Essential QuestionEssential Question

What are the key ideas What are the key ideas in the U.S. in the U.S.

Constitution?Constitution?

The ConfederationThe Confederation

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

Need for a Need for a central central governmentgovernment

Adopted in Adopted in November 1777November 1777

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation Weak central Weak central

governmentgovernment

States did not want States did not want to give up the to give up the independence they independence they had gained from had gained from fighting the Britishfighting the British

Rights of CongressRights of CongressCould:Could:

Declare warDeclare war

Raise armiesRaise armies

Sign treatiesSign treaties

Could Not:Could Not:

Tax citizensTax citizens

Regulate tradeRegulate trade

Problems with TradeProblems with Trade

States began States began taxing goods from taxing goods from other states other states because Congress because Congress had no power to had no power to control tradecontrol trade

Problems with DiplomacyProblems with Diplomacy

Britain demanded Britain demanded war debts paid, war debts paid, refused to leaverefused to leave

Spain disputed Spain disputed border between GA border between GA and FL, closed New and FL, closed New OrleansOrleans

Economic CrisisEconomic Crisis

States issued States issued paper money – paper money – became worthless became worthless due to inflationdue to inflation

Federal Federal government had government had no moneyno money

Shays’s RebellionShays’s Rebellion Massachusetts, Massachusetts,

17861786

Increasing taxes Increasing taxes hurt western hurt western farmersfarmers

Rebellion by the Rebellion by the farmersfarmers

Shays’s RebellionShays’s Rebellion Marched on Marched on

Boston, tried to Boston, tried to seize weaponsseize weapons

State militia State militia defended the defended the arsenal, killing arsenal, killing five farmersfive farmers

AftermathAftermath

After Shays’s After Shays’s rebellion, rebellion, Americans began Americans began arguing for a arguing for a stronger central stronger central governmentgovernment

A New A New ConstitutionConstitution

NationalistsNationalists

George George Washington, Washington, Alexander Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton. Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin

Supported the Supported the need for a need for a stronger central stronger central governmentgovernment

James MadisonJames Madison

Researched Researched government ideasgovernment ideas

Father of the Father of the ConstitutionConstitution

Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia

May 1787May 1787

Rhode Island Rhode Island did not did not attendattend

Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention 55 Delegates55 Delegates

George George Washington = Washington = presiding officerpresiding officer

Virginia PlanVirginia Plan

Presented by Presented by Edmund Edmund Randolph, Randolph, governor of governor of VirginiaVirginia

Virginia PlanVirginia Plan Bicameral (two Bicameral (two

houses)houses)

Number of Number of representatives representatives based upon based upon populationpopulation

New Jersey PlanNew Jersey Plan Offered by William Offered by William

PatersonPaterson

Unicameral (one Unicameral (one house)house)

Each state has Each state has equal equal representationrepresentation

Comparison of Two PlansComparison of Two Plans

Connecticut (Great) Connecticut (Great) CompromiseCompromise

Roger ShermanRoger Sherman Two houses in Two houses in

CongressCongress House of House of

Representatives – Representatives – based on based on populationpopulation

Senate – equal Senate – equal representationrepresentation

Three-Fifths CompromiseThree-Fifths Compromise

Division between Division between North and SouthNorth and South

How to count the How to count the slave population?slave population?

RatificationRatification Approved by Approved by

Congress in Sept. Congress in Sept. 17871787

Needed nine out Needed nine out of thirteen states of thirteen states to approve for it to approve for it to take effectto take effect

RatificationRatification

Great DebateGreat Debate Each state elected Each state elected

a convention to a convention to vote on the vote on the ConstitutionConstitution

Two groups Two groups formed – those formed – those who supported it who supported it and those who and those who rejected itrejected it

FederalistsFederalists

Supporters of Supporters of the the ConstitutionConstitution

The central The central government government should have should have more power more power than the statesthan the states

Anti-FederalistsAnti-Federalists Opponents to Opponents to

the the ConstitutionConstitution

States should States should have more have more power than power than federal federal governmentgovernment

The FederalistThe Federalist Main document Main document

supporting the supporting the ConstitutionConstitution

85 essays written 85 essays written by James Madison, by James Madison, Alexander Alexander Hamilton, John JayHamilton, John Jay

RatificationRatification Dec. 1787 to Jan. Dec. 1787 to Jan.

1788 – first states 1788 – first states to ratify the to ratify the Constitution:Constitution:

- Delaware- Delaware- Pennsylvania- Pennsylvania- New Jersey- New Jersey- Georgia- Georgia- Connecticut- Connecticut

RatificationRatification MassachusettsMassachusetts

Voted yes after a Voted yes after a promise was promise was made to attach a made to attach a Bill of Rights to Bill of Rights to the Constitutionthe Constitution

RatificationRatification

By June 1788:By June 1788:

- Maryland- Maryland- South - South

CarolinaCarolina- New - New

HampshireHampshire

RatificationRatification

By July 1788 By July 1788 (after receiving a (after receiving a promise for a Bill promise for a Bill of Rights):of Rights):

- Virginia- Virginia- New York- New York

RatificationRatification With the nine With the nine

needed votes, needed votes, the new the new government government was set to was set to begin on begin on March 4, 1789 March 4, 1789

RatificationRatification After the After the

Constitution was Constitution was ratified and the ratified and the new government new government begunbegun

Rhode Island and Rhode Island and North Carolina North Carolina ratifiedratified

U.S. GovernmentU.S. Government Popular sovereignty – rule by the Popular sovereignty – rule by the

peoplepeople

Representative system of Representative system of government in which elected officials government in which elected officials represent the voice of the peoplerepresent the voice of the people

U.S. GovernmentU.S. Government Federalism – power divided between Federalism – power divided between

the national government and the the national government and the statesstates

Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers

Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances Purpose?Purpose?

To prevent any one of the To prevent any one of the three branches from three branches from becoming too powerfulbecoming too powerful

Textbook – page 181Textbook – page 181

Executive Legislative

Judicial

PresidentPresident

Veto powerVeto power

Appoint judgesAppoint judges

Commander in Commander in chiefchief

CongressCongress Override vetoOverride veto

Approve Approve presidential presidential appointmentsappointments

Impeach the Impeach the presidentpresident

Federal CourtsFederal Courts

Judges serve Judges serve for lifefor life

Hear trials Hear trials regarding lawsregarding laws

AmendmentsAmendments How to make a How to make a

change to the change to the Constitution?Constitution?

Two-step processTwo-step process

AmendmentsAmendments Proposed by a Proposed by a

two-thirds vote of two-thirds vote of both housesboth houses

Ratified by three-Ratified by three-fourths vote by fourths vote by statesstates