A More Perfect Union
CHAPTER 7 NOTES
The Articles of Confederation
OUR FIRST FORM OF GOVERNMENT
SECTION I
September 21, 2015
How does a new nation plan
for a national government?
Think/Pair/Square/Share
Write down your ideas in your composition
notebook.
2. When I say “pair,” pair up with someone near you
and share your ideas. Do NOT move around the
room.
3. When I say “square,” join another pair of students
to share your combined ideas. Still do not move
around the room. Stay near your seat.
4. Finally, when I say “share,” go back to your seats
and raise your hand to share what you, your pair,
and your square said as the answer to the bell work.
1.
Objective of the Day
 The student will be able to create a timeline of
important events in American government from the
approval of the Articles of Confederation 1777 to the
signing of the Northwest Ordinance in 1787.
Background
 Before signing the
 Most made their law
Declaration of
Independence, the
Second Continental
Congress asked the
colonies to make formal
plans of government.
 These plans of
government were called
constitutions.
making assemblies, or
legislatures, more
powerful than their
governor.
 Much like Parliament,
most colonies established
bicameral legislatures.
 Bicameral=two houses.
The Articles of Confederation
 The Second Continental
Congress adopted the
Articles of Confederation as
the plan of government for
all the colonies in 1777.
 They were our first
constitution, but not the
Constitution.
 Republic=a form of
government in which
people choose
representatives to make
decisions for them.
http://www.history.com/topics/artic
les-of-confederation
What did the Articles of Confederation Do?
 Gave most power to the
 Congress could not pass
states.
 Called itself a “firm
league of friendship”
among the states.
 Congress had the power
to coin money, go to war,
and manage foreign
affairs.
taxes, draft citizens
(force them to join the
army), or regulate trade.
 Congress had to ask the
states for money to go to
war or finance any major
decisions.
 Did not have a strong
executive such as a
president.
What to do with all this land?
 After the Treaty of Paris
of 1783, the former
colonies received much
of the land east of the MS
River.
 Congress passed two
major laws about the
land:
 The Ordinance of 1785
 The Northwest
Ordinance
http://blog.worldbook.com/2013/09/02/thisweek-in-history-the-treaty-of-paris-is-signed-in1783/
The Ordinance of 1785
 Ordinance=law
 People could buy the land
 Confederation Congress
for $1 per acre.
 The law protected property
owners from people who
might be criminals by
making property rights
clear.
passed an ordinance saying
that said that the land
north of the Ohio River
needed to be surveyed and
sold in a certain way.
 Divided the land into
townships which were
divided into sections which
were divided into acres.
The Northwest Ordinance
 Passed by the
Confederation Congress in
1787.
 All new land north of the
Ohio River was one
Northwest Territory with
five to six (if you count
Minnesota) smaller
territories.
 If a territory gained at least
60,000 people, it could
become a state.
 Also banned slavery in the
territories.
https://www.thefederalistpapers.org
/the-northwest-ordinance
Review
 Why do you think the Articles of Confederation made
the central, or national, government so weak?
 What were the units that the Ordinance of 1785 use
to break the territory north of the Ohio River into
smaller parts to sell?
 Why do you think slavery was not permitted in the
Northwest Territory?
Financial Trouble and Foreign Problems
 The Confederation
Congress had problems
paying the debts from
the Revolution.
 It still had not paid its
soldiers from the war!
 It asked for money from
the states, but did not
give enough since it was
voluntary.
 Great Britain demanded
that the Loyalists be paid
for the property they lost
in the war which was
what the Treaty of Paris
required of the
Americans.
 Spain was afraid that the
U. S. would take territory
from them, so they
closed off the MS River
to U. S. trade in 1784.
The Constitution
CHAPTER 7: SECTION 2
September 23, 2015
What were some of the disadvantages of the Articles of
Confederation? In other words, what were some things
that made the Articles of Confederation not a good
form of government?
Depression
 After the Revolution, the
country entered a
depression which is
time when many people
don’t have jobs and
business is slow.
 What little money there
was went to pay the
country’s debts.
 Many poor farmers were
affected by this.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gran
t-cardone/unemployment-makes-selfe_b_614648.html
Shays’ Rebellion
 One of these poor
farmers was Daniel
Shays led a rebellion of
small farmers in
Massachusetts against
judges who were taking
away their farms because
of debt.
