Creating a New
Government in the
Nation and in Georgia
Articles of Confederation
• The first constitution of the United
States.
• Designed to have weak central
government
• Protected States Rights
• Unicameral legislature
• Ratified in 1781
Weakness
1. National government cannot impose or collect
taxes
2. No national currency
3. No national court system
4. No executive branch
5. One vote per state regardless of population
6. Two-thirds majority to pass laws
7. Unanimous consent needed to amend the
Articles of Confederation
8. There was no national army or navy.
Strengths
1 To declare war and make
peace.
2 To coin and borrow money
3 To detail with foreign countries
and sign treaties
4 To operate post offices
GA Constitution of 1777
Savannah, May 1777
• Replaced “Rules and Regulations” that
governed the colony during the
Revolutionary War.
• Modeled after the AOC
• Selected John Treutlen as the first
governor
GA Constitution 1777
• Unicameral legislature
– Appoints judiciary branch
– Appoints executive branch (governor)
Governor is appointed for 1 year
Governor is selected by an Executive Council
(12 members from the legislature)
• Weakness: Legislature too powerful
Constitutional Convention of
1787
• Virginia ask for a meeting to discuss trade
problems among the states.
• 1st Constitutional Convention
accomplishes nothing.
• 2nd Constitutional Convention called to
Philadelphia, Pa. May 1787 to discuss
issues with the AOC
• Rhode Island does not attend: oppose a
strong central government.
Virginia Plan
• 3 branches of government
– Legislative, executive, judicial
Congress – 2 houses
House of Representative – elected by the
people
Senate – elected by the House of Rep.
Representation base on State population
Favored by the large states
New Jersey Plan
• Congress – unicameral
Levy taxes, trade, laws, treaties – state
law could not override congress.
• Executive – consists of several people;
elected by congress
• Judicial – appointed by excutive
Representation is equal for each state
The Great Compromise
• Called for a bicameral congress
– House of Rep – based on population
– Senate – equal representation
• 3/5 Compromise
– Counted slaves as 3/5 of a person for population
count
– Slave trade to end in 20 years
– Fugitive slaves will be returned to their owners
US Constitution
• Replaced the Articles of Confederation
• Ratified September 17, 1787
• Antifederalist insisted on the Bill of
Rights – approved in 1791
• Bill of Rights written to protect the
rights of the citizens.
Georgia Signers on the US
Constitution
• Abraham Baldwin
William Few
Georgia calls special convention to
quickly approve the Constitution.
Georgia was the 4th state to ratify the
Constitution on Jan. 2, 1788.
Georgia ratifies constitution
• Georgia becomes the 4th state to ratify
the US Constitution.
• Georgia was moving westward into
land occupied by Indians.
• Georgia needed strong national
government to help protect it from
Indian threat.
• US Constitution ratified Jan. 2, 1788
by a vote of 26-0.
Think in Three’s
•
•
•
•
Describe the Virginia Plan
Describe the New Jersey Plan
Describe The Great Compromise
Explain how The Great Compromise
settled the debate over the US
Constitution.