BUILDING A NEW NATION

AKS M 49 C 30 a-d D 32 a-c D 33 a-c D 34 a-b

The official end of the Revolutionary War was the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The newly independent US and GA now faced the challenge

of creating a system of government for our state and the new nation.

http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/stories/georgia_and_the_united_states_constitution

Washington Accepting the British surrender At Yorktown

GA Constitution of 1777 • Replaced the Rules &

Regulations • Whigs (patriot extremists in GA)

controlled the writing of the document – Govt based on separation of

powers with 3 branches – Included the rights of citizens – Created a powerful

unicameral legislature because they believed it was closer to the people

• Appt judges • Selected the gov for 1 yr

terms – John Treutlen, a Salzburger,

was selected as the 1st gov. John Treutlen

Articles of Confederation • 1st document that

governed the US • Written during the

American Rev. • Intentionally

designed to create a weak central gov’t because US wanted a gov’t very diff from Britain.

• The gov’t was a unicameral legislature; each state had 1 vote – No executive branch – No national courts

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

– Congress could not: • levy taxes • force states to obey its laws • regulate or manage trade between states or with foreign

countries – Laws needed to the approval of 9 of the 13 states – All 13 states had to agree to amend (change)

the Articles – Each state had its own money system – There was no executive branch – There was no judicial branch – Huge war debt; U.S. had hard time paying back

other nations & still owed money to men who fought in the American Revolution

Do You Remember?

1. Why did the young United States establish such a weak government in 1781?

2. Name at least 3 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

3. Compare the GA Constitution of 1777 to the Articles of Confederation.

4. Contrast the GA Constitution of 1777 to the Articles of Confederation.

A Change Is Needed • George Washington & other

leaders see the problems of the Articles

• Leaders of VA call for a meeting in Annapolis, MD in 1786 to discuss trade problems—known as the Annapolis Convention – 5 states attend (VA, DE,

NY, NJ, PA ) – Call for a general mtg in

Philadelphia in May 1787 to discuss the problems with the Articles

Constitutional Convention • Held in Philadelphia 1787 • 55 men represent 12 states

(Rhode Island refused to send delegates)

• George Washington selected

President of the Convention • Realized strengthening the

Articles of Confederation was not enough—Articles have to be replaced

• Each state had one vote • 7 out of 12 states had to

approve all proposals • Meetings held in secret • GA represented by Abraham

Baldwin & William Few

Baldwin Few

GA’s Role at the Convention • Sent 4 men: William

Pierce, William Houstoun plus Baldwin & Few

• Only Baldwin & Few stay for the whole time & sign for GA

• Baldwin’s vote for the Small State Plan forces a compromise committee to be formed—results in the Great Compromise.

• Baldwin appt to the committee—helped write the Great Compromise

The US form of Government • Delegates to the

Convention studied many forms of government and all want to create a republic.

• Republic: form of government in which power resides with the citizens who elect representatives to make laws.

Organizing the Government • James Madison of VA has

researched gov’t for years & comes with a plan

• VA Plan – Represents the interests of

large (in terms of pop) states – Strong national gov’t

• Can tax & regulate trade – 3 branches – legislative,

executive, judicial – Bicameral (2 houses) with

representation based on state population; large states will have more votes

James Madison

Organizing the Government • Small states oppose the

VA Plan • William Paterson of NJ

offers an alternative known as the New Jersey Plan – Weak central gov’t – 1 house (unicameral)

legislature with each state having 1 vote

– Central gov’t can tax & control trade

– National courts & chief executive included

The Great Compromise

• Committee created to make a compromise to settle the disagreement over representation & formation of the national legislature—led by Roger Sherman of CT

• Resulted in the Great Compromise – Bicameral legislature known

as Congress • Upper House (Senate) would

have 2 members per state • Lower House (House of

Representatives) would have representation based on state population.

– Executive branch headed by the president

– National court system established

R. Sherman

US Supreme Court White House

3/5 Compromise

• Next argument was over how to determine population for House representation – Southern states (except

VA) have smallest population; want to include their slaves

– Northern states are more populous; most have abolished slavery & want to exclude slaves in the pop count for House members

• 3/5 Compromise – South can count 3 out of

every 5 slaves for House representation purposes

– South must also pay taxes to national gov’t based on this same number

Should citizens or Congress elect the President?

