The Birth of the Constitution USHC 1.4. The Articles of Confederation First plan of government WEAK...

The Birth of the ConstitutionUSHC 1.4

The Articles of Confederation

First plan of government

WEAKReplaced by Constitution

Articles vs. ConstitutionArticles Constitution

Federalism  

“A Firm League

of

Friendship”

“A More Perfect

Union”

Representation

of StatesEQUAL Proportional (House)

Equal (Senate)

Taxation  States ONLY State & Federal

 Powers of

Congress

Foreign Relations

Army and NavyDeclare WarAmbassadors

Treaties

In addition to the Articles:

TaxationInterstate CommerceCurrencyCrush Rebellions

Amendments

UNANIMOUS 2/3 Congress + 3/4 States

ProblemsWith the Articles

Shays’ Rebellion

Bad Economy

Image by Beyond My Ken

The Constitutional Convention

Stated Purpose: Amend the Articles

Philadelphia, Summer 1787

Articles vs. ConstitutionArticles Constitution

Federalism  

“A Firm League

of

Friendship”

“A More Perfect

Union”

Representation

of StatesEQUAL Proportional (House)

Equal (Senate)

Taxation  States ONLY State & Federal

 Powers of

Congress

Foreign Relations

Army and NavyDeclare WarAmbassadors

Treaties

In addition to the Articles:

TaxationInterstate CommerceCurrencyCrush Rebellions

Amendments

UNANIMOUS 2/3 Congress + 3/4 States

Compromises

Lots of Them!

Statistics From the 1790 CensusState

Population

Percentage of Total

Regional Population

Number of Slaves

Percentage of

Population

New Hampshire 141,885 4% 158 0%Massachusetts 378,787 10% 0 0%Connecticut 237,946 7% 2,759 1%Rhode Island 68,825 2% 152 0%NEW ENGLAND 23% 827,443

New Jersey 184,139 5% 11,423 6%New York 340,120 9% 21,324 6%Pennsylvania 434,373 12% 3,737 1%MIDDLE STATES 958,632

NORTH OF MASON/DIXON 49%1,786,07

5 39,853 6%

Delaware 59,096 2% 8,887 15%Maryland 319,728 9% 103,036 32%Virginia 747,610 20% 293,427 39%North Carolina 393,751 11% 100,572 26%South Carolina 249,073 7% 107,094 43%Georgia 82,548 2% 29,264 35%

THE SOUTH 51%1,851,80

6 642,280 94%

TOTAL POPULATION 3,637,881

SLAVE POPULATION 681,833 15%

new jersey plan

Doesn’t Matter

Unicameral Legislature

One Vote Per State

VIRGINIA PLAN

James Madison

Bicameral Legislature

Based on POPULATION

“GREAT COMPROMISE”

House of Representatives

Lower House

SenateUpper House

Based on POPULATION

Two Votes Per State

Elected by Voters(DIRECT)

Appointed by State Legislatures

(INDIRECT)

The “Three-Fifths” Compromise

A “Not So Great” Compromise

FOR THE SOUTH

FOR THE NORTH

Slaves count 3/5 of a person for Congressional representation.

Congress can “regulate” international slave trade in 20 years.

3/5 3/5

Electoral College

# of Electors = Senators + Representatives

Each state will send electors to cast votes for President.

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

2 3

3 4

9States necessary to ratify the Constitution

Federalists Antifederalists

Supported

Opposed

Ratification

Federalist Arguments

AntifederalistObjections

Stronger Central

Government

Better EconomyLaw and

Order

Unlimited Terms

NO Bill of Rights

“National”

Government

The Federalist(aka, The Federalist Papers)

James Madison

Alexander

Hamilton

John Jay

Bill of Rights

Compromise

Amendment XThe powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.