Chapter 8
Confederation to Constitution
The chapter describes the development of the US
government from the Articles of Confederation to
the Constitution. It focuses on the debate
between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
over ratification and a Bill of Rights.
1777 Patriots win Battles of Saratoga. Continental
Congress passes the Articles of Confederation.
1781 Articles of Confederation go into effect.
British surrender at Yorktown.
1783 Treaty of Paris formally ends the Revolutionary
War and recognizes the independence of the
United States.
1786–1787 Daniel Shays leads a rebellion of
Massachusetts farmers.
1787 Constitutional Convention is held in Philadelphia.
1788 U.S. Constitution is ratified.
Image
1789 George Washington becomes the first
president of the United States.
To World
1791 Bill of Rights is ratified.
Image
Section 1
Main Idea: The Articles of Confederation
were too weak to govern the nation after
the war ended.
Why It Matters: The weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation led to the
writing of the US Constitution
Articles of Confederation –
1st try at government after independence…
 Strengths



Won (governed during) the American Revolution
Created Treaty of Paris 1783
Created Northwest Ordinance 1787

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Allowed creation of new states & expansion of US
Native Americans were to be treated fairly and their
lands were not to be taken from them
Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses….

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No chief executive or national courts (weak central
government)
No power to settle disputes between states or make
treaties.
No powers to tax, regulate trade, or settle disputes of land.
(Only states had these powers)
No international credibility
BOTH national governments AND each state was
allowed to print and coin (make) it’s own type of
money! How crazy is that?
Western Land Claim, 1781
AOC

What do you think was the greatest strengths
and weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation and why?
Visual
Discovery
•What is a
good title?
Shays’s Rebellion



Group of farmers led by Daniel Shays
rebelled against government because of high
debts & high state taxes.
Forced those in charge to look at our system
of government.
DIRECTLY LED TO THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION in
Philadelphia in 1787 that brought us the new
Constitution of the US.
Section 2
Main Idea: The states sent delegates to a
convention to solve the problems of the
Articles of Confederation.
Why It Matters: The Constitutional
Convention formed the plan of
government we still have today.
SUPER IMPORTANT DATE…

1787: Constitutional Convention:




CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN!!!!
WAS CAUSED BY SHAY’S REBELLION!!!!
When our Founding Fathers got together to discuss
problems with the government established after we
won the American Revolution
Instead of revising the Articles of Confederation, they
ended up writing a totally new system of government,
which we still use today.
Issues at the Constitutional
Convention….



How do we create a new government?
We know we need a central government (also called
national government) with more power and we know
we need there to be 3 equal (or mostly equal)
branches so that one branch doesn’t get too big.
The states will want to keep their powers for
themselves but we saw under the Articles of
Confederation that a system with TOO strong of
individual states and no central power to bring them
together as one, just doesn’t work.
How states will be represented in the
new government…..

Virginia Plan:

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Big states wanted to be represented based on population.
New Jersey Plan:

Small states (like Delaware and Maryland) wanted one
house legislature where every state had equal
representation.
How states will be represented in the
new government…..

Great Compromise:



bicameral (2 house) legislature
In one house states are represented according to
population (House of Representatives) This was modeled
after the Virginia Plan.
In the other, all states would have equal representation
(Senate). This was modeled after the New Jersey Plan.
Draw a picture illustrating the
relationship between the Va. Plan,
NJ Plan and the Great Comprise
Still more issues in 1787….

Three-Fifths Compromise



Determines how slaves will be counted for
representation and taxes.
Every 5 slaves = 3 free people to be taxed &
represented.
Trade


Who should regulate it?
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (CONGRESS)!!!
1777 Patriots win Battles of Saratoga. Continental
Congress passes the Articles of Confederation.
1781 Articles of Confederation go into effect.
British surrender at Yorktown.
1783 Treaty of Paris formally ends the Revolutionary
War and recognizes the independence of the
United States.
1786–1787 Daniel Shays leads a rebellion of
Massachusetts farmers.
1787 Constitutional Convention is held in Philadelphia.
1788 U.S. Constitution is ratified.
Image
1789 George Washington becomes the first
president of the United States.
To World
1791 Bill of Rights is ratified.
Image
Section 3
Main Idea: Americans across the nation
debated whether the Constitution would
produce the best government
Why It Matters: American liberties today
are protected by the US Constitution,
including the Bill of Rights.
To ratify (accept) or not to ratify…