 Tried to take guns from
the federal arsenal in
Springfield, but the state
militia stopped them.
http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/shaysap
p/person.do?shortName=daniel_shays
Slavery
 New England and Middle
states gradually began to
end slavery.
 States south of
Pennsylvania kept it
because their plantations
were designed with
slavery in mind.
 Manumission: the
freeing of individual
enslaved persons.
Richard Allen
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/ai
a/part3/3p97.html
Changes to the Government
 George Washington was not sure that we should
change the Articles of Confederation.
 Shays’ Rebellion changed his mind.
 Two people who pushed for a new form of
government were James Madison and
Alexander Hamilton.
The Constitutional Convention
 May 1787 in Philadelphia
with 55 delegates
(representatives).
 Washington (who was
chosen as president of the
convention) and Franklin
were there and made
people trust whatever they
would do there.
 Because of his work in
writing most of the
Constitution, James
Madison is known as
the Father of the
Constitution.
Independence Hall
http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art89739/Independence-Hall-is-part-ofIndependence-National-Historical-Park-in
Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
 AKA “Big State Plan.”
 AKA “Small State Plan.”
 Bicameral legislature.
 Unicameral legislature.
 The number of
representatives in
each house would be
based on the
population in each
state.
 Gave authority to states
with larger populations.
 The number of
representatives
would be equal for
each state.
 Gave small states an
equal voice with big
states.
The Great Compromise
 Franklin gathered a committee to find a




compromise.
Roger Sherman from Connecticut made the
Great Compromise.
The legislature would have two houses.
The House of Representatives would be based on
population.
The Senate would have two senators for every state.
More Compromises
Three-Fifths Compromise
Bill of Rights
 Slaves could not vote, but
 People like George
the Southern states
wanted to count them for
representation.
 Northern states did not
like that.
 They compromised
and said that they
would count three
out of five slaves for
representation.
Mason, did not like that
there was no list of rights
in the Constitution
because they thought the
new government would
might abuse its power.
 Mason’s proposal for a
bill of rights was
defeated.
Calling for a Second Convention
 Because not all the delegates signed the Constitution,
they did not have enough votes for it to be approved.
 Those who did not sign it wanted a bill of rights.
 The convention said that it would meet again to
discuss any changes.
The Preamble to the Constitution
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a
more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote
the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States of America.” p.
233 in your textbook.
The Constitution (cont.)
CHAPTER 7 SECTION 3
Inspiration for the Constitution
 The Magna Carta signed in 1215 limited the king’s
power.
 John Locke, an English philosopher, wrote that
people have certain “natural rights” that could not
be taken away.
 Baron de Montesquieu, a French philosopher,
wrote that different parts of government
should be separated to keep one from taking over
the others.
Federalism
 Federalism is the
sharing of powers
between state and
national (federal)
government.
 Concurrent powers
are powers that are
shared by the states and
the national government.
http://theeducatorscloudpublic.sharepoint.com/federalism-4
The Three Branches of Government
 The legislative branch is Congress. Congress makes
laws, regulates trade, and collects taxes.
 The executive branch is led by the president. It
enforces laws, and the president is commander in
chief of the armed forces.
 The judicial branch is made up of the Supreme
Court and lower federal courts. It makes sure that
actions by the president and laws from Congress are
constitutional.
Three Branches of Government
https://kids.usa.gov/three-branches-ofgovernment/index.shtml
Checks and Balances
 Checks and balances
keep any branch of
government from
becoming too powerful.
http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/les
son_13_notes.htm
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
 Supported the
 Opposed the
Constitution.
 Included Washington
and Franklin.
 Madison, Hamilton, and
their friend, John Jay,
wrote pamphlets
defending the
Constitution called The
Federalist Papers.
Constitution.
 Believed that the
Constitution would give
too much power to the
government and not
protect citizens.
 Supported by Patrick
Henry and Mercy Otis
Warren.
Ratification
 9 out of the 13 states had to ratify, or approve of, the




Constitution before it became the law of the land.
Delaware was the first to ratify it in December 1787
and by June 1788, New Hampshire had become the
ninth.
The remaining states, which included Virginia and
New York, signed on only when assured that a bill of
rights would be added.
Rhode Island became the last state to ratify the
Constitution in May of 1790.
The Bill of Rights was added in 1791.