Social Studies Survey
Articles of Confederation to the
Constitution
All key powers
are held by the
central
government
Unitary
Strong central
government
State/regional
authorities hold
most of the
power
Federal
Confederation
Weaker central
government


Unitary System:
system of
government that
gives all key power
to the national or
central
government.
Examples: Early
Great Britain and
France
Unitary
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Regional
Authority
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Regional
Authority
Authority
List of Unitary States
Afghanistan
Albania
Abkhazia
Algeria
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African
Republic
Chad
Chile
People's Republic
of China
Colombia
Congo (Brazzaville)
Congo (Kinshasa)
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
List of Unitary States
Eritrea
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
List of Unitary States
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
North Korea
Norway
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Rwanda
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
List of Unitary States
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Syria
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Zambia
Trinidad and Tobago Zimbabwe
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Vietnam
Yemen


government that
divides the powers
between the
national and state
or provincial
governments.
Examples: United
States, Canada, and
Russia
Federation / Federal
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
List of countries with Federal Governments (24)
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Brazil
Canada
Comoros
Ethiopia
Germany
India
Malaysia
Mexico
Micronesia
Nigeria
Pakistan
Russia
St. Kitts and Nevis
South Africa
Spain
Switzerland
United Arab Emirates
United States of
America
Venezuela
Countries in
Transition to
Federalism
Iraq
Sudan
Countries
Considering a
Federal System
Sri Lanka
a
loose
union of
independent states
Confederation
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Regional
Authority
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Regional
Authority
Authority




First adopted by
Continental Congress in
1777
Ratified- approved, in
March 1781
States wanted a
confederation among
the 13 states instead of a
strong national
government
Congress was the entire
government; no federal
executive or court
 Congress
had
only powers
expressed in the
Articles
 All other power
remained with
the States
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Make War and Peace
Send and receive ambassadors
Enter into treaties
Raise and equip a navy
Maintain army by help of states
Appoint senior military officers
Fix standard of weights and measures
Regulate Indian affairs
Establish Post offices
Decide certain disputes among states
1)

Congress did not
have the power to
levy or collect
taxes
It could only raise
money by
borrowing or
requesting money
2) Congress
has no
power to
enforce
treaties
3) Every
state,
despite its
size, has
one vote
4) Congress did
not have the
power to
regulate
commerce
5) Amending the
articles required
all consent of all
states
The articles were
never amended



Greatest achievement
was of a land policy
for lands west of
Appalachia
Individual states
ceded or yielded
their claims to the
central government
Congress enacted
two land
Ordinances- laws
1.
2.
Ordinance of 1785survey and
division of West
lands by townships
Northwest
Ordinance of 1787territories to be
developed for
statehood on equal
basis w/old states
1.
2.
3.
Single territory with
Pennsylvania, Ohio
River, Mississippi
River, and Great
Lakes as boundaries
5,000 adults- ability
to elect an assembly
60,000 adults- apply
for statehood on
equal basis as older
states



Provided a government
to get us through
American Revolution
In 1783, negotiated a
peace treaty with Great
Britain and recognized
American
Independence
4 Cabinet departments:
Foreign Affairs, War,
Marine, and Treasury


States quarrel over
boundary lines and
deal with foreign
nations
1787 government
owed $40 million to
foreign governments
and Revolutionary
war vets



Armed groups of
farmers, led by Daniel
Shays, closed courts to
prevent farms from
being foreclosed
Were advancing to
arsenal in Springfield
before they were met by
4,000 militia
People began to wonder
if a stronger government
was necessary

“This dreadful situation
has alarmed every man
of principle and property
in New England. What
will give us security
against the violence of
lawless men? Our
government must be
(strengthened), changed,
or altered to secure our
lives and property.”
----Henry Knox


Concerned about problems
between the states of
Maryland and Virginia,
George Washington called
the Mount Vernon
Convention to discuss
commerce
When only 5 delegates
showed up, Alexander
Hamilton proposed they
meet again in 1787 at
Philadelphia to revise the
Articles of Confederation


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO7FQs
CcbD8
John Greene Crash Course #8
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55 total delegates
Oldest delegate and signer:
Benjamin Franklin
President of Convention:
George Washington
“Father of the Constitution”:
James Madison
All meetings were closed
Rhode Island was last state
to ratify Constitution
Constitution finished and
signed on September 17,
1787.




Limited and
Representative
Government
Power divided
between 3 branches
Limit power of state
to coin money
Strengthen National
Government
5 Compromises that changed our national
identity and government
http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/ushis
gov/themes/government/convention.htm
1) Virginia Plan (bigger states) Scrap Articles
 Congress has two houses
(each based on Population)
2) New Jersey Plan (smaller
states) equality for smaller states
 Congress has single house

keep Articles but create
stronger central government
Legislature have
two parts:
1. House of
Representativesbased on
population
2. Senate-Two per
state (elected by
state legislators)




1/3 of southern states
were African American
South wanted to count
slaves as population
but not for taxes, North
wanted opposite
3/5 of the enslaved
people would be
counted for both taxes
and population
North wanted
government to
regulate trade with
other nations, South
afraid they would
interfere with slave
trade
 Could not ban slave
trade till 1808

Congress regulated interstate and foreign
commerce
 Could not impose export taxes because
South feared Congress would cripple their
economy

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
Electoral College System:
indirect election of
president by state
electors
Presidents will serve 4
year terms
No limit on term limits
(will be changed with 22
amendment in 1951)
FEDERALIST VIEW




Favored the
Constitution
Merchants and Cities
Strong national
government
Bill of Rights not
needed, 8 states
already had one
ANTI-FEDERALIST VIEW
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Opposed the
Constitution
Farmers and Laborers
Constitution drafted in
secrecy
Extralegal (not
sanctioned by law)
States Rights
Wanted a Bill of Rights
FEDERALIST
ANTI-FEDERALIST