Unit 4: The Constitution

Bell Ringer:

Based on what you know of the American Revolution and its causes. What do you think the early government of the American Colonies looked like?

*What Powers did they have?*Who was in charge?*What would they not be allowed to do?

Literacy Activity:Read through the information on the

structure of the articles of Confederation. As you read do the following:

* Highlight or underline the main ideas in #’s 2-13.

* On the back write down some ideas that you have about this government’s strengths and weaknesses.

Activating Strategy: What are the benefits and draw backs to the Articles of Confederation?

Read pages 132-137.

Create a list of features of our first government that were good and those that were not so good.

I. Articles of Confederation (1777-1789)

A. First constitution of USA

B. Written during the Revolutionary War (1777)

C. Created a “firm league of friendship” among states

II. Government under the Confederation

A. Each state has ONE vote in Congress

B. Congress choose a presiding officer- 1 yr term

C. Congress has limited power

1. no power to enforce its own laws

2. no power to regulate trade

3. cannot collect taxes

4. no national court system

5. no army or navy

Confederation diagram

1. People Vote for State Reps.

2. States make laws and choose National Reps.

3. National makes unofficial group decisions

III. Problems under the Confederation

A. Territorial Expansion

1. How to organize land in west?

2. Northwest Ordinance (1785 & 1787)

a. divided land that later became OH, IN, IL, MI & WI

b. set up a government for these territories

3. Most important act under Articles of Confederation

Indian Land Cessions:1768-1799

State Claims to Western Lands

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

The United States in 1787

B. Economic problems

1. dispute over the value of money from different states

2. nation hit by an economic depression

3. farmers begin to lose land

a. Shay’s Rebellion—MA farmers try to attack arsenal

b. Can the new government respond?

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-7

There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders.-- George

Washington

Bell Ringer:

Turn to your partner and discuss the following:

1) What was the biggest strength of the Articles of Confederation?2) What was its greatest weakness?3) How could they improve it?

IV. Constitutional Convention

A. Philadelphia- May 1787

B. 55 delegates from 12 states (RI—none)

C. GW presides over the meeting

D. Sessions held in secret

E. James Madison (VA) keeps detailed notes & has many ideas

“Father of the Constitution”

Independence Hall Philadelphia

Ben Franklin

John Hancock

Activity: Plans and Compromises

You will be divided into 4 groups and be assigned a topic to research using your book. (Your group will only have 10 minutes to read and develop an answer.) Your group will then present this information to the rest of the class. Pages 141-143

The topics are:

1) Virginia Plan 2) New Jersey Plan

3) The Great Compromise 4) The 3/5 Compromise

V. How much power should the national government have?

A. Two sides

1. strong National Government(Virginia Plan)

2. strong STATE government(New Jersey Plan)

VIRGINIA PLAN

James Madison (author)

3 branches

ExecutiveJudicial

Legislative (Congress)

Congress

Divided into two houses

Representation based on population

NEW JERSEY PLAN

William Paterson (author)

3 branchesExecutiveJudicialLegislative (Congress)

Congress

One house; equal representation for states

Connecticut Compromise

Roger Sherman (author)

3 Branches

ExecutiveJudicial

Legislative (2 houses)

Congress

Senate; 2 representatives per state

House of Representatives; based on population (at least 1 per state)

B. Solution

1. strong central government

2. states retain some power

3. power in government divided among three branches

a. Executive

b. Legislative (2 house Congress)

c. Judicial

federation diagram1. People Vote for State and National Reps.

2. States make state laws and follows National laws

3. Nation makes official Laws and policies to be followed by all citizens

VI. How should the states be represented in the new Congress?

A. Two sides;

1. large states—base on population!

2. small states—equal per state

B. Solution-The Great Compromise

1. Senate—each state 2 reps.

2. House of Representatives--# based on population (min. of 1 rep)

VII. Problem #2– How should slaves be counted?

A. Two sides

1. Southern states—count all slaves

2. Northern states—do not count ANY

B. Solution—3/5 COMPROMISE3/5 of slaves would count to determine each state’s representatives

1790 Census Information on Population

State Total Population Slave Population

% of Total

Population

Delaware 59,096 8,887 15.04%

Rhode Island 68,825 948 1.38%

Georgia 82,548 29,264 35.45%

New Hampshire 141,885 158 0.11%

New Jersey 184,139 11,423 6.20%

Connecticut 237,946 2,764 1.16%

South Carolina 249,073 107,094 43%

Maryland 319,728 103,036 32.23%

New York 340,120 21,324 6.27%

Massachusetts 378,787 0 0%

North Carolina 393,751 100,572 25.54%

Pennsylvania 434,373 3,737 0.86%

Virginia 691,737 292,627 42.3%

Total for USA 3,582,008 681,834 19.04%

Constitution Guided Reading ActivityPreamble and Article 1:

1) 2.22) 3.33) 3.44) 6.15) 6.26) 5.27) 7.38) 9.39) 10.210)5.111)7.212)10.3

Articles 4-7:

1) 4.12) 4.2.23) 4.3.14) 4.45) 56) 57) 6.28) 6.39) 6.310) 711) 7

Bell Ringer:

What are the three branches in the United States government?

