A government of a two-house legislators

A government which citizens rule through elected representatives

Articles of Confederation November 1777

First constitution Provided for a new central

government States gave up little power

to the central gov. “league of friendship

A.O.C.

Consist of Congress; no judicial or executive branch

Congress: 1. Conduct foreign affairs2. Maintain armed forces3. Borrow money4. Issue money

A.O.C. Congress

Each state had ONE vote regardless of size and population

All states had to approve the AOC to make any changes

Debate over new western land claims were a major problem

9 out 13 states had to agree to approve laws

The Ordinance of 1785

Ordinance means “law” Divided northwest territory into townships and sections

Divided area into 3-5 territories

Allowed territories to become equal states after they reach 60,00 population and create a state constitution

Included a bill of rights

Depreciate: To decrease in value

Continental dollar: worthless Each state had own money Who’s going to pay for the war debt?

Robert Morris’s Import Tax Need to pay revolutionary soldiers, country’s debts, states debts.

Proposed 5% import tax on all goods

Failed!

Refused to leave western forts Kept Americans out of the

foreign market place: trade Wanted Americans to pay pre-

war debts Wanted Americans to pay

loyalist like the treaty of Paris stated

Closed the lower Mississippi river to trade for Americans

Angry with Americans moving further west. Feared they would trespass on their land

Created a border between Spain and Georgia

Roots of Constitution

British style of government

Parliament English Bill of Rights

Right to have a natural right to life, liberty and property

Agreement between people and government

Montesquieu

Government should be separated and balanced against each other.

Government should be limited.

Federal System

Federalism: sharing power between federal and state

Government has the power to: tax, regulate trade, raise an army, declare war and control currency.

The Constitution becomes theSupreme Law of the Land

The Legislative Branch

Bicameral Congress: Senate and House of Representatives

Make and Pass laws of the land

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court Federal Courts Final Authority Interpret the law

Executive Branch President and his cabinet To carry out the Law Elected by the Electoral College

System of Checks and Balances Executives checks the Judicial

Judicial checks the Legislative

Legislative checks the Executive

National Citizens

Citizens elect their representative

representative answer to the citizens