Articles of Confederation

Shays Rebellion 1786Angry farmers led by Daniel Shay revolted against debtors/banks who were foreclosing on their farms in Massachusetts.

Philadelphia Constitutional Convention 1787

Democratic Republic

The Great Compromise…• New Jersey’s Plan had each state equally represented• Virginia’s Plan proposed representation should be

based on population• Great Compromise=2 houses in Congress

A) Senate: ea state has a repB) House of reps: based on pop

Three-fifths Compromise• Delegates at the convention needed ALL states

to sign/ratify the Constitution, including the South

• Allowed slaves to count as 3/5 of a human being

Federalists Papers: a cry for ratification • Delegates knew factions would tyrannize one another

and balance was needed. • Majority (poor/farmers) vs. Minority (wealthy) – Federalists Papers written to convince states to ratify/sign

the constitution establishing a a FEDERAL government.

#10 by James Madison: conflict was caused by unequal distribution ofwealth.– What philosophers/enlightened thinkers echoed these ideas?

3 branches of Government= Seperation of Powers

Creating Checks

and Balances

Video..take notes

http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/page/key-constitutional-

conceptsQuestions to answer:

1) What happened after the Revolution that made us adopt a Constitution?2) What challenges were there to making the constitution?3) How did human nature influence how the the founding fathers structured the Constitution that framed our government?