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Created during the Revolutionary War
The states retained their sovereignty and
operated independently of the federal
government
No executive, federal courts
A single-chamber Congress with each state
getting one vote
Amendments had to be unanimous
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States often refused to provide soldiers or
supplies during the Revolutionary War
resulting in the shortages at Valley Forge and
an uncertain supply of soldiers for
Washington
Standing army dissolved after Revolutionary
War
US surrounded by potential enemies: Native
tribes to the West, France in the Louisiana
Territories, British In Canada, Spain in Florida
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States had different cultures, religious
traditions, political rights and organizations
Most people held more loyalty to their states
than to the federal
When the Articles were being created the
Founders were concerned about oppressive,
distant governments
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Unpaid debt to Britain (for seized Royalist
properties and money loaned by other
countries) risks another war with Britain
New York allowed its ports to be used by a
band of pirates
Georgia was conducting its own foreign
policy by negotiating with Native tribes
Rhode Island pursued a policy of
hyperinflation to help debtors
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Poor farmers in Massachusetts attempted to
stop foreclosures on their farms by shutting
down the local courts
State militia was unwilling to initially put
down the rebellion (as many of the rebels
were also members of the state militia)
No federal army
Boston Merchants hired an army to put it
down
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Originally just slated to revise the Articles –
12 states sent delegates
Quickly became clear that the delegates
planned to rewrite the Articles, not just
amend them
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James Madison wanted to weaken the states
and strengthen the Federal government (as
was thus a “Federalist”)
His plan created a legislature directly elected
by the people – seats were allotted based on
population
That federal legislature could nullify state
laws if they were “incompetent”
There would be an executive and judiciary
appointed by the legislature
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Sticks with a unicameral legislature with each
state getting the same number of seats
A plural executive chosen by the legislature
but could be removed by majority of state
governors
Congress retains limited ability to tax or
regulate the states
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House is directly elected by the people,
Senate elected by the state legislatures with
the same number of seats per state
Congress gets to regulate trade “among the
several states”, create an army, raise taxes,
and their acts are “supreme” to contradictory
state acts
President elected indirectly by the people
Federal Court is nominated by the President
and confirmed by the Senate
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Sept 17, 1787 – 41 of the original 55 delegates
sign the new constitution
Five states ratify in the fall (nine needed) –
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia,
Connecticut,
February 1788 - Massachusetts -- starts: 177
yes – 178 no – ends: 187 yes 168 no
June 1788 - New Hampshire -- starts 52-52,
ends 57-47
June 1788 - Virginia – starts 84-84, ends 89-79
June 1788 - New York – starts 19-46, end 30-27