A NEW NATION

• Drafted during the Revolutionary War• Submitted to the states for ratification

(approval) in Nov. 1777

• Union would be a “league of friendship”

• Article 11• “Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom,

and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.”

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATIONCONFEDERATION – ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT STATES

Powers of the national government:Declare warMake peaceSign treatiesBorrow moneyEstablish postal service

Deal with Native Americans

National government had NO…Executive branchNational court systemPower to taxPower to regulate commerce

National currency

Ability to enforce the powers it did hold

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• Governing Western Lands• Western land claims had been surrendered to national

government

• Land Ordinance of 1785• Plan for surveying land• Government would divide land into townships (36 sq.

miles)• Each township would consist of 36 sections (1 sq. mile)• Sections could be purchased by western settlers

A GROWINGNATION

Northwest Ordinance of 1787Congress provided procedure for dividing land into territoriesArea bounded by the Ohio, the Mississippi, and the Great Lakes Carved into between 3-5 territories

Established requirements for admission of new states1. Congress appoints territorial governor and judges

2. 5,000 voting residents = drafting of temporary state constitution and elect a legislature

3. 60,000 population = draft state constitution and submit to Congress for approval

TERRITORIES BECOME STATES

Each state functioned independently

Confederation did not recognize population differencesEach state got one vote in Congress

Amending Articles required unanimous consentAll states had to agree to a change

Country lacked unityContinued British and Spanish presence posed threat

PROBLEMS EMERGE UNDER ARTICLES

• Massachusetts wanted to pay off its debt

• Taxes burdened many of moderate income• Debtors filled prisons• Foreclosures skyrocketed

• Daniel Shays• War veteran & farmer in Massachusetts• Leads mob to Springfield (over 2,000 men)• Prevent courts from meeting

• Opposed by state troops, Shays attempts to take arsenal in Springfield• Private citizens had to fund movement to put down rebels

DANIEL SHAYS’ “LITTLE REBELLION”

“What a triumph for our enemies…to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves”

- George Washington

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vQjYzyx9Q

1. Shay’s rebellion was an uprising largely involving what group of people?

2. How would you describe the level of success of this rebellion?

3. From a national viewpoint, this rebellion led many to believe that what change was necessary?

Were you surprised by Samuel Adams reaction and actions during this rebellion?

SHAY’S REBELLION CONT’D

Convention opened in May 1787 in Philadelphia, PA Called for by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton All states, except for Rhode Island, sent delegates George Washington would preside

Delegates decide to construct a new plan for government Revision of the Articles of Confederation NOT AN OPTION

Too diffi cult to change

Federalism – division of power between national and state governments

Republic – country where citizens rule through elected representatives

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

SEPARATION OF POWERS

CHECKS&

BALANCES

MAKES

LAWS

ENFORCES LAWS

INTERPRETS LAWS

Levy taxesRegulate interstate and foreign tradeRaise and maintain an army and navy; summon a militia

Make treatiesCoin moneyTax imports or exports

MAJOR SHIFT IN POWER

CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS:WHAT POWERS SHOULD THIS NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT BE GRANTED?

Virginia Plan Drafted by James Madison

Pushed for representation in the national legislature to be based on population

New Jersey Plan Prepared by William

Paterson

Maintain existing system of equal representation for each state

CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS:WHO SHALL CONTROL THE NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT?

House of Representatives (lower house) – places assigned according to population

Senate (upper house) – would have equal representation; each state was to have two members

The GreatCompromiseAKA – Connecticut

Compromise

Introduced by Roger Sherman

Population used to determine state’s share of federal taxes

Northerners – slaves should be counted

Southerners – slaves should NOT be counted

Population used to determine state’s # of representatives in the House of Representatives

Northerners – slaves should NOT be counted

Southerners – slaves should be counted

CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS:WOULD SLAVES BE COUNTED TOWARDS

A STATE’S POPULATION?

Three-fifths CompromiseIt was agree that “three-fifths of all other persons” should be counted for both purposes

FederalistsSupporters of the Constitution

Individuals described as: Substantial individuals

Well-to-do

Interested in orderly and efficient government over the safeguarding of individual freedoms

Anti-FederalistsOpposed the Constitution

Believed government created by Constitution too powerful

Individuals described as: Small farmers Debtors People desiring free

choice Resented those who

sought power

FEDERALISTS VS. ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Federalists:Authors of The Federalist Papers Alexander Hamilton

Authored roughly 50 James Madison

Authored roughly 30 John Jay

Authored 5

Essays were submitted under pseudonym “Publius”

Anti-Federalists:

Richard Henry Lee

Patrick Henry The Constitution

“squints towards monarchy”

Samuel Adams “As I enter the

building, I stumble at the Threshold”

FEDERALISTS VS. ANTIFEDERALISTS

Eighty-five essays published in New York newspapersThe New York JournalNew York AdvertiserDaily Advertiser Independent Journal

Intended as response to Anti-Federalists attacks being published in the newspapers

Also published later in two volumes

THE FEDERALIST PAPERS

Article 7Constitution was to be ratified (approved) in state conventions

Constitution would have the endorsement of the people

Required approval of 9 of the 13 states

RatificationDec. 1787 – Feb. 1788

Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut, Massachusetts

Apr. – June 1788 Maryland, South

Carolina, New Hampshire (June 21)

RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION