The Articles of Confederation
Section 1
State Constitutions
Each State drafted their own ____________________________________ by 1777.
These constitutions ______________________ the power of the government.
First state to replace governor with ______ council members
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How they limited Power
Divided Power
Between ____________________________ and a legislature
Many set up a ___________________________– two house system to divide power further.
This keeps power in the people’s hands.
All these legislators were _____________________________ elected.
Forming a Republic
They wanted a ________________ central government
They wanted to be small independent countries
Only working together to _____________ war or handle relationships with other countries.
New Government
___________________________________________________________ –adopted in Nov. 1777.
States – sovereignty, freedom and independence
___________________________________ – conduct foreign affairs, maintain armed forces,
borrow money and issue currency (money)
Congress could not – regulate trade, press citizens to join army, or impose taxes
Cont…
No chief executive, business was handled through congressional committees.
How legislature worked
Each state had 1 vote
All states had to approve articles and all amendments
On ______________________________ the colonies became known as the United
States of America after the articles were approved.
Cont…
Won their independence from Great Britain
Expanded the ________________________ trade
Helped set up the settlements and government of the _____________________________
territories.
New Land Policies
How territories applied for _______________________________
Population had to reach the ________________________________ states’ population at the
time
Then they had to _________________________________ for statehood
This happened after western territories control was handed over to the central government
The Ordinance’s
The Ordinance of _________________
This established a process to survey and sell land ________________ of the
________________ River.
Divided into townships 6 miles by 6 miles then divided into 36 sections.
______________________________ Ordinance
Passed in __________
Area included land east of the Mississippi River, north of the Ohio River and West of the
Appalachian Mountains
Contained a bill of rights
No ________________________________
_____________________________ people to apply for statehood
Trouble occurs
Printed money – depreciated (dropped in value)
Food prices ___________ and many were upset.
The _____________ from the Revolutionary War became a huge problem.
Robert Morris’s Import Tax
____________ – Robert Morris was put in charge to run the country’s finances
Established a ________ sales tax on imported goods
He wanted Congress to be in charge
To ________________ taxes
Rhode Island would not approve so the financial crisis continued.
Problems
Great Britain
Kept _______________ in the Great Lakes region
Trade problems prevented with the West ____________________
They were mad that Loyalists did not get paid for lost property during the war.
Spain
Controlled _________________________ and lands west of the Mississippi River
They __________________________ the River to the American settlers.
An agreement was possible but Southern states _______________________________ it
from being passed.
Section Review Questions
1. Why did most states limit the power of their governors and divide the legislature into two bodies?
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2. According to the Northwest Ordinance, when might the people of a territory petition for statehood?
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3. Why did the Continental Congress have difficulty raising money?
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4. How do you think the Northwest Ordinance would affect Native Americans?
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5. How effective was government under the Articles of Confederation?
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6. Identify the Strengths and Weaknesses in the graphic organizer below.
Articles of Confederation
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Convention and Compromise
Section 2
Changes need to be made
Articles
Wanted a _________________________ government
Pull the states out of the _____________________________________
Money the government collected went to _____________________________________
__________________________________
Shay’s Rebellion
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State’s seized lands and threw farmers in jail.
_________________ – courts forced to close to prevent losing land
1,000 men went to raid a federal arsenal
4 men were killed during the stand.
Slavery
1776 to 1786 – _____________________________ outlawed or taxed the import of slaves
South Carolina and Georgia did not
Quakers established an _______________________________________ movement
By _________________ –Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey
ended slavery.
Freed African Americans faced
Discrimination
Being ___________________________________ from public places
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Children had to attend separate schools
Attended their own churches and established their own ________________________________
____________________________
The Constitutional Convention
James _______________________ and Alexander ___________________________________
led the charge to change the Articles of Confederation.
When Washington decided to attend the meeting it became more important.
They met in __________________________________________________
Cont…
_______ delegates attended
White males from the age of 80 to under 30 years old.
Women, Native Americans, African Americans _____________________ in attendance or
permitted to attend.
Important Members/Info
James ___________________________ – __________________________ (note taker)
George _______________________________ – Presided over the meetings
(________________________)
Each state only received 1 vote
_____________________________________ states had to be in attendance at the meeting
Meetings were ______________________________ door
Possible Plans for Government
_______________________________________
Strong National Government
_____ house legislature
________________ house – _________________________ by the people
________________ house – _____________________ by members of the lower
house
Members would be proportional to the population of each state
Chief executive chosen by the legislature
Court system
______________________________________
_________ house legislature
_________ vote for each state
Congress could set taxes and regulate trade
Congress could elect a weak executive branch of more than one person
The Compromise
The __________________________________________
___________________________________________suggestion
_______house legislature
___________________ House – _______________________________________
_________________ – ______________________________________________
_________________ House –_______________________________________ –
_________________________________________________________________
The Three-Fifths Compromise
How to count enslaved people.
