The Constitution

1. The Constitution Chapter 5 “What led to the creation of the United States Constitution, and what are its key principles?”

2. Why do we need a federal government? • 1. On what occasions, or for what reasons, do people turn to the federal government? • 2. What do people expect the federal government to do to help after natural disasters?

3. A Confederation of StatesSection 1 • What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary” • Terms and People: republic Northwest Territory unicameral legislature bicameral legislature Articles of Confederation John Dickinson federal Shays’ Rebellion Land Ordinance of 1785 Northwest Ordinance of 1787

4. After the American Revolution…

5. George Washington • After the Revolutionary War ended, Washington gave up command of the army and went home • The years after the American Revolution were difficult due to disorganization and economic and political problems. • Strong state governments versus strong central government? • Nationalists wanted a stronger national government, while other people wanted to block any attempt to form a strong central government.

6. Problems • Wealthy, educated gentlemen felt ordinary citizens had too much power • Economic problems: debt of $50 million, owed by states and national governments • Excessive debt resulted in inflation, heavy taxes on goods going to other states, powerful state legislatures

8. The 1st attempt at a national government… Articles of Confederation Government: 1781-1789

9. Early Government • 13 separate states • Confederation: an alliance of separate governments that work together • Democracy: a government by the people • People wanted a republic: a government run by the people through their elected representatives

10. State Constitutions • Most had strong governors with veto power. • Most had bicameral legislatures. • Property required for voting. • Some had universal white male suffrage. • Most had bills of rights. • Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

11. Federalist vs. Anti-FederalistStrongholds at the End of the War

12. Occupational Composition of Several State Assembliesin the 1780s

13. No Chief Executive • Each state had one vote in Congress • Laws needed approval by 9 of 13 states • Congress did not have the power to tax • Congress could not draft an army • No national court system • Any changes (amendments) to the Articles required a unanimous 13 vote • Congress did not have the power to collect states debt owed to national government • Congress did not have the power to settle disputes among states FEATURES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

14. Analyzing the Articles of Confederation • Why was this included? • Did not want to have another powerful executive like King George • Wanted to protect Individual States power, feared a strong central government • Fear of being unfairly taxed as they had been by the British • Fear of a central government with a strong army that might take away rights • Fear of a central Government with a court system that might be unfair to states • Wanted to make sure states had a strong say in the shaping of our government • Fear of a strong central government that could force states to pay for things they did not want • Wanted states to have ultimate authority in resolving disputes

15. Weaknesses of theArticles of Confederation • Created a loose confederation of strong state governments • A unicameral Congress [9 of 13 votes to pass a law]. • 13 out of 13 to amend. • Representatives were frequently absent. • Could not tax or raise armies. • No executive or judicial branches.

16. Law passed by Congress that developed a system of dividing the lands northwest of the Ohio River, known as the Northwest Territory It divided the land into 36 square mile townships Each section of a township was 1 square mile or 640 acres and sold for a minimum of $1.00 an acre A typical farm was 160 acres Land Ordinance of 1785

17. Land Ordinance of 1785

18. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Plan for governing western lands • One of the major accomplishments of the Confederation Congress! • Statehood achieved in three stages: • Congress appointed 3 judges & a governor to govern the territory. • When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners  elect territorial legislature. • When population reached 60,000  elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.

19. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Law that stated how new states would be created out of the territory • Ohio 1803 • Indiana 1816 • Illinois 1818 • Michigan 1837 • Wisconsin 1848 • Congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges • When a territory had 5000 voting residents, they could write a temporary constitution and elect a government • When a territory had 60,000 in population, they could write a state constitution, which had to be approved by Congress

20. Note Taking: Reading Skill: Identify Main Ideas

21. Annapolis Convention (1786) • 12 representatives from 5 states[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA] • GOAL address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states. • Not enough states were represented to make any real progress. • Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

22. Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-1787 • Daniel Shays • Western MA • Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes.

