts of land cheaply.
The Ordinance of 1785 let speculators ______________________________________.
protect the property rights of settlers.
protected the property rights of settlers.
The Northwest Ordinance __________________________________________________
let settlers buy large amounts of land cheaply.
Chapter 7 Section 2 Convention and Compromise
A Call for Change
After the Revolutionary War, the United States suffered a depression. A depression is a time when the economy slows and unemployment
increases.
Farmers could not sell their goods and could not give the government money to pay war debts.
The government put some farmers in jail and took their land.
Daniel Shays led a group of angry farmers to the federal arsenal to take weapons. The sate militia put down the uprising. Shay's
Rebellion caused many Americans to worry that the government was too weak.
States were divided on the issue of slavery.
Shay's Rebellion caused many Americans to worry that the government was too __________.
weak
strong
The Constitutional Convention
Some Americans were unhappy with the Articles of Confederation. They wanted changes. Fifty-five delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787 to
consider changes to the Articles. George Washington was the leader.
Delegates came to the meeting with two main plans:
Virginia Plan
The legislature has two houses.
The number of representatives is based
on the number of people in the state.
New Jersey Plan
The legislature has one house.
Each state has the same number of
representatives.
New Jersey Plan
Which plan wanted to have a one house legislature? _________________________
Virginia Plan
Which plan wanted the number of representatives based on the state's poplulation? _______________
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Compromise Wins Out
The delegates decided to write a constitution for a new government. This became known as the
Great Compromise.
A compromise is an agreement between two or more sides where each side usually gives up something it wants.
The Delegates compromised on:
a two house legislature.
lower house - number of sears depended on a state's population
upper house - each state would have two seats
how to count enslaved people for the purpose of taxation and representation
each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a free person. That would mean that every five enslaved people would count as
three free people.
a Bill of Rights which would keep the national government fro abusing its power.
agreement
A compromise is an ______________ between two or more sides.
argument
Chapter 7 Section 3 A New Plan of Government
Roots of the Constitution
The Framers of the Constitution were influenced by:
British ideas and traditions
the Magna Carta
A document which limited the power of the English king. It created Parliament, England's lawmaking body.
England's bill of right
John Locke believed that people have natural right. These included:
the right to life
liberty
property
Baron de Montesquieu also had important ideas
the powers of government should be limed, separated, and balanced against each other. This would keep on person or group from
becoming too powerful
Magna Carta
Many ideas for the Constitution came from the ________________________.
Declaration of Independence
Roots of the Constitution
The states held most of the power under the Articles of Confederation. This changed under the Constitution.
The Constitution created a federalist system. Federalism is the sharing of power between the federal and state governments.
The federal government could:
impose taxes
regulate trade
control the currency
raise an army
declare
create new laws
State governments could:
regulate trade within their borders
establish local governments and schools
power to tax
enforce laws
The Constitution became the supreme law of the land. No state could make laws that went against the Constitution.
The Constitution
What is the supreme law of the United States? ___________________________
The Bill or Rights
The New Government
Checks and Balances
To limit, or check, the power of each branch, the Framers included a system of Checks and Balances.
Checks and Balances
A system which limits the powers of each branch of government is called ________________________.
federalism
Chapter 7 Quiz
a plan of government
What is a constitution? _________________________________________
a two house legislature
a government in which citizens rule theough elected representatives.
What is a republic? __________________________________________________________
a document in which states the laws of the government.
Shay's Rebellion caused many Americans to worry that the government was too __________.
weak
strong
New Jersey Plan
Which plan wanted to have a one house legislature? _________________________
Virginia Plan
agreement
A compromise is an ______________ between two or more sides.
argument
Chapter 7 Quiz
The Constitution
What is the supreme law of the United States? ___________________________
The Bill or Rights
Executive branch
What branch of government is the President? __________________________
Judicial branch
A system which limits the powers of each branch of government is called ________________________.Checks and Balances
federalism
The New Government
The framers of the Constitution deived the federal government into three branches.
Legislative
branch
(Congress)
makes laws
coin money
collect taxes
regulate trade
Executive branch
carries out the nation's laws
President in charge of this branch
Chief of the armed forces
conducts relations with foreign countries
Judicial branch
hears cases involving the
Constitution
laws passes by Congress
disputes between states
Supreme court
Other federal courts
Executive branch
What branch of government is the President? __________________________
Judicial branch