Argument
North – Slaves were property
South – wanted them counted into population for more representatives
To be counted only for taxes
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Slave Trade
_______________________ states _______________________________ slave trade
_______________________ states thought slaves were ________________________________
to their economies
They agreed Congress would not interfere in the slave trade.
Bill of Rights
Believed the new government would ___________________ its power
They believed it wasn’t needed because the powers were ______________________________
in the Constitution.
Constitution Approved
______________________________________it was signed
All delegates signed in Philadelphia
_____ delegates ___________________________ to sign
Elbridge Gerry
Edmund Randolph
George Mason
Only ________________________________________ states needed to approve the Constitution.
Section Review Questions
1. What did the farmers in Shay’s Rebellion want?
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2. Why did New Jersey’s delegates object to the Virginia Plan?
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3. What key issues had to be resolved to create a Constitution that most states would accept?
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4. Why do you think representation was such a thorny issue?
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5. Why is the Constitution a document of compromises?
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6 Describe in the chart below the differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.
Virginia Plan
Legislature
Representation
Executive Branch
New Jersey Plan
A New Plan of Government
Section 3
Roots of the Constitution
Framework for a ___________________________central government.
Other governments were studied in the process of building our government.
___________________________________
British
Documents that influenced
English Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights
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Enlightenment Philosophers
_________________________________
English philosopher
Belief – all people had ___________________________________ rights
To include life, liberty and property
He believed that government was an ________________________________________
between the people and the ruler.
__________________________________________________
French philosopher
Belief – powers of government should be ______________________________________ and
______________________________________________
He believed that it would prevent any single person or group from gaining too much power.
Ideas to the Constitution
Federal System
Powers divided between – National and States
________________________________________(Federal) – regulate trade, control
currency, raise an army, and declare war
________________________ – regulate trade within their borders, establish – local
government, schools, and set laws for marriage and divorce.
__________________ could set taxes and administer criminal justice.
Supreme Law of the Land
The Constitution and laws
_________ state could make or take actions against the federal government.
Any argument between the two would be settled in the
________________________________________________________________.
New Government
Legislative Branch – ____________________________
What makes up this branch?
House of Representatives
Senate
Powers of Congress
Collecting _____________________________
Coining money
Regulating _____________________________
Can _______________________________ war
Raise and support armies
_________________ all the laws in Government
Executive Branch – _________________________________
What makes up this branch?
President
Vice President
Job
To _______________________________ the laws and policies
Commander and chief of the armed forces
Foreign policy ______________________________
Elected by the Electoral College
_______________________________________________
Each state has their ______________ number of Electoral College voters
Number = ______________________________________________________________________
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The member elected to the office of President and Vice President will serve a _____ year term.
Judicial Branch – _____________________________________
What makes up this branch?
The _______________________________________________
Job
_________________cases involving the Constitution
_______________ passed by Congress
And __________________________________________ between states
System of Checks and Balances
Means no _____________branch can have _______________ power than the other.
Congress passes a bill – President can sign it or veto it – Congress can override a veto by 2/3 of both
houses
President appoints Supreme Court Justices – Senate Approves the appointments – The Court checks
the constitutionality of laws and the presidential acts.
Picking Sides
__________________________________
___________________________________ of the Constitution
Supporters
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
John Jay
_______________________________________
______________________________ the Constitution
Argument – that a strong national government would take away __________________________
they fought for in the war.
Supporters
Patrick Henry
Finally becoming a united country
Protecting Rights
They wanted a __________________________________
The only way Anti-federalists would _______________________________ the Constitution if
they provided a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.
Adopting the Constitution
First state to approve __________________________________ in 1787
________________________________________________________ states were ____________
to making sure the documents survival
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Section Review Questions
1. What features of the Constitution developed form the ideas of Baron de Montesquieu?
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2. Why does the Constitution divide power among branches of government?
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3. Why did Virginia eventually ratify the Constitution?
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4. If a state law conflicts with a federal law, which law will prevail? How do you know?
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5.What ideas and features are found in the United States Constitution?
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6. Summarize in the chart below the Antifederalist arguments against the Constitution.
Antifederalist Arguments