A Weak Confederation

Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses Accomplishments

Failures

Accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation

1. Add a state plan (Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and Land Ordinance of 1785)

2. Brought the American Revolution to a successful conclusion

Failures of the Articles of Confederation

1. Failed to gain a commercial treaty with England

2. Could not enforce a tax collection program

3. Failed to remove the French and English from their territories.

4. Spanish closed the mouth of the Mississippi River to trade

Writing a Nations Constitution

• Annapolis meeting – January 1786, to discuss regulation of commerce; 5 of 13 states participated; Hamilton demanded that states send delegates to a larger meeting the next year.

• Philadelphia Convention – 12 states and 55 delegates show up, 1787, remodel the articles of Confederation.

Issues of the Philadelphia ConventionType of union (federal or and

national union?)Federal union – states fully

sovereign, run their own affairs; like a treaty or “international association” to hold the states together.

National union – states give up some power to a sovereign central government. Have the ability to tax, court system, make laws, etc.

Great CompromiseIssue – RepresentationVirginia Plan – Madison – two

houses, representation based on population

New Jersey Plan – William Paterson – one house, each state one vote.

Connecticut Compromise – two house, one house representation would be based on population, one house each state equal

3/5 Compromise• Are slaves people or

property?????• Taxes and representation based

on population; Northerners want to count slaves as property; Southerners as people. Cannot be both.

• Compromise – slave 60% person, 40% property for tax purposes and representation.

The States Ratify

Focus

• Imagine that you were alive between 1787 and 1790.

• In what order would you have to travel to the states to see each one ratify the Constitution? (Use pages 121-123)

1. Delaware (12/1787)2. Pennsylvania (12/1787)3. New Jersey4. Georgia5. Connecticut6. Massachusetts (2/1788)7. Maryland (4/1788)8. South Carolina (5/1788)9. New Hampshire (6/1788)10. Virginia (7/1788)11. New York (7/1788)12. North Carolina (11/1789)13. Rhode Island (5/1790)

Demonstrate Reasoned Judgment• For each of these actions, list the

Amendments in the Bill of Rights (pp. 986-989) and write down whether the amendment protects the action.

1. Schools install closed circuit cameras in the bathroom to deter smoking and forbidden activities.

2. Nazis want to stage a march in a town whose people are almost all Jewish.

3. Reporters want to print stories about a person who is going to be tried for murder. The jury has not been chosen yet.

4. School officials want to search students lockers for drugs.

5. The prosecutor in a case wants to use the confession of the defendant as evidence. The defendant says he was under pressure from the police when he gave the confession. He was confused. The defense lawyer argues that the evidence should not be used.

6. A state passes a law requiring a moment of silence in public schools each day so that children may pray.

Identify Central Issues• Read pages 965-985 and answer

the following questions:1. What branch of government does

Article I protect?2. Describe three requirements for

a person to be eligible for election to the Senate?

3. What is the term of office for the president?

4. How long do federal judges hold office?

5. Why do you think the framers of the constitution gave judges terms of this length?

Characteristics of Federalists and Anti- Federalist

Federalists Anti-Federalists