Civics Activity Three

Civics Activity ThreeCivics Activity ThreeSolutionSolution

From the Articles of Confederation to the ConstitutionFrom the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution

Northwest TerritoryNorthwest Territory

Area that is now the states of Area that is now the states of OhioOhio, , IndianaIndiana, , IllinoisIllinois, , MichiganMichigan, , WisconsinWisconsin, , and part ofand part ofMinnesotaMinnesota..

Proportional RepresentationProportional Representation

The idea that the number of The idea that the number of representativesrepresentatives a state would have in a state would have in congress would be based on its congress would be based on its populationpopulation. .

FactionsFactions

This term is given to This term is given to opposingopposing political political groupsgroups. .

FederalismFederalism

Is the theory that governmental power Is the theory that governmental power should be divided between the should be divided between the statesstates and and the the centralcentral government? government?

11stst Great Awakening & Great Awakening & EgalitarianismEgalitarianism

The belief that America needed a The belief that America needed a spiritualspiritualor or moralmoral rebirth after events like the witch rebirth after events like the witch trails, led to the 1st Great Awakening. trails, led to the 1st Great Awakening. Egalitarianism was the spread of the ideas Egalitarianism was the spread of the ideas of of equalityequality. .

RepublicanismRepublicanism

Means the belief in a Means the belief in a representativerepresentativegovernment. government.

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

�� The achievements of a weak central The achievements of a weak central governmentgovernment�� Treaty of Paris 1783Treaty of Paris 1783

•• ended the Revolutionary War, gave land to the USended the Revolutionary War, gave land to the US

�� Land Ordinance of 1785Land Ordinance of 1785•• organized the new territory for settlementorganized the new territory for settlement•• one section was set aside for public educationone section was set aside for public education

�� Northwest Ordinance 1787Northwest Ordinance 1787•• provided a way for the territories to become = provided a way for the territories to become =

statesstates

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederationspecifics of the Land Ordinance 1785specifics of the Land Ordinance 1785

The Road to the Constitution of 1787, The Road to the Constitution of 1787, the Constitutional Conventionthe Constitutional Convention

�� ShaysShays’’ RebellionRebellion�� a Massachusetts farmer, Daniel Shays, led farmers a Massachusetts farmer, Daniel Shays, led farmers

who were unable to pay their mortgages on a march who were unable to pay their mortgages on a march to an arsenal to get weapons to prevent courts from to an arsenal to get weapons to prevent courts from holding session and taking their farms away.holding session and taking their farms away.

�� the Massachusetts militia was eventually able to put the Massachusetts militia was eventually able to put down the rebelliondown the rebellion

�� the the central governmentcentral government, the A of C, was powerless, the A of C, was powerless�� many leaders decided to call a convention to rewrite many leaders decided to call a convention to rewrite

the Article of Confederation to give the central the Article of Confederation to give the central govgov’’ttpowerpower

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

��CharacteristicsCharacteristics of the Articlesof the Articles��Created a weak central Created a weak central

government:government:�� 9 of 13 votes needed to pass a law9 of 13 votes needed to pass a law�� No power to enforce lawsNo power to enforce laws�� Approval by all 13 to amendApproval by all 13 to amend (13 of 13)(13 of 13)�� No military (each state had their own)No military (each state had their own)�� No power to collect taxesNo power to collect taxes�� unicameral, one branch, weak, unicameral, one branch, weak, central central

governmentgovernment

Weaknesses of Weaknesses of The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

VocabularyVocabulary

1.1. ConnecticutConnecticut2.2. James MadisonJames Madison3.3. CompromiseCompromise4.4. AntiAnti--federalistsfederalists5.5. FederalistsFederalists6.6. RatificationRatification7.7. CompromiseCompromise8.8. Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers9.9. AmendAmend10.10. ConfederationConfederation

The Road to the Constitution of 1787The Road to the Constitution of 1787The Constitutional ConventionThe Constitutional Convention

�� The major problems of the Articles of Confederation The major problems of the Articles of Confederation included deciding how much power a central government included deciding how much power a central government would have and how to deal with the new landwould have and how to deal with the new land�� The new land was dealt with effectivelyThe new land was dealt with effectively

�� The power of a central government proved too weak to The power of a central government proved too weak to solve major problemssolve major problems�� ShaysShays’’ RebellionRebellion

�� A Constitutional Convention was organized to fix, make A Constitutional Convention was organized to fix, make changes to ( ??changes to ( ??--termterm--?? ) the Articles of Confederation.?? ) the Articles of Confederation.

�� They soon realized it would be easier to just start over.They soon realized it would be easier to just start over.

Unicameral and BicameralUnicameral and Bicameral

��LegislatureLegislature�� The part of government that holds the power to make the lawsThe part of government that holds the power to make the laws

��UnicameralUnicameral�� A legislature with one chamber (house)A legislature with one chamber (house)

•• –– What ever they decide, becomes law. ***What ever they decide, becomes law. ***

��BiBi--CameralCameral�� A legislature with two chambers (houses) A legislature with two chambers (houses)

•• –– BOTH houses have to approve potential laws. ***BOTH houses have to approve potential laws. ***

*** Checks and Balances*** Checks and Balances�� Other branches of government may have a say in what is and is Other branches of government may have a say in what is and is

not law!not law!

