The Articles of Confederation to Ratification of the Constitution

The Articles of Confederation to The Articles of Confederation to Ratification of the ConstitutionRatification of the Constitution

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

1) What was the Articles of 1) What was the Articles of Confederation? What were the Confederation? What were the weaknesses of the Articles of weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Confederation?

2) What debates did the founders have 2) What debates did the founders have when drafting the Constitution? when drafting the Constitution?

3) How was the Constitution finally 3) How was the Constitution finally ratified? ratified?

1) What was the Articles of 1) What was the Articles of Confederation? What were the Confederation? What were the weaknesses of the Articles of weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Confederation?

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

Need for new Need for new gov’t after gov’t after IndependenceIndependence

Every state had Every state had own constitutionown constitution

Necessary to Necessary to create a create a central central gov’tgov’t

Articles of Confederation cont.Articles of Confederation cont. Congress Congress adopted Articles of adopted Articles of

Confederation Nov 1777: first national Confederation Nov 1777: first national constitution constitution ““League of Friendship” between statesLeague of Friendship” between states

Congressional Powers includedCongressional Powers included Make war and peace, send/receive Make war and peace, send/receive

ambassadors, enter into treaties, regulate ambassadors, enter into treaties, regulate Indian affairsIndian affairs

Maintain army/navy, appoint military officersMaintain army/navy, appoint military officers Establish post offices, coin money Establish post offices, coin money

StrengthsStrengths

Land Ordinance of 1785: plan for Land Ordinance of 1785: plan for surveying, selling and settling surveying, selling and settling western territorywestern territory Each township 36 sections, each section Each township 36 sections, each section

1 square mile1 square mile 4 square miles – gov’t, 1 square mile – 4 square miles – gov’t, 1 square mile –

schoolschool Northwest Ordinance of 1787Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Plan for how new states are admittedPlan for how new states are admitted

Weaknesses ofWeaknesses of Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation

No power to enforce No power to enforce policiespolicies

No No executiveexecutive No No power to taxpower to tax 9 of 13 states had to 9 of 13 states had to

agree to pass lawsagree to pass laws 13 had to agree to 13 had to agree to

amendamend

Shay’s Rebellion Shay’s Rebellion Farmers went bankrupt Farmers went bankrupt

after warafter war Daniel Shays led a rebellion Daniel Shays led a rebellion

in Massachusetts in an in Massachusetts in an attempt to shut down attempt to shut down debtor courts debtor courts

Rebellion put down Rebellion put down by by Massachusetts militiaMassachusetts militia

Important question came Important question came up: up: what if the state can’t what if the state can’t put down a rebellion? put down a rebellion?

2) What debates did the founders have 2) What debates did the founders have when drafting the Constitution? when drafting the Constitution?

Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention

• Congress called for delegates to meet in Philadelphia 1787

• Washington presided • Madison is considered “the father”• Heated debates about representation in Congress

compromises creation of the Constitution

Representation Based on Representation Based on Population?Population?

Big States: Big States:

Virginia PlanVirginia Plan states would get reps states would get reps

based on population.based on population. Small states thought this Small states thought this

was unfair because they was unfair because they would be overpowered by would be overpowered by the larger states.the larger states.

Small States:Small States:

New Jersey PlanNew Jersey Plan Every state would get Every state would get

the same number of the same number of reps.reps.

Big states did not like Big states did not like this because thought this because thought they deserved more they deserved more votes because they votes because they had more people to had more people to represent.represent.

Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan

Should Slaves Count in Population? Should Slaves Count in Population?

Northern StatesNorthern States Low slave populationsLow slave populations WantedWanted only white only white

populations to count populations to count toward representation in toward representation in CongressCongress

Northerners did not Northerners did not want the southerners to want the southerners to get more votes in get more votes in CongressCongress

Southern StatesSouthern States High slave populationsHigh slave populations Wanted slave Wanted slave

populations to count populations to count because then southern because then southern states would get more states would get more votes in Congressvotes in Congress

Three-Fifths Three-Fifths CompromiseCompromise

Slaves would be Slaves would be counted as 3/5 of counted as 3/5 of one person when one person when calculating a statecalculating a state’’s s populationpopulation

End Slavery? End Slavery?

Another important debate was over Another important debate was over the issue of slavery and the slave the issue of slavery and the slave trade. trade.

Northern states wanted to abolish it, Northern states wanted to abolish it, Southern states did not. Southern states did not.

Founding fathers decided to keep Founding fathers decided to keep slavery out of the Constitution.slavery out of the Constitution.

Left the issue for future generations to Left the issue for future generations to decide. decide.

3) How was the Constitution finally 3) How was the Constitution finally ratified? ratified?

Federalists vs. Anti-FederalistsFederalists vs. Anti-Federalists Feds: supporters of the ConstitutionFeds: supporters of the Constitution

Favored strong national gov’t Favored strong national gov’t Believed separation of powers limited Believed separation of powers limited

gov’tgov’t Anti-Feds: opponents Anti-Feds: opponents of the of the

Constitution Constitution Opposed to strong national gov’t Opposed to strong national gov’t = lead = lead

to tyranny and abuse of to tyranny and abuse of individual/states rights!individual/states rights!

Federalists PapersFederalists Papers 85 essays in support of 85 essays in support of

the Constitutionthe Constitution Published anonymously Published anonymously

in a NY newspaperin a NY newspaper Eventually collected Eventually collected

into a book called into a book called The The FederalistFederalist

James Madison, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton and John Jay were and John Jay were authorsauthors

The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights

Anti-Federalists wanted Anti-Federalists wanted a Bill of Rightsa Bill of Rights States ratified with the promise of Bill States ratified with the promise of Bill

of Rightsof Rights In 1791 In 1791 the first 10 amendments the first 10 amendments

which protected individual and states which protected individual and states rights were approved rights were approved

DON’T FORGET YOUR SUMMARY!DON’T FORGET YOUR SUMMARY!