US HISTORY
Chapter 7
A More Perfect Union
1777-1790
Lesson 1 – The Articles of Confederation
 Articles of Confederation
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Adopted by Second Continental Congress in November 1777
Became first constitution for US
Under the Articles, states kept most of their power
Congress could conduct foreign affairs, maintain armed
forces, borrow money, & issue currency
 Congress could NOT regulate trade, force citizens to join the
army, or impose taxes
 Under the Articles, each state had one vote in
Congress...9/13 states had to approve any laws...13/13 states
had to approve amendments
Lesson 1 – The Articles of Confederation
 Land Ordinance of 1785
 Established the procedure
for surveying & selling the
western lands north of the
Ohio River
 Set up the township system
 6 miles x 6 miles
 36 sections  each 1 mile
x 1 mile
 1 section reserved for
schools
 Lands sold at auction to
raise money to pay off debt
from Revolutionary War
Lesson 1 – The Articles of Confederation
 Northwest Ordinance
 Passed in 1787
 Created the Northwest
Territory (lands east of the
Mississippi River and north of
the Ohio River)
 NW Territory was to be
divided into 3-5 smaller
territories and each of the
smaller territories could apply
for statehood once their
population reached 60,000
 Slavery was made illegal here
 first attempt by the govt. to
stop the spread of slavery
Lesson 1 – The Articles of Confederation
 Land Act of 1800
 Law written by William
Henry Harrison (NW
Territory rep in the House
of Representatives)
 Law made it easier to buy
land in NW Territory by
setting up payment plan
 Settler had to buy at least
320 acres for
$2/acre…paid one-half of
the cost up front and rest
in four yearly payments
Lesson 1 – The Articles of Confederation
 Problems with the Articles
 Value of currency decreased,
price of goods increased
 Congress had huge debt
with no power to pay it off
(couldn’t tax)
 Britain held onto forts in the
Great Lakes region
 Spain cut off access to the
lower Mississippi River
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 Shays’ Rebellion
 Began in 1786 (MA)
 Farmers were thrown in
jail because they
couldn’t pay their debts
 Group of farmers, led by
Daniel Shays, forced
courts in western MA to
close
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 Shays’ Rebellion
 Jan 1787 – Shays & 1000
followers marched to
Springfield, MA to overtake
the federal arsenal there
 MA state militia fired on the
men, killing four
 Shays & his men
scattered...end of the rebellion
 Scared a lot of
Americans...they believed the
govt. was too weak to protect
them
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 Constitutional Convention
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Many called for a change to the Articles
Convention began in Philadelphia in May 1787
Purpose was to change the Articles
55 delegates...12/13 states represented (RI)
George Washington selected as President of the Convention
James Madison kept meticulous notes...later became known
as the “Father of the Constitution”
 Meetings were not public...delegates wanted to be free to
change their mind
 After the Convention began, decision was made to scrap the
Articles and write a new Constitution
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 Virginia Plan
 Plan was written by James
Madison, presented by
Edmund Randolph
 Called for a two-house
legislature, a chief executive
chosen by the legislature,
and a court system
 Legislature – both houses
would be based on
population
 Small states immediately
objected
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 New Jersey Plan
 Presented by William Paterson
 Called for a one-house
legislature based on equal
representation
 Legislature would be able to
set taxes and regulate trade
(unable to do these under the
Articles)
 Legislature would select
executive branch (more than
one person)
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 The Great Compromise
 Settled the debate b/w large
& small states
 Called for a two-house
legislature
 Lower House (House of
Representatives) – based on
population
 Upper House (Senate) –
based on equal
representation...each state
gets two Senators
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 3/5 Compromise
 With one house being
based on population,
question was raised on
how to count slaves
 Compromise was to count
3/5 of all slaves for
representation & taxation
purposes
 Also agreed that Congress
could not interfere with
slave trade until 1808
Lesson 2 – Forging a New Constitution
 Approval of the
Constitution
 September 17, 1787 –
delegates assembled
to sign the Constitution
 Constitution was sent
to the states...would
become the law of the
land once 9/13 states
approved it
Lesson 3 – A New Plan of Government
 Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
 Supporters of the new Constitution were called
Federalists  included George Washington,
Ben Franklin, James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, & John Jay
 Federalist Papers – series of essays written by
Madison, Hamilton, & Jay  explained why the
Constitution should be ratified
 Anti-Federalists – opposed the Constitution 
Thomas Jefferson & Patrick Henry...felt a strong
national government would take away the
individual liberties fought for in the Revolution
Lesson 3 – A New Plan of Government
 Adopting the Constitution
 Dec 7, 1787 – Delaware became the first state
to ratify
 June 21, 1788 – New Hampshire became 9th
state, made the Constitution go into effect
 NY & VA (2 largest states) still needed to ratify
 Both ratified after getting assurances that a Bill
of Rights would be passed
 May 1790 – RI becomes 13th state to ratify