Date:
Class ID:
Pg. # 37
SS8H4a: Analyze the strengths & weaknesses of both the GA constitution of 1777 & the Articles of Confederation & explain how weaknesses
in the Articles led to its revision
SS8H4b: Describe the role of GA at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, include Abraham Baldwin & William Few & reasons why GA ratified
the new constitution
Articles of Confederation: America’s 1st written Constitution
GA Constitution of 1777
When: 1776-1789
Based on? Declaration of Independence
What did it do? Provided an extremely weak central government
What couldn’t it do? Could not meet needs of governing the state
What was it based on? American experience with British monarchy
Branches of government? Had executive, judicial & unicameral
legislature
What was the goal? To give as much power to the people through autonomy
(separation) of the states
How was it limiting? Too many limitations that hindered a smooth function
government
What could the government do?
1. Declare war
2. Coin money
3. Establish post offices
4. Send & recall ambassadors
What couldn’t the government do?
1. Impose taxes to help government
2. Regulate state trade, but allowed states to tax each other
What were the weaknesses?
1. No executive or judicial branches, unicameral legislature
2. Each state had their own currency
3. All colonies had to approve laws in order to pass them
4. Only 1 vote per state regardless of size
Could do?
1. Appoint governors, members of executive & judicial branches
2. Offered freedoms of press, religion & trial by jury
Could not do?
1. governors had limited power & only 1 yearly term
2. Could not be ratified (to make official) by people
Lasted for? 12 years
How was it similar to the Articles of Confederation?
Unicameral legislatures
Limited powers
Many weaknesses
Date:
Class ID:
Pg. # 37
SS8H4a: Analyze the strengths & weaknesses of both the GA constitution of 1777 & the Articles of Confederation & explain how weaknesses
in the Articles led to its revision
SS8H4b: Describe the role of GA at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, include Abraham Baldwin & William Few & reasons why GA ratified
the new constitution
Constitutional Convention of 1787
Bill of Rights: 1st 10 Amendments to the Constitution
Why did this convention take place? Founders realized weaknesses & knew
change needed to happen
Why? States desired greater constitutional protections
Adopted when? 1791
Problems that happened?
1. Threats from Europe & Native Americans
2. States fighting
3. Could not maintain military forces
4. Build roads or canals
5. Too difficult to pass laws
6. No separation of powers (only legislature)
GAs role at the convention? Helped pass 3/5 compromise because the
southern states favored slavery, helped pass Great Compromise which
changed representation in the legislative branch
Who met? Representatives from all 13 colonies
Purpose? To either get rid of or rewrite Articles or write a new constitution
Result of convention? Wrote the current US Constitution
Three-Fifths Compromise: Allowed slaves to be counted a part of states
population, only 3/5 of a person
Great Compromise: Created a bicameral legislature: Senate had 2 reps per state
& House of Reps members was based on state population
What is the difference between unicameral & bicameral? Unicameral: only 1
part; bicameral: 2 parts
Abraham Baldwin: Connecticut
born, Yale graduate, chaplain in
army, lawyer, Congressman,
Senator, Constitution signer from
GA, instrumental in getting Great
Compromise passed (changed his
vote), helped create UGA
William Few: North Carolina born,
soldier, judge, GA & NY legislator,
Constitution signer from GA, bank
president