What are the powers (jobs) of each?

A. Give each of the three branches a different function

SEPARATIONOF

POWERS

VIII. How can the power of the government be limited?

1. Executive Branch – carry out laws

2. Judicial Branch – interprets laws

3. Legislative Branch – makes laws

Delivery

RoadsCrime

Health

Branches of U.S. Constitution

President CongressSupreme

CourtEnforce the

LawsInterprets the

LawsMake the Laws

AgricultureCommerceDefenseEducationEnergyHealth & Human ServicesHomeland SecurityHousing and Urban

Development Interior JusticeLaborStateTransportationTreasuryVeteran’s Affairs

Executive Judicial Legislative

Senate

House Of

Representatives

LowerFederal Courts

Bell Ringer:With a partner, brainstorm a list of concerns that the Americans had about the British

government.

How are these addressed by the U.S. Constitution?

B. Set up a system of CHECKS AND BALANCES so that each branch can control what the other two branches do

Checks and Balances of the Constitution

Executive Branch

Checks on JudicialChecks on Legislative

Grant PardonsAppoint Judges

Veto BillsPropose BillsNegotiate TreatiesNominate Officials

Checks and Balances of the Constitution

Legislative Branch

Checks on JudicialChecks on Executive

Impeach JudgesMake AmendmentsApprove Judge NomineesChange # of Supreme Court Judges

Impeach PresidentOver Ride VetoReject TreatiesReject NomineesAppropriate Money

Checks and Balances of the Constitution

Judicial BranchChecks on Executive

Checks on Legislative

Interpret Laws and TreatiesDeclare Acts and Laws Unconstitutional

Interpret Laws and TreatiesDeclare Acts and Laws Unconstitutional

How a Law Gets Made

1

3

2

House of Representatives Senate President

Minimum Age 25 30 35

Length of Term 2 Years 6 Years 4 Years

Maximum number of terms Unlimited Unlimited 2 Terms

Number per stateMin. 1 per

State:Pop. Based

2 Not applicable

Total number 435 100 1

Requirements/Terms of Office

News Article on the Branches of Gov.

You need to search the internet or newspapers for an article dealing with one of the branches of the National Government. You need to cut out the article or post the web address into your edmodo assignment, summarize the article in 1-2 sentences, tell what branch it deals with, and why you think that.

Due Date: 3-25-11

Preamble:

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

prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

IX. Ratifying the Constitution

A. Nine of the 13 states had to approve before the Constitution could go into effect

B. Federalists – support the Constitution

1. a strong government is needed to protect the people

2. James Madison & Alexander Hamilton write “The Federalist Papers” to defend the Constitution

C. Anti-Federalists – oppose the Constitution

1. a strong government is a threat to the people

2. Bill of Rights needed to protect individual rights

Federalist vs. Anti-federalist

Ratification of The Constitution

State Date Ratified votes for

votes against

% in favor

Delaware Dec 7, 1787 30 0 100%

Pennsylvania Dec 12, 1787 46 23 67%

New Jersey Dec 18, 1787 38 0 100%

Georgia Jan 2, 1788 26 0 100%

Connecticut Jan 9, 1788 128 40 76%

Massachusetts Feb 6, 1788 187 168 53%

Maryland Apr 28, 1788 63 11 85%

South Carolina May 23, 1788 149 73 67%

New Hampshire June 21, 1788 57 47 55%

Virginia June 25, 1788 89 79 53%

New York July 26, 1788 30 27 53%

North Carolina Nov 21, 1789 194 77 72%

Rhode Island May 29, 1790 34 32 52%

D. Constitution is ratified by all thirteen states

E. The Bill of Rights (first ten amendments to the Constitution) is added quickly

Critical Thinking:Imagine that you are a delegate of the Congress and are writing a Bill of Rights for the new

country. What rights would you try to get into these amendments. *Remember the rights can not effect the rights, safety, health, or livelihood of other citizens,

and they need to be moral and just.

What does The Bill of Rights protect?

Open you textbooks to pages 166-167.