Federalists – DEBATED FOR RATIFICATION

Wanted:



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Strong Central Government
Powerful Executive Branch
To ratify the document (Constitution) AS WRITTEN
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay
Wrote and published essays called the Federalist
Papers to help support ratification of the
constitution.
To ratify (accept) or not to ratify…
Anti-Federalists – AGAINST RATIFICATION


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Wanted stronger states (state’s rights)
More people’s rights
DEMANDED BILL OF RIGHTS BE ADDED
TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THE
GOVERNMENT!!!


Thought the proposed constitution didn’t do enough to
ensure people’s rights.
Patrick Henry and George Mason
What do the views of the Federalists and the Antifederalists
have in common? How are they different?
Federalists
Stronger national
government
One person
to head the
executive
branch
Image
Both
Antifederalists
Different
branches of
the government
Stronger state
government
Supported a bill
of rights
Feared a strong
executive
Most important compromise of all…

BILL OF RIGHTS



Anti-federalists DEMANDED the addition of
these in order to protect the American people
from the government and would not ratify the
Constitution until it was finished!
10 amendments added to the constitution.
These amendments gave certain rights
specifically to the people of the US and to the
states.
Bill of Rights…
1st: Freedom of speech, press, religion,
assembly, and petition.
2nd: Right to bear arms
3rd: No quartering of troops!
4th: Protects from unreasonable searches and
seizures
5th: Right to due process of law and freedom
from double jeopardy and self incrimination.
Bill of Rights again…
6th: Right to a speedy trial
7th: Right to a trial by jury in all civil cases
8th: No excessive bail and no cruel or unusual
punishment.
9th: People have unnamed rights like the right to
privacy.
10th: Individual states and the people are given
powers not granted to the federal government.
(SETS UP FEDERALISM)
How the grievances in the DOI were
addressed in the new government…
Grievance
Taxation w/out
representation
Quartering of
troops
King James refused
to have a judicial
branch
Denied Trial by
Jury
Constitution
Bill of Rights
Both Houses of Congress
must pass taxes. (Article 1)
3rd
Amendment
Established an
independent judicial
branch (Article 3)
7th
Amendment
7 Principals of Government

Republicanism

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
PEOPLE ELECT REPRESENTATIVES AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS!!!
Form of government based on election of officials
who make and enforce laws.
REP-rensentatives = REP-ublicanism
7 Principals of Government

Separation of Powers

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Government where all jobs (Executive, Judicial,
and Legislative) are all in one hand is known as
TYRANNY!!!
Each branch has it’s own job
Limited Government

Everyone must follow the laws, even the rulers
and the laws apply the same to everyone so no
one can take advantage.
7 Principals of Government cont….

Checks and Balances

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Each branch has specific ways to harness the
power of the other branches to make sure no one
branch gets too much power.
President can Veto laws passed by Congress
Congress can override those vetoes w/ a 2/3
majority vote
The Supreme Court makes sure laws passed by
Congress don’t go against the Constitution
The Senate must agree to all people appointed by
the President (judges, cabinet members, etc.)
7 Principals of Government cont…
again!

Popular Sovereignty

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Individual Rights


POWER TO GOVERN COMES FROM THE PEOPLE
(consent of the governed – PEOPLE RULE!)
People can create, alter, or abolish government
POwer = POpular
Unalienable rights are found in the Bill of Rights and are
guaranteed to be protected from the government and by
the government.
Federalism

Powers are divided between the national (central/federal)
government and the states’ governments.
Amending the Constitution
Homework – Answer on Netschool
Go to page 247 in your textbook to answer
the following question:
How is the process different for amending the
constitution through Congress versus the
National Convention?