• Created the Electoral College system: –Each state’s legislature allowed to have as

many “electors” as they had members of Congress (2 Senators + # of members of the House).

–State representatives voted for the electors who would vote for President and Vice President.

• Still use this same system today

Target Answer these questions:

1. What two groups make up the US Congress? 2. How many senators does each state have? 3. How is representation determined for each state in the House of Representatives?

EXTRA CREDIT

1. Who is the Congressman that represents you? When is this person up for re-election?

2. What Congressional district do you live in? 3. Who are your 2 US Senators? 4. What is a Class for US Senators? How

does it apply to your senators?

The Constitution

• On Sept. 17, 1787, the writing of the Constitution was finished.

• James Madison known as “Father of Constitution” as he wrote the majority of it.

• Each state held its own convention of delegates elected by the people of the state to discuss and vote on ratification (agreement).

Federalists vs. Antifederalists • Federalists - supported Constitution

– Disputes among states made it difficult to get things done

–Strong national government is more efficient and still protects citizen’s rights.

• Antifederalists - opposed the Constitution –National Government would be too strong, no

checks and balances on the government. –No document that spelled out basic freedoms of

people.

Ratification of Constitution

• 9 out of 13 states needed to ratify

• By June 21, 1788, 9 states had ratified it & the Constitution became law.

• Georgia was 4th state to ratify Constitution

• GA ratifies the Constitution because it supports a strong national gov’t

GA lost British economic support and was in bad shape and needed support from a strong national government.

U.S. Constitution

The US Constitution

Few’s & Baldwin’s signatures

on the Constitution http://flocabulary.com/us-constitution/

Preamble: Purposes

Article 1: Legislative

Article 2: Executive

Article 3: Judicial

Article 4: Federalism

Article 5: Amending

Article 6: Supremacy Clause

Article 7:

Ratification

Balance of Power Separation of Power: Each branch has its own separate powers in the gov’t Checks & Balances: Each branch has at least one power that allows it to oversee or control the other 2 branches. Example: President can veto legislation from Congress

http://flocabulary.com/3-branches-of-government/?utm_campaign=monthly-newsletter&utm_source=hubspot_email_marketing&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3036864&_hse=olive_thomas%2540gwinnett.k12.ga.us&_hsmi=3036864&_hsh=36e6dda5fb9696224232a0f422c39f04

The Preamble (introduction) to the Constitution

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.

What 6 goals are stated in the Preamble?

Six Goals of the Preamble 1. To form a more perfect union = have a better

national government. 2. Establish justice = have lawful ways of settling

conflicts. 3. Insure domestic tranquility = have peace in all

states. 4. Provide for the common defense = be able to

protect ourselves from enemies. 5. Promote the general welfare = have good living

conditions. 6. Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and

our posterity = have freedom for ourselves and future generations of Americans.

5 Basic Principles of the Constitution

•Popular Sovereignty = Gov’t belongs to the people.

•Limited Government = Gov’t only has powers people grant it. Can’t take away individual’s freedoms.

•Separation of Powers = 3 branches of gov’t spread authority to govern.

•Checks and Balances = each branch of gov’t serves as check on other branches to balance power.

•Federalism = a system where the national, state, & local govts share authority over the same land & people

1st Ten Amendments

• In 1791, Congress had approved 10 amendments to the Constitution which prevent the government from interfering with the rights of individual people.

• These 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights.

Bill of Rights 1. Freedom of: Religion, Press, Speech, Petition, and

Assembly

2. State militias allowed and right to bear arms

3. Bans quartering soldiers

4. Unreasonable search & seizure (for example - search warrants)

5. Self-incrimination; double-jeopardy; compensation for taking your property

6. Speedy and public trial; right to a lawyer 7. Trial by jury 8. No cruel and unusual punishment. 9. Peoples rights are not limited to the listed or stated rights. 10. Powers not given specifically to the national gov’t can be powers

of the states.