How do you form a government?

The Articles of Confederation

Moving West

People moved west because of many rich, river valleys (Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio areas)

They had many problems with the Native Americans that lived there. Lots of fights broke out.

New State GovernmentsEach state began creating their own government after the Declaration

The states wanted to keep the same political system that they had as colonies but just make them more democratic.

The one thing that every state had was a republican form of government

Articles of Confederation “United we stand, divided we fall”

Our first constitution

Created by the Continental Congress in 1776

The national government had few powers under this plan because Americans were afraid that a strong government would lead to tyranny

The national government was run by a Confederation Congress

Each state had only one vote in Congress

The national government could wage war, make peace, sign treaties and issue money

The states could set taxes and enforce national laws

Northwest Ordinance

In the Treaty of Paris, the colonies won the lands to the west, all the way to the Mississippi River

They made this land into townships which were six-mile square plots of land

This territory formed the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota

When there were 5000 free males in an area, an assembly could be elected and when there were 60,000 people, they could apply to become a new state

Slavery was outlawed, freedom of religion and trial by jury were guaranteed

This ordinance was important because it set a pattern for orderly growth of the United States.

Shay’s Rebellion

Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress (the national government) could not make money (didn’t have the power to tax) so they depended on the states to send them money (but they didn’t)

In Massachusetts, people had little money but the state kept charging high taxes. The average family owed $200 a year in taxes which is more than most farmers made. So, many farmers fell deep into debt. Debt laws were harsh so if you couldn’t pay your taxes, your property would be auctioned off and if that didn’t raise enough money, you would be jailed.

A Revolutionary War veteran named Daniel Shays led a rebellion of farmers.

In January 1787, Shays and his men marched on a federal arsenal (where they store weapons). The arsenal was guarded by 900 soldiers from the state militia. The farmers were defeated but they gained sympathy from many people.

This led to many leaders to believe that we needed a stronger national government

The Convention

There were 55 delegates to the Philadelphia Convention

The convention was held at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA (the same place that the Declaration was signed)

12 states sent delegates (Rhode Island did not send delegates)

The People

George Washington was named the President of the convention

James Madison took very detailed notes of every thing that took place at the convention. Many of the ideas that became the constitution were his ideas. He is called the “father of the Constitution

All delegates were male, white and ranged in age from 26 years old to 82 years old!

The Rules of the Convention

The single, most important rule of the convention was SECRECY!!!! They were not to talk about any of the issues or discussions outside of room they were in!!!!

The convention took place in May through September of 1787.

These men spent all day in a hot room with the windows shut, no air conditioning and candles burning for light. Not to mention that they were all wearing heavy, fancy suits!

Virginia Plan• Proposed by Edmund Randolph (on behalf of James

Madison and George Washington)• 3 Branches of Government

• Legislative- make the laws• Executive- execute the laws• Judicial- interpret the laws

Bicameral Legislature- both houses’ representation determined by a state’s population

Upper House- Senate

Lower House- House of Representatives

New Jersey Plan• William Paterson proposed it• 3 Branches of government

• Legislative• Executive• Judicial

One House Legislature- Unicameral

Each state would have an equal number of representatives

The Great Compromise

• Roger Sherman constructed the compromise

• 3 Branch Government (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)

• 2 House Legislature• House of Representatives- number

of representatives that a state gets is dependent on their population

• Senate- each state gets 2 Senators

Slavery• South

• Wanted slaves counted the same as any other people when determining a state’s population

North

Slaves should be counted only as property that could be taxed like any other property someone owns.

3/5 Compromise

• James Madison (a Virginia slave owner) proposed the compromise

• It was the only way to keep the convention moving and not fall apart

• For every 5 slaves in a state, only 3 would count for determining a state’s population for the number of representatives that they get in the House of Representatives

Slave Trade and Run-aways

• Congress could not tax exports to other countries

• Congress could not make laws on the slave trade for 20 years (1808)

• If a slave ran away, they could be returned to their owner, even if they were caught in a free state

The Chief Executive• James Wilson proposed a single executive

(chief executive)• The Chief Executive= The President• Electing this person= The Electoral College

• A group of people that cast votes for the President on behalf of their state based on the number of representatives and senators their state has in Congress. This is how we elect the President of the United States.

Federalism

• A system of government in which power is shared between the central (federal) government and the states

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

• Anti-Federalists- believed the Constitution took too much power away from the states and did not guarantee rights for the people

• Anti-Federalists also believed a President might be declared a King.

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

• Federalists• Supported removing

some powers from the states and giving more powers to the National government

• Favored giving powers among different branches of governent

• Proposed a single person to lead the Executive Branch

• Anti-Federalists• Wanted important political

powers to remain with the states

• Wanted the Legislative Branch to have more power than the Executive Branch

• Feared a strong Executive might become a King or tyrant

• Believed a Bill of Rights MUST be added to the constitution to protect people’s rights

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

Bill of Rights• When they were British citizens

they had the English Bill of Rights and they expected the same rights and protections as American citizens.

• Anti-Federalists believed a Bill of Rights was necessary to protect people against the power of the National Government.

The Law of the Land• 55 men attended the Constitutional Convention• 39 men signed the Constitution• Once it was signed it had to be approved by the

state conventions. For it to officially become the “Law of the Land” 9 out of 13 states had to approve it. By the end of 1788 it was official.

• All 13 states did finally adopt it.• George Washington was elected the 1st President

of the United States in 1789. John Adams became the Vice President.

• The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791 (the first 10 amendments, or changes, to the Constitution)