NEW NATION PRE-ASSESSMENT
1. What is the Constitution?
2. What is the Bill of Rights?
3. What are the names of the two
parts of Congress?
4. Name the three branches of
government.
5. Name the basic responsibility
(job) of each branch.
GUIDING QUESTION
Why have the democratic
principles of the Constitution
been able to withstand time?
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation and determine the
reasons for its failure.
 Complete a CLOZE activity that describes the
creation and outline of the Constitution.
 Define and describe the three branches of
government and the system of checks and
balances.
 Present a speech from the point of view of a
Federalists or Anti-Federalists that influences
citizens of North Carolina to vote for or against
the Constitution.

POST REVOLUTIONARY WAR PROBLEMS
 Need
for a government
 Sectionalism – colonies were not unified
 No uniform currency
 No trading policies
 Poor transportation
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
 Our
first constitution
 Created a loose
alliance of states
 Granted more power
to the states due to
their fear of a strong
central government
(KING)
STRENGTHS OF THE AOC
Power
to print money
Conduct foreign affairs
Raise an army
Establish a postal system
Created a legislative branch
WEAKNESSES OF THE AOC
 Each
state had one vote, but
required a unanimous decision
 Unable to collect taxes
 No executive or judicial branch
CAUSES OF SHAY’S REBELLION
Daniel shay’s was a Massachusetts farmer who fought
in the Revolutionary War.
 After the war, the newly founded U.S. attempted to
collect taxes from its citizens. Since veteran’s of the
war were not paid, and these patriots left their homes
to fight, they had no money to pay taxes.
 Many farmers, like Shay, ended up in debtor’s
prison for being unable to pay their taxes. Shay
organized a rebellion against the government.

EFFECTS OF SHAY’S REBELLION
 The
rebellion proved that the
Articles of Confederation was too
weak.
 The national government lacked
control over the states and couldn’t
protest against an armed rebellion.
 Delegates met at the
Constitutional Convention to
discuss revising the government.
AS A RESULT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE
UNITED STATES FINALLY GAINED 1._____________.
THE YOUNG COUNTRY NOW NEEDED TO WRITE A
2.________________ (PLAN OF GOVERNMENT).
THEIR FIRST PLAN WAS CALLED THE ARTICLES OF
3._______________. BECAUSE OF THEIR
EXPERIENCE UNDER THE RULE OF THE 4.__________
OF ENGLAND, THE FRAMERS PURPOSELY LEFT THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT 5.__________. THEY GAVE
MOST OF THE POWER TO THE 6._____________.
AFTER DANIEL SHAYS LEADS A 7._____________ OF
A GROUP FARMERS, DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE
MEET TO REVISE THE ARTICLES.
PEANUTS VIDEO
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is the setting (time and place) of
the writing of the Constitution?
List the names of the famous “founding
fathers” mentioned in the video who took
part in the Constitutional Convention.
Describe what the setting and debate was
like inside Independence Hall.
Name as many issues as you can which
the delegates at the convention debated.
What were the outcomes of these debates?
WHAT IS THE SETTING (TIME AND PLACE) OF
THE WRITING OF THE CONSTITUTION?

1. The summer of 1787 in Independence
Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11
years after the Declaration of
Independence.
LIST THE NAMES OF THE FAMOUS “FOUNDING
FATHERS” MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO WHO
TOOK PART IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
 2.
Washington, Randolph,
Hamilton, Franklin, Morris,
Madison, Sherman, Gary, Mason,
Wilson, Ellsworth, Pinckney,
Rutledge
DESCRIBE WHAT THE SETTING AND DEBATE
WAS LIKE INSIDE INDEPENDENCE HALL.
3.
hot, long, difficult, secretive,
close to failure
NAME AS MANY ISSUES AS YOU CAN WHICH THE
DELEGATES AT THE CONVENTION DEBATED.
 representation
in the House of
Representative and the Senate, who
would be Head of State, election of
officials, Judiciary Branch, slavery,
Bill of Rights
WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES
OF THESE DEBATES?
 one
president, Senate would have
equal representation and the House
would be decided by population,
officials would be elected by the
people
Federalists






Favored the ratification of
the Constitution
The Confederation
government was too weak.
The Constitution would
balance state and national
power.
State constitutions would
protect individual rights.
A strong central
government will protect
property, promote trade,
improve the nation’s
finances and negotiate with
foreign powers.
Favored a strong central
government and loose
interpretation of the
constitution.
Anti-Federalists






Opposed the ratification of
the Constitution
The Constitution would
make the national
government too strong.
The Constitution would
weaken state’s rights.
A national bill of rights was
needed to protect
individual rights.
The federal government
had too much power to
impose taxes and raise an
army which would lead to
tyranny/monarchy.
Favored states’ rights and a
strict interpretation of the
constitution.
ANALOGIES
EXAMPLE -
SKY
: BLUE :: GRASS : ______ (ANSWER =GREEN)
1.) Supreme Court : judicial :: ______ : executive
2.) upper house : ______ :: lower house : House of Representatives
3.) Articles of Confederation: first constitution :: ______ : first 10 amendments
4.) Antifederalists: oppose the Constitution :: Federalists : for the Constitution
5.) make laws : ______ :: enforces laws : executive
6.) George Washington: first president :: ___________: father of the Constitution
7.) appoints judges : executive :: approves judges : ______