PostRevolutionary
Problems
1) No National Government
• Colonists did not want a
national government
• Colonists thought a national
government would be like
having a King. (they didn’t
want another King)
1) No National Government
• 13 Separate State
Governments
• Each state had a
constitution, governor,
and an army
2) All 13 Colonies in Debt
• A National Gov’t was needed
to handle debt
• Debt caused by borrowing
money during Revolutionary
War
Articles of Confederation
• Set up First National
Government in America
• Made intentionally weak to
protect the rights of citizens
in America
Problems with
Articles of
Confederation
Article/Problems
• Gave
• Gov’t
Congress no
couldn’t
power to tax
raise money
Article/Problems
• Gave Congress
no power to
regulate
commerce
(trade) among
the states
• Border States
almost went to
war over
money owed in
trading
Article/Problems
• Provided for • Money had
no common
different
currency
values in
different
states
Article/Problems
• Gave each
• Unfair to
state one
larger states
vote
regardless of
size
Article/Problems
• Provided for • No one to
no executive enforce laws
or judicial
branch
Shays Rebellion
• A Mass. farmer lead a rebellion to
protest the rising taxes on poor
farmers by Mass state government
• Other states feared rebellions and
wanted a national government to
protect them.
The Constitution
VUS.5
Mr. Poley
Problems with Articles of
Confederation
• Gave Congress no power to tax
• Gave Congress no power to regulate
commerce among the states
• Provided for no common currency
• Gave each state one vote regardless
of size
• Provided for no executive or judicial
branch
Constitutional Convention
• 12 states met in Philadelphia in
1787 to change the Articles of
Confederation
• Rhode Island did not attend
because they believed smaller
states would be overlooked in a
stronger national government
Constitutional Convention
• Original plan was to change the
Articles of Confederation but
decided to throw it out and start
a new government
George Washington
• Chosen as
Chairman of the
Convention
• Washington
brought prestige
and legitimacy to
convention
• He stayed out of
political arguments
James Madison
• “Father of the
Constitution”
• Main author
• He was a federalist
– a person who
favored a strong
national
government
Problems with
Articles of
Confederation and
Constitutional
Solutions
Problem 1
• States had too much
power
Solution 1
• Supremacy Clause – national
law was supreme over state
law; national law limited to
those stated in Constitution
Problem 2
• People feared a strong
national government would
have too much power and
take away their rights
2 Solutions
• Separation of Powers –
government divided into 3
equal branches (legislative,
judicial, and executive)
• Checks and Balances – each
branch of government can
check the powers of the other
Key
Compromises at
Constitutional
Convention
Issue 1
• Set up of legislature
Side 1
• NJ Plan – wanted a unicameral
(one house) legislature with
equal votes per state; favored
smaller states
Side 2
• VA Plan – wanted a bicameral
(two house) legislature with
representation based on a states
population; favored larger states
Compromise
• Great Compromise – a bicameral
legislature (Congress) with an
upper house (Senate) with two
votes per state and a lower house
(House of Representatives) with
representation based on a states’
population
Issue 2
• Determining
representation in House
of Representatives
Side 1
• Southern view – slaves
should be counted when
determining number of
representatives in Congress
Side 2
• Northern view – slaves
are property and should
not be counted as citizens
Compromise
• 3/5 Compromise – only
3 out of 5 slaves would
be counted in census
Issue 3
• Presidential Election
Side 1
• People were not educated
enough to choose a President
Side 2
• People should have the right to
choose their own leader
Compromise
• Electoral College – group of
electors who choose the
President based on popular
vote in their state
Ratification of
Constitution
Constitution
• Preamble – introduction to the
Constitution; mission statement for
America
• 7 Articles – outlines set up for
government, the jobs of each branch,
and the duties and procedures in the
government
• Amendments – laws that govern the
country
Ratification of Constitution
• Nine States had to ratify or
approve the Constitution before it
could become law
• Two Sides
–Federalists vs Anti-federalists
Ratification Compromise
• Federalists agreed to have a
national Bill of Rights added to
Constitution if Anti-Federalists
would ratify the Constitution
• James Madison wrote the bill of
rights
Ratification Compromise
• Bill of Rights was based on the
VA Declaration of Rights
(George Mason) and the VA
Statute for Religious Freedom
(Thomas Jefferson)
Federalists
• Supported a strong
national government
and wanted
Constitution ratified
• Felt people were
protected because of
checks and balances in
the government and the
separation of powers
Federalists
• Did not believe a
national Bill of
Rights was
necessary
• Wrote Federalists
Papers to encourage
country to ratify
Constitution
Anti - federalists
• Believed national
government was too
strong and limited
states too much
• Wanted a national Bill
of Rights added to
protect their natural
rights
Articles Essay
You might use chapter 2 section 2 from the
new book, as well as the Constitution page
65Also chapter 5 section 1 of the old
Textbook. SEE RUBRIC!
• You are to write an essay detailing at least
three weaknesses from the Articles of
Confederation. Explain why they are a
weakness and then show how the
Constitution would fix those problems.
• This is to be a minimum of 5 paragraphs
and to be more than one page in length.
• Read and follow these instructions. Failure
to do so will result in deductions from your
grade.