The Failure of the Articles of
Confederation
Mrs. Turner
• After Shay’s Rebellion
–Delegates met in Philadelphia to
revise the Articles of
Confederation
–Actually decided to scrap them and
start again
Issues Debated
*All centered on Representation
(Power)-how many representatives
would each state have
• Large States vs Small State
• North vs South
• Central Government vs
Strong States
Large State Plan
• Virginia Plan Proposed by James
Madison
• Bi-cameral house
• Representation in both houses based
on population
Small State Plan
•
•
•
•
New Jersey Plan
Proposed by Roger Sherman
Uni-cameral house
Each state to have one vote
Great Compromise/Connecticut
Compromise
Upper House
Lower House
• -Senate
• -Elected by the state
legislatures
• -Each state having two
senators
• -House of
Representatives
• -Elected by the people
• -Representatives
determined by
population
North vs South
• Slaves should not be
counted when
deciding
congressional
delegates
• Slaves should be
counted when
levying taxes
• Slaves should be
counted when
deciding
congressional
delegates
• Slaves should not be
counted when
levying taxes
3/5ths Compromise
• For purposes of representation and taxation,
slave would be counted as 3/5ths of the
population
Central Gov. vs Strong States
• Authority derives
from the people
• New plan of
government with
central government
being stronger than
states
• Authority comes
from the states
• Modified Articles of
Confederation with
the states remaining
stronger than central
government
A New Government
• Form of Federalism-system where power is
divided between national and state government
• Separation of Powers-3 separate branches of
government with their own powers & checks and
balances
• Electoral College-electors chosen by states to
vote for president
Federalists
•
•
•
•
•
•
Supported the Constitution
Favored a strong central government
Loose interpretation of the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
Wanted three branches of government
Created the Federalists Papers
Anti-Federalists
• Suspicious of the Constitution
• Feared gave too much power to the central
government
• Strict interpretation of the Constitution
• Wanted a Bill of Rights
– Strong national government can take away human
rights won in the revolution.
• Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Monroe
Not Unlike Political Parties Today!
Democrats
Big Government (Federalist)
Republicans
Smaller Government (Anti-Federalist)