Congress Creates the Articles of
Confederation

Articles of Confederation
- drafted by the Continental Congress in 1777
- confederation of 13 states
- a league or alliance of states that agree to work
together

National (Federal) Government
-congress of delegates (chosen by state
legislatures)
-powers to make, implement, and enforce the law

Articles of Confederation (1777)
- alliance of independent states
- national legislature (Congress)
- power to declare war
- trade agreements between states
- no executive or judicial
- no power to tax
- no power to enforce laws made
*most power remained with states
*ratified in 1781 (by all 13 states)

Shay’s Rebellion
Northwest Territory
-land north of the Ohio River and west of
Pennsylvania to the Mississippi River.
Land Ordinance of 1785
- a system for distributing public lands in the
Northwest territory
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
-provided a government for western territory
-governor, secretary, three judges
-5,000 men – establish an elected assembly
-60,000 men – request admission to the Union as a
state and adopt a republican constitution
*Territory later formed mid-western states of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and part of
Minnesota
*states would enter union as free states rather than
slave states
Drafting the Constitution


Agree
- need national government (regulate
commerce and power to tax)
- guard against abuse of power (separation of
power)
- limit government powers (state and national)
Disagree
- number of representatives for each state
- power of national government

Constitutional
Convention (May
25th 1787)
- PA State House
(Philadelphia)
- presiding officerGeorge Washington


Alexander Hamilton
- praised the British constitution
- advocated a strong national government –
with elements of aristocracy, monarchy, and
republicanism.
James Madison
- favored republicanism over British model
- a large republic with diverse interests would
best preserve the common good

Madison’s Plan
- James Madison (Virginia)
- strong national government
- with separation of powers
- Legislature – House of Representative
- people elect directly
- seats based on population
Senate
- House would choose
- seats based on population
*What powers did Madison’s Plan give the President?


Virginia
- state’s population
- Problem: larger states would out-vote them
New Jersey
- William Paterson (N.J.)
- one-house legislature
- each state have equal number of voters
- executive committee rather than President
*remain a loose confederation
*What was the problem with this plan?

The Great Compromise
- Roger Sherman (Connecticut)
- Bicameral Legislature
- House of Representatives: elected based on
population
- Senate: each state would have two senators
(regardless of population)

What three forms did the Constitution take in
assuring constituents that slavery would
remain?


September 17th 1787
- 39 delegates signed
the Constitution
To go into effect, the
Constitution had to
be ratified, or
approved, by at least
nine state
conventions.