Articles of the Confederation Survey Says! • 100 People were surveyed about the types of ice cream they liked, what is the number 1 answer on the board? Imagine • Imagine that this is a poll right after the Revolutionary War. – How many different ideas are there going to be for the new government? After Revolution • After the war the people know that they do not want a king, and want to stay away from a tyrannical government. • Therefore they write the Articles of the Confederation, and deliberately make the central government weak. • Confederation – a loosely connected set of states. Weaknesses • The national government could not: – – – – – – – – Enforce Law Tax Force states to obey law Had no strong leadership No military No national court system Each state could make their own money Each state could put tariffs on trade with another state Strengths • The National Government could: – Declare war and make peace – Coin and borrow money – Sign treaties with foreign countries – Operate post offices disagreements • The states are so powerful, and the national government is so weak that many times no delegate ever showed up at a national meeting. Rebellion • Shays’ Rebellion – Led by Daniel Shays – A group of farmers were angry about not being able to pay their debts and that they were losing their farms to the government. – Attempted to steal weapons from the State Militia in Springfield, Massachusetts. – The rebellion raised fears in other states. Successes of Articles • Northwest Ordinance of 1787 – Defined the Northwest Territory and created a plan for its government – Set aside lands for education in states – Outlawed slavery in the lands included in the ordinance PBL • You and your classmates are representatives from different states that have came together to create a new national government. – Each group will be assigned a state(s) to represent. You will need to decided what is best for your state based on its economics, population, geography, and need. – You will then meet with the other representatives and will work together to create a functioning government that will support the success of all of the states. Warm-up Why did the colonies decide they needed a national government in addition to state governments? • http://www.history.com/topics/articles-ofconfederation/videos/america-gets-aconstitution QUIZ http://tinyurl.com/p8m6v7n or Copy and paste link from my weebly. www.owenswrhs.weebly.com • Bicameral – legislatures divided into two parts, or houses. – Most of the states chose this set up of government. • Unicameral – legislatures with a single part Annapolis Convention • Proceedings to consider the revising of the Articles of the Confederation Road to the Constitution • The Philadelphia Convention – May 25, 1787 – Every state except Rhode Island attends – 55 total delegates (includes lawyers, merchants, college presidents, physicians, generals, governors, and planters) – George Washington is unanimously chosen to preside over the convention. – The work at the convention was kept secret, but the purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation. Creating the Constitution • It was decided the Articles were not enough and were disposed of, opting to write a new constitution. • There were 2 major plans suggested for the Constitution – The Virginia Plan – The New Jersey Plan The Virginia Plan • Includes: – A President – System of Courts – Congress with Two Houses – Representation was based on population • Appeals to delegates from states with larger populations The New Jersey Plan • Plan is similar to the articles. – One house congress, with equal representation. – Congress could set taxes and regulate trade. • Delegates from Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland approves this plan. – Made all states equal in power The Great Compromise • 6 weeks of debate • Proposed that congress have two houses – Senate and House of Representatives – one would be based on population, the other with equal representation. • Sometimes referred to the Connecticut Compromise, after a delegate from Connecticut named Roger Sherman suggests it. Three-Fifths Compromise • There are over 550,000 African Americans at the time of the Convention. • The southern states wanted to count their slaves to their population. • The lesser populated northern states opposed this • They compromised to state that every five enslaved persons would count as three. Electoral College • The way a president is elected. • Each states delegates choose who they feel should be president. • These selections were made by a group of people making up the Electoral College. • Voters in each state now inform the electors who to vote for. Viewpoints • Federalists – supporters of the constitution – Federalism – a form of government in which power is divided between the federal and state governments. – Tried to remind people of the Articles flaws in order to win support • Anti-Federalists – people opposed of the constitution – Argued the constitution would take away the liberties they had fought for against Britain. The Federalist Papers • Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. • Assignment – Working with Primary Sources – Access in Gaggle: Assignments – Federalist Paper – Read the source and complete the analysis guide for it. Preamble 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.