The Road to the Constitution of 1787, The Road to the Constitution of 1787, the Constitutional Conventionthe Constitutional Convention

�� at the convention, competing plans were at the convention, competing plans were suggested and compromises neededsuggested and compromises needed

�� the Virginia Planthe Virginia Plan�� a bicameral legislature, based on populationa bicameral legislature, based on population

�� the New Jersey Planthe New Jersey Plan�� a unicameral legislature, based on equalitya unicameral legislature, based on equality

�� the Great Compromise / Connecticut Planthe Great Compromise / Connecticut Plan�� a bicameral legislature, the upper house based on a bicameral legislature, the upper house based on

equality and the lower house based on populationequality and the lower house based on population

The Road to the Constitution of The Road to the Constitution of 1787, the Constitutional 1787, the Constitutional

ConventionConvention�� 3/5s Compromise3/5s Compromise

�� a slave counts as 3/5s a person for tax and a slave counts as 3/5s a person for tax and for representation purposes (for the House of for representation purposes (for the House of Representatives)Representatives)

�� The Commerce and Slave Trade The Commerce and Slave Trade CompromiseCompromise�� the slave trade will continue until 1808the slave trade will continue until 1808�� Congress can regulate interstate and foreign Congress can regulate interstate and foreign

tradetrade

The Federalist and The Federalist and The AntiThe Anti--FederalistFederalist

Patrick HenryPatrick Henry

AntiAnti--FederalistFederalist

Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

FederalistFederalist

Federalists and AntiFederalists and Anti--FederalistsFederalists

Federalists and AntiFederalists and Anti--FederalistsFederaliststhe two the two factionsfactions that disagreed about the that disagreed about the

new Constitution of 1787new Constitution of 1787

�� powerful central powerful central govgov’’tt�� separation of powersseparation of powers

into Legislative, into Legislative, ExecutiveExecutive, and , and JudicialJudicial

�� checks and balanceschecks and balances, , for example the veto, for example the veto, Senate approves Senate approves Presidential Presidential appointments,...appointments,...

�� states rightsstates rights, states , states more powerful than more powerful than the central the central govgov’’tt�� unicameral, weak unicameral, weak govgov’’tt

is preferredis preferred�� checks and balances checks and balances

not needed, central not needed, central govgov’’tt is weakis weak


�� Loose interpretationLoose interpretationof the Constitutionof the Constitution

�� Wrote Wrote The Federalist The Federalist PapersPapers, 85 , 85 newspaper articles newspaper articles explaining the explaining the advantages of the advantages of the new Constitution that new Constitution that created a powerful created a powerful central governmentcentral government

�� Strict interpretationStrict interpretationof the Constitutionof the Constitution

�� Wrote a few Wrote a few AntiAnti--Federalist PapersFederalist Papers

�� Demanded a Demanded a Bill of Bill of RightsRights added to the added to the Constitution to limit Constitution to limit the power of the new, the power of the new, central governmentcentral government


�� agreed to add a agreed to add a Bill of Bill of RightsRights in exchange in exchange for votes to ratify the for votes to ratify the new Constitution of new Constitution of 17871787

�� the Constitution of the Constitution of 1787 was adopted 1787 was adopted after VA and NY after VA and NY voted to ratify it voted to ratify it (9 States)(9 States)

�� the Antithe Anti--Federalists Federalists voted to ratify the voted to ratify the Constitution, and Constitution, and worked to get the 1worked to get the 1stst

10 Amendments, the 10 Amendments, the Bill of Rights, added Bill of Rights, added in 1791, to the new in 1791, to the new ConstitutionConstitution

Electoral collegeElectoral college

�� Electoral CollegeElectoral College –– Debate over how the Debate over how the President of the United States would be chosen.President of the United States would be chosen.�� President elected indirectly by electors from each President elected indirectly by electors from each

state.state.�� Each state has a number of electoral votes based on Each state has a number of electoral votes based on

their number of Senators and Representatives their number of Senators and Representatives combined and most states operate on the winner take combined and most states operate on the winner take all principle.all principle.

�� Winner Take All Principle: Whomever wins the Winner Take All Principle: Whomever wins the popular vote in that state gets ALL of that states popular vote in that state gets ALL of that states electoral votes.electoral votes.

�� The 23The 23rdrd amendment gave electoral votes to amendment gave electoral votes to Washington D.C.Washington D.C.

The Three BranchesThe Three BranchesSeparation of PowersSeparation of Powers

�� Legislative BranchLegislative Branch�� Executive BranchExecutive Branch�� Judicial BranchJudicial Branch

�� Makes the LawsMakes the Laws�� Enforces the LawsEnforces the Laws�� Interprets the LawsInterprets the Laws

Checks and Balances keepsChecks and Balances keeps““each branch in their proper placeeach branch in their proper place””

Bill of RightsBill of Rights

�� 11--10 amendments10 amendments�� The Constitution was passed without themThe Constitution was passed without them�� The guarantee of a bill of rights was a key The guarantee of a bill of rights was a key

factor in convincing some states to ratify factor in convincing some states to ratify the constitution.the constitution.

�� North Carolina and Rhode Island were the North Carolina and Rhode Island were the two big hold outstwo big hold outs

�� North Carolina failed to ratify the North Carolina failed to ratify the Constitution on its first vote.Constitution on its first vote.

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Civics Activity Three