Post on 21-Dec-2015
The United States in 1783
America’s 1st national government was the
Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation (1777-1789)
The Articles established a weak national government in order to protect state power.
Some of the successes of the Articles
The Articles established a good system of settling
western lands
The Land Ordinance of 1785 established an orderly process
for laying out western townships
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed for local government, statehood, & outlawed slavery
in the Northwest
Major Weaknesses of the Major Weaknesses of the Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation
Shays’ Rebellion gave nationalists like Washington, Madison, Hamilton the urgencyurgency
to call for a stronger national government
Constitutional Reform Constitutional Reform • By 1787, the major flaws of the Articles of Confederation
were exposed:– Shays’ RebellionShays’ Rebellion broke out among desperate
Massachusetts farmers who faced losing their farms or being sent to debtor’s prison.–Congress called for a meeting in Philadelphia to
discuss revising the Articles and improving the national government.
Shay’s Rebellion
James Madison James Madison helped negotiate many of the compromises that made the Constitution possible &
is referred to as the “father of the Constitution”
A Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia to try and fix the
Articles of Confederation.
However, they ended up scrapping the entire thing and a new
government was created instead
The influence of Enlightenment IdeasThe influence of Enlightenment Ideas
• Members of the convention drew upon numerous enlightenment ideas, such as Montesquieu’s “separation of powers,” which argued that, to avoid tyranny, the three branches of government (legislature, executive, and judiciary) should be separated as far as possible, and their relationships should be governed by a system of checks and balances.
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention
• Virginia Plan: Two-house legislature in which the number of representatives for each state would depend on the number of people in the state. (Benefit larger states)
• New Jersey Plan: Single-house Congress in which each state was equally represented.
Constitutional Conflict!!!
• Virginia Plan– Strong national government– Three branches of government
• (legislative, executive, judicial)– Two houses of congress, based on population– Big states like it!
• VA, Penn, NC, Mass, NY, MDJUST before was voted on, NJ introduced a new plan• New Jersey Plan
– Three branches (same three)– ONE house – equal representation– Two executives
• The delegates are upset!
Lots of ideasDecided to throw out the old Constitution
what to do now?
Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise): Two houses of Congress:
–The House of Representatives (based on population)
–The Senate (equal representation)
The Constitutional Convention
• Each state would elect one member to the House of Representatives for every 40,000 people in the state.
• This led to a conflict between Northern and Southern states.
• Southern states wanted to count slaves as part of the population.
• Northern states said no because slaves could not vote and if they were counted for representation then they should also be counted for taxation.
The Constitutional Convention
• Three-Fifths Compromise: every five enslaved people in a state would count as three free persons.
• Another compromise targeted the slave trade: – Congress would not ban the slave trade until
1808.
The Federalist PapersThe Federalist Papers• The Federalist Papers
were a series of 85 articles supporting the ratification of the new United States Constitution.
• The articles were written by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton.
FEDERALISTS
ANTI-FEDERALIS
TS
Federalist vs. Anti-federalist
FederalistFederalist• Favored a strong National
government.• Believed in a loose
interpretation of the Constitution that resulted in a national government that was strong enough to do the will of the people
• George Washington, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton were Federalists
Anti-federalistAnti-federalist• Favored a weak national
government and strong state governments.
• They believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
• Demanded a Bill of Rights Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution.
• Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Thomas Paine were Anti-Federalists.
Federalists & Anti-FederalistsFederalists & Anti-FederalistsFederalistsFederalists
• Supported approval for the Constitution.
• Were well-organized and educated.
• Used Federalist Federalist PapersPapers to argue for ratification and gain public support.
AntiAnti-Federalists-Federalists • Against approving the
Constitution. –Distrusted a
government that removed power from control of the people.–Wanted more
protection of personal liberties.
• To win approval of the Constitution, the Federalists agreed to add a Bill of RightsBill of Rights to protect the people’s liberty.
• By 1788, all states except Rhode Island and North Carolina had ratified the Constitution. Nine states were all that were necessary for ratification
• All 13 states ratified the Constitution by 1790.
Effects of the Constitutional Convention
What is the US Constitution?
• The supreme law supreme law of the United States.
• It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America United States of America and the Federal Federal GovernmentGovernment of the United States.
• It provides the framework for the organization of the United States Government.
What are the basic principals of the Constitution?
• Popular Sovereignty– Government power resides in
the people • Limited government– Government is not all powerful,
can only do what the people let it.
• Separation of Powers– Helps prevent one branch from
becoming too powerful– Checks and Balances
• Federalism– Division of power among
national and state governments
What are the Checks and Balances?
1. Parts of the Constitution
We the Peopleof the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Preamble of the U.S. Constitution
Requirements Powers
Term of Office Privileges
Restrictions Organization
Election Term of OfficePowers QualificationsSuccessionSalary
Impeachment
Appointment Term of OfficePowers QualificationsSalary
The Bill of The Bill of RightsRights
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The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights
The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights
The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights
The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights
The Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights
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