Bellwork – Quiz You don’t need paper – I’ll give you a clicker.

please turn your homework into the basket

What is the meaning of this political cartoon (created In 1754)?

Learner Outcome:

• Identify the motivation for the Constitutional Convention and analyze the events and outcomes of the Convention.

Articles of Confederation

• After declaring Independence in 1776 the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation as their 1st national government

• They established a WEAK central government and most of the power laid with the states.

United States of America

Articles of

Confederation

THE ARTICLES OF

CONFEDERATION =

WEAK SAUCE!!!!!!!

• 1 vote per state

• 9/13 needed to pass

laws

• 13/13 needed to pass

amendments (changes)

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

NO POWER TO DRAFT AN ARMY. IT COULD ONLY REQUEST STATES TO SEND MEN FOR MILITARY SERVICES.

Why was this included?

What are some possible

problems with this feature?

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

No power to settle disputes between states.

Example: - Connecticut and Virginia almost went to war over land claims!

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

•No power to coin money, so The U.S. did not have a common currency.

• Americans carried money from the federal government, state government, and foreign nations.

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

No power to tax. It could only request tax money from the states. What are some possible problems with this feature?

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

No power to collect state debts owed to the federal (national) government.

The U.S. was unable to pay its debts!

Examples:

- The U.S. owed money to France, Holland, and Spain for loans made during the Revolutionary War.

- The U.S. had not paid many of its own soldiers!

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Problems with Congress (Legislative Branch)

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Problems with President (Executive Branch)

• The nation did not have a

President, or Chief

Executive.

•What are some of the

possible problems with

this feature? White House

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Problems with Courts (Judicial Branch)

• The nation lacked a

national court system.

•What are some of the

possible problems with

this feature?

Supreme Court

The Last Straw: Shay’s Rebellion • An armed uprising in

Massachusetts in 1786 was led by Daniel Shays.

• Most of the rebels were poor farmers who owed debt and taxes and faced going to prison.

• They wanted lower taxes, debt relief, and paper currency.

• They attempted to attack and close down MA courts so their property wouldn’t be seized.

2nd Try: Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia, 1787)

12 of the 13 states attended (except Rhode Island) George Washington was elected president of the

convention On May 30th, framers approved the removal of the

Articles of Confederation and chose to create a government consisting of three branches:

1. Legislative 2. Executive 3. Judicial

Constitutional Convention Simulation

• With the nations many problems many people began to

criticize the articles.

• Wealthy individuals feared anarchy & revolution. They

called for a strong federal government!

• A meeting was called in Philadelphia to fix the articles in

1787 ….

Constitutional Convention Simulation

• 12 groups – each will represent one of the twelve states that attended the Constitutional Convention.

• Use "1790 United States Census Data" and background info to complete Part 1.

• Part 2: Class discussion: All twelve "states" should share their answer to the same question before answering the next question. Students should be filling in the information on their "The Constitutional Convention Simulation: Tally Sheet".

Simulation Essential Questions

1. What were some of the issues faced by the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?

2. How did states differ over these issues?

3. How did the outcomes of the simulation of the Constitutional Convention compare to the outcomes of the actual event that took place in Philadelphia in 1787?

State For

Virginia Plan

For New Jersey

Plan

Wants slaves

included in

population

Wants representation

based on population

Comments

New Hampshire

New York

Massachusetts

Maryland

North Carolina

South Carolina

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Delaware

Virginia

Georgia

Connecticut

Total

Goals:

1. Security

2. Economy

3. debt

4. gov't organization

Constitutional Convention - 1787 Framers worked in secrecy 12 of the 13 states except Rhode Island May 25 – Met in Philadelphia and elected Washington president of

the convention May 30th - approved the removal of the Articles and creation of a

government consisting of three branches: 1. Legislative 2. Executive 3. Judicial

The Virginia Plan

• Strong Central Government

• 3 Branches

oLegislative - bicameral (two houses). Representation based on population

oExecutive – one national executive

oJudicial

• Slaves included in population

The New Jersey Plan

• Limited power of the central government

• 3 Branches

o Legislative - Unicameral (one house) Equal representation for each state

o Executive - More than one Chief Executive

o Judicial

• Slaves not counted as part of population

States that Favored the Virginia Plan

• Maryland (5 delegates)

• Massachusetts (4 delegates)

• New York (3 delegates)

• North Carolina (5 delegates)*

• Pennsylvania (8 delegates)

• Virginia (7 delegates)

States that Favored the New Jersey Plan

• Connecticut (3 delegates)

• Delaware (5 delegates)

• Georgia (4 delegates)*

• New Hampshire (2 delegates)

• New Jersey (5 delegates)

• South Carolina (4 delegates)

Great Compromise

• Bicameral Legislature

• Senate: Equal representation

• House: Based on population

3/5 Compromise

• Slaves would count as three-fifths of a person

• 3/5 of a person for population

• 3/5 of a person for taxation

Exit Slip Identify 2 problems of the Articles of Confederation that were fixed by the US Constitution. Be sure to describe how these problems were solved.