Chapter 5: Shaping a New Nation
Fighting the war gave the states a common goal Reluctant about a strong central government
Shaping a New Nation
Predict: What challenges might a new nation face? What might colonists want from a new
government? How much power will the government receive? Who might be left out of the new government?
Choosing a form of Government
Democracy: Government directly by the people
Republic: Government where citizens rule through their
elected representatives Why didn’t Americans create a democracy?
Placed power in the hands of uneducated masses
Republican govt: put power in the hands of capable leaders
State Constitutions
Similarties: Limited the powers of government leaders Guaranteed specific rights for citizens Liberty over equality All reflected a fear of Strong Central Government
Differences: Right to vote
Continental Congress
Met to try and draft a constitution for the states as a whole Very difficult because of disagreement in the role
of Congress
Representation
States were unequal in land, wealth & population Each state allowed one vote regardless of
population
Power
Most people assumed government could not share power
Congress proposed a new government in the Articles of Confederation
Confederation or alliance Both State & National government shared power State govt. was supreme in some cases &
National in others
Articles of Confederation
Powers: Declare war make peace sign treaties borrow $ establish a postal service deal with Natives
Articles of Confederation
Weaknesses: Created a unilateral (one house) Congress
Each state only received 1 vote
Did not create an executive dept. to enforce acts of Congress
No national court system to decide meaning of laws Unable to pass taxes No power over states No ability to raise an army No power over interstate commerce
Shays’ Rebellion 1786-87
Movement led by Daniel Shay’s in western MA Shays & other poor farmers couldn’t pay their
debt in the required hard currency Government refused appeals for help
movement turns violent January 1787- Shays & others shut down
courthouse Led people to question the strength of national
government
Annapolis Convention September 1786
After Shay’s Rebellion - it was time to talk about a stronger national government
Meeting called to discuss Articles, weaknesses & what can be done Convened as private citizens Only 5 states showed & 12 individuals
James Madison & Alexander Hamilton included Nothing is accomplished
Another meeting is called
Homework
Use your notes & pages 132-133 1. Why didn’t American create a democracy? 2. What is a republic? 3. What were the Articles of Confederation? 4. List 8 Weaknesses of the Articles. 5. Who was Daniel Shays? 6. Describe Shays Rebellion.
The Constitutional Convention
May 25, 1787
Philadelphia
Constitutional Convention
Sanction of Congress- invited all 13 States 12 States send delegates (55 in all)
Rhode Island doesn’t show Sam Adams & Patrick Henry are no shows - they
each fear strong central government PURPOSE: to revise the Articles of
Confederation Delegates want to scrap articles & start from
scratch
Convention
Two important decisions are made 1. Elect George Washington to presiding officer of
convention 2. Deliberations were held in secret
No leaks to press, No talking Don’t want to upset public , no outside influence
Convention Issues
1. Large vs. Small States 2. Weak or Strong Central Government 3. Slavery
Issue #1: Large vs. Small State
Problem #1 - How should each state be represented in government?
Suggested Solutions to Problem #1
The Virginia Plan James Madison drew up the plan He suggested that Congress be a bicameral , or two
house, legislature Made up of the House of Representatives and the
Senate Representation in the House of Representatives
would be based on the population of the state
Virginia Plan
Voters would elect members to the House Representatives in the House would select members of
the Senate Both houses would vote for the president and judges
Congress would have power to override state laws and make laws for the states Heavily populated stated favored the plan, less
populated states rejected it
Suggested Solutions to Problem #1
The New Jersey Plan William Paterson drew up the plan He suggested that Congress be a single house
legislature All states would be represented by equally in
Congress State legislatures, not the people, would elect
members of Congress Less populated states favored the plan
The Solution to Problem #1
The Great Compromise Roger Sherman of Connecticut drew up the plan The structure of Congress was determined,
Congress would consist of two houses Senate (upper house) House of Representatives (lower house)
Solution to Problem #1
The House of Representatives States would be represented in the House
according to their population size The people would elect their Representatives
The Senate States would be represented equally in the
Senate State legislatures would choose Senators
Representatives & Senators would each have
Problem #2: How to Count slaves in the population of each state
Suggestions:
Southern Suggestion-Count slaves for population, but not for taxation
Northern Suggestion- Count slaves for both representation and population or not at all
The Solution to Problem #2
The Three-Fifths Compromise 3/5ths of the slaves would be counted as
population Southern states wanted to resume importing
slaves Congress could not prohibit the slave trade for
twenty years or until 1808 James Madison felt it should be addressed in the
Constitution
Problem #3- Who should have power in the new government?
Sovereignty: The source of a governments power or authority
Solution- The new system of government was a form of federalism- divided power between the national & state government This division created a balance of power
Problem # 3 - Who should have the power in the new government?
Solution #2 Separation of Powers
Create 3 branches of government and give each branch a specific job
Branches
The ____________ Branch - Congress Job is to make laws
The ______________ Branch- President Job: to execute or carry out the laws
Elected by the electoral college
The ____________ Branch- Supreme Court Job: interpret laws and declare laws & presidential actions
unconstitutional
Prevent any branch from becoming too powerful a system of __________________ was established
Homework pgs. 137-141
1. Define ratification 2. How many states were needed to ratify the
Constitution? 3. What name was taken by those who supported the
Constitution? 4. What name was taken by those who opposed the
Constitution? 5. What were the arguments of anti-federalists? 6. What were the federalist papers? What was their
message? 7. What is a Bill of Rights?
Ratification
Official approval by the people of the United States
How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution? 9
The Constitution
What name was taken by those who supported the Constitution? Federalists
Define Federalist People who favored the balance of government
between the state and national govt. What name was taken by those who opposed
the constitution? Anti-federalists
Anti-Federalist- Arguments
Feared a strong central govt; argued it would abuse its power
Believed the National Govt would serve interest of privileged minority (wealthy) & ignore the majority (poor)
Believed single govt. could not manage the affairs of the entire country
Believed Constitution lacked Individual rights
Federalist Papers
What were the Federalist Papers? Series of 85 essays defending the Constitution Published under the name “Publius” Written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James
Madison What was their message?
Explained the protections offered by the Division of Powers and the Separation of Powers
Bill of Rights
What is a bill of rights? A formal summary of a citizen’s rights and
freedoms Did not appear in the Constitution
The federalists accepted ideas for amendments They promised that if the states ratified the
Constitution a Bill of Rights would be added
Conclusion
Constitution became the law of the land in 1789 Bill of Rights were passed in Sept. 1789 &
ratified December 1791