Creating a Government
How did 13 different colonies form to become the United
State of America?
Objectives: What you should know by the end of this power point!
-The reason for creation of the Constitution.
-What the Framers agreed and disagreed on.
-What influenced the Framers when creating the Constitution.
-The type of government we have and what that means.
-The plans presented at the convention.
-Our current plan.
-How slavery played a role in the Constitution.
Why did the founders fear the abuse of power?
• “Give all power to the many, they
will oppose the few. Give all the
power to the few and they will
oppress the many”
• What does Alexander Hamilton
mean?
Why did the founders fear the abuse of power?
• “There are two passions which
have a Powerful influence on the
affairs of men. These are ambition
and avarice [greed]; the love of
power and the love of money.”
• What does Benjamin Franklin
mean?
Why did the founders fear the abuse of power?
• “From the nature of man, we may
be sure that those who have
power in their hands… will always,
when they can … increase it.”
• What does George Mason mean?
Background
• To the people their state was their
country.
• A national government was needed.
• The Articles of Confederation were our
first national government. (1777)
• After final approval in 1781 they went
into effect.
Articles of Confederation
• Colonist two biggest fear: A strong
national government / fear that
some states would have more power
than others.
• They created a weak government.
• Numerous problems:
1. couldn’t raise money
2. no power over states or it’s citizens
3. couldn’t enforce trade agreement
4. couldn’t regulate trade
5. Citizens felt their property rights
threatened.
Shay’s Rebellion
• Farmers were in debt.
• In MA government started taking their
farms.
• Daniel Shay organized an armed
rebellion.
• The rebellion is crushed, but
demonstrated the need for a stronger
central government.
• A convention is arranged with the “soul
and express purpose of revising the
Articles of Confederation.”
An invitation
• A meeting is set for Philadelphia
on May 25, 1787.
• 55 delegates arrive to the
Congress.
• Delegates would submit plans to
improve the A.o.C.
• Congress would pick a plan that
worked best.
Influences On The Framers
•Republic – a government in which the power is held by the people who elect
representatives.
•The founders believed a republican government was the best with several advantages:
1. Representatives are elected to serve the common good.
2. Having representatives make the laws more efficient.
3. The people would have a say in their government.
4. The representatives were responsible to the people.
Disadvantages:
1. Republics worked best in smaller communities.
2. The people had to be alike without much diversity.
3. Divisions would form.
But I thought we were a democracy?
• Direct Democracy: the people themselves control the government.
• James Madison is often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution” because he
adapted the idea of a Republican Government to the reality of American life.
• A laws would be made by elected representatives.
• B. representatives would be elected by large groups of people, instead of small.
• Using the principles of a democracy the founders eventually formed a
republic.
What is a Constitutional Government?
• Governments organized in such a way that one person or group
cannot get enough power to dominate the government.
-separate the powers of the gov.=
divide
the power of
gov. among different branches
or parts.
-balance the power among the branches of gov.= give each
branch methods to check
the use of power by the other
branches.
Disagreements
• Representation: How
many representatives
should the states have in
the Congress?
• Small – wanted equal
representation. (1 vote
each)
• Large – Proportional
representation. (More
people more votes)
The Virginia Plan
• James Madison had drafted a
plan for a national government.
• He called it the Virginia Plan.
• There would be a strong national
government.
The Virginia Plan
• Two governments would govern the
people.
• There would be state and national
governments.
• Both governments would get their
power from the people.
• Federalism: a system of government
where power is divided between a
federal and state governments.
The Virginia Plan
• The national government would
have the power to make and
enforce its own laws.
• It would have the power to collect
its own taxes.
The Virginia Plan
• The government would
be divided into three
branches:
• Legislative branch
• Executive branch
• Judicial Branch
• The Legislative branch would be
divided into two groups with
larger states having more reps:
• House of Representatives
• The Senate
The New Jersey Plan
• William Patterson of New Jersey
led a group of small states to
develop a new plan.
• This plan followed the framework
of the Articles of Confederation.
The New Jersey Plan
• Favored a weak national
government.
• One house in Congress
• Each state would have equal
representation.
• Congress could collect taxes.
• Regulate trade between states and
other nations.
• Three branches, where executive
branch would have several members
appointed by the Congress.
• The executive branch would appoint
judges to the courts.
Compare Side by Side:
Virginia Plan
Legislative
Branch
(make laws)
New Jersey Plan
Two (branches) houses:
representation determine
by state population or
wealth
Lower house: elected by
the people
Upper house: elected by
the lower house
One house: one vote
for each state,
regardless of size
Elected by state
legislatures
Executive
Appointed by
Branch
Legislature
(enforce laws)
Appointed by
Legislature
Judicial
Appointed by
Branch
Legislature
(interpret laws)
Appointed by
Executive
The Great Compromise: 3 parts
1. Congress would have a bicameral
legislature (2 house Congress) House of
Representatives and Senate.
2. House would be based on population
and have the power to pass taxes and
government spending.
3. Senate would be equal representation
(2 Senators per state) make changes to
taxes and spending.
The Great Compromise
Executive
Branch
Executes the
laws
People vote for
their president
Legislative
Branch
Two (branches) houses:
House: based on
population
Senate: each state gets
two
People vote for
their Reps and
Senators
Judicial
Branch
Appointed by
the Executive
Branch
Approval
required by
Legislature
Slavery and the Constitution
• The south was an agricultural
economy.
• They relied on slave labor to make
a larger profit.
• Slaves were treated as property.
• The north was more diverse and
did not rely on slave labor.
North vs South
•Slavery was about more than tariffs.
•Northern states ended the practice and
were against it. (Some from the South
were as well)
•3 Southern states refused to be apart of
the union if denied their right to slavery.
•Southern states also wanted to count
slaves, when counting state population.
Prelude to the Civil War
• The national government would not
end the slave trade before 1808.
(Basically agreeing to deal with the
issue later.)
• 3/5 Compromise – 3/5 of the slave
population would be used for counting
a states population and for tax
purposes.
• The issue was far from settled and
resulted in the Civil War years later.
Anti Federalist-people who
did not support the
Constitution
Mercy Otis Warren wrote an essay calling
for a democratic nation.
Thought too much power was taken from
the state.
Did not guarantee people’s rights
Supported from rural areas
Large states with strong economies as well
like New York
Federalists-people who
supported the Constitution
Wrote the Federalist papers (James Madison,
Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay)
Believed the division of power between state and
federal was good enough
Call for the Bill of Rights
• Anti-federalist wanted a guarantee of their rights, example speech,
bear arms
• Federalist insisted the Constitution only granted limited powers to the
government
• A Bill of Rights was promised to be added after ratification.