chapter 7.1. why states had their own constitutions what were weakness of the confederation what...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 7.1
Why states had their own constitutions What were weakness of the Confederation What disputes existed between the states What did citizens think of the new
government.
PLEASE READ PAGES 200-205
12 States had a legislature and executive branch
Legislature passed laws
Executive enforced law Spell out rights of
citizens
States wrote constitutions to set limits on government power
States feared a central government would pass laws that were not in the best interest of the states affected.
New Laws required approval of 9 states
Congress could not regulate trade or taxes
No president to execute laws
No courts to settle conflicts between states
Conflicts between states
Money problems Could not coin
money No executive to carry
out laws Other nations take
advantage
“So long as any individual state has power to defeat the measure of the other twelve, our pretend union is but a name, and our confederation, a cobweb” Noah Webster, Sketches of American Policy
Webster advocates a strong central government to be effective
What does Noah Webster mean when he calls the United States “our pretend union is but a name”… The federal government should pay attention to
a unified defense
States disputing Virginia New York Massachusetts Connecticut North Carolina Georgia
Land Ordinance of 1785 System for setting up
Northwestern Territory Northwest Ordinance
provides way to admit new state
Needed 60,000 free settlers
Farmers Revolt (Shay’s Rebellion)
Convention Called Leaders agree to meet
to revise Articles of Confederation
Washington favored call for Convention
"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.“
Thomas Jefferson, January 30, 1787
What document created a loose alliance of independent states? Articles of Confederation
What set up a system for governing new territories? Northwest Ordinance
Giving up any claim to territories is called? cede
Name a weakness of the Articles of Confederation? Congress lacked the power to coin money No executive to carry out the laws
To become a state according to the Northwest Ordinance, territories had to have a population of? 60,000 free settlers
How many states had to ratify the Constitution before it would become law? 9 of 13 states
How did Americans such as George Washington react to the violence of Shay’s Rebellion They wanted the Articles of Confederation
revised
We now understand what difficulties are created by the Articles of Confederation
We know the limited power the central government had in governing the new country.
We understand the call for change that was advocated by the average citizen.
An amazing array of delegates came to hear
Some solutions to complaints that all had feared
Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Roger Sherman all knew
In hopes of a proposal by a chosen few
They met in a building better known as Constitution Hall
It was hot and uncomfortable; none of them were having a ball
Two rival plans were in dispute
New Jersey and Virginia, it wasn’t cute
Virginia wanted central power in the hands of threeWashington was there to keep peace and America freeJersey complained each state should have one voteJames Madison was there and he took some great notes
The Great Compromise met all their needsEventually known as the Constitution for all to heedA piece of paper that made it around the hornA new Republic was ultimately born
I never said that Mr. Flynn could rapBut it sure beats reading and filling the gapI know that some of you think this is really wackSo don’t fall asleep, you all in the back!