23. Shays’ Rebellion • To repay war debt, Massachusetts passed highest tax ever to be paid in specie • Specie: gold or silver coin; worth more than paper money • Farmers in western part hit hardest because courts seized their possessions • Daniel Shays, war vet, led a rebellion that drove off tax collectors and forced courts to close

24. Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-1787

25. Shays’ Rebellion • Fighting broke out, but Congress had no money for an army • The state government finally gathered an army and quieted the rebellion in January 1787 • Demonstrated that rebels would defy any government if it acted against people’s wishes • Many farmers left for Vermont or New York • Shays, sentenced to death, eventually gets freedom

26. There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders. -- George Washington

27. Results of Rebellion • Need to strengthen the national government to avoid civil unrest • May 1787 convention in Philadelphia; 12 states (Rhode Island did not come)

28. Nationalists • Nationalists were men who wanted to strengthen the national government • Washington, Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton were famous nationalists • Believed that America was a model for the world

29. The Case For A New Constitution

30. Constitutional Convention • Philadelphia 1787 - Independence Hall • opened on May 25, 1787 • “convention of the well bred, well fed, the well read, and the well-wed.” • lawyers, landowners, planters • educated • MIA - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams • James Madison - “Father of the Constitution”

31. Foundations of the Constitution • League of Iroquois - state governs own affairs but unites for defense • Magna Carta- limit power of governor • Parliament - 1st representative legislature • John Locke- basic human rights protected • Montesquieu - separation of powers

34. Drafting the ConstitutionSection 2 • What new system of national government did the delegates agree upon at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? • Terms and People: Alexander Hamilton Great Compromise James Madison federalism Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan Three-Fifths Compromise

35. Constitutional Convention • First met in Annapolis in 1786 • 55 men met in May 1787 in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation • Every state sent delegates except Rhode Island • George Washington elected president of the Convention • Wrote the U.S. Constitution

36. James Madison • Educated man who studied for a year about how to craft a new government • College of New Jersey (Princeton); shy man • He believed that people are naturally selfish and that man could control himself through a proper government. • He believed that a proper government required a Constitution.

37. Divisions Among Men • Disputes among states and violence such as Shays’ Rebellion raised fears that the fragile nation might collapse • Choice: to amend or revise the Articles of Confederation or to form a new government • James Madison brought a plan with him;

38. Constitutional Convention • Madison had spent a year studying books on history, government, and law • James Madison kept a record of the proceedings. He will become president in 1809. He is known as the “Father of the Constitution.”

39. The Virginia Plan • Edmund Randolph of Virginia; called for a bicameral legislature • The number of representatives would be based on population • Critics of the plan were concerned that a strong President would gain king-like power

40. Provisions of Virginia Plan • 1. Added powers, including the right to tax to raise revenue and the right to regulate foreign and interstate commerce • 2. Veto power over any state legislature • 3. The proposed government would have three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial • The states with large populations supported the Virginia Plan

41. New Jersey Plan • Proposed by William Paterson of New Jersey and favored by small states • 1. Would give Congress the power to tax and regulate foreign and interstate commerce • 2. Would create executive and judicial branches • 3. Would give every state an equal vote in a unicameral Congress

42. The Great Compromise • Created a legislative branch of 2 houses – Senate with two representatives per state, and a House of Representatives, with seats based on each state’s population

43. Compromise Leads to a Plan of Government DIAGRAM Diagram: Compromise Leads to a Plan of Government

44. Three-Fifths Compromise • Question of how to count slaves to determine a state’s population? • If all slaves were counted, the Southern states would be very powerful; if none counted the Southern states would be very weak • Compromised to count three-fifths of a state’s slave population to determine representation; resulted in more representation for southern states

45. Dissenters to the Constitution TRANSPARENCY Transparency: Dissenters to the Constitution

46. Lasting Document • September 17, 1787, final draft approved • Specific enough to not be misinterpreted • Flexible enough to adapt to social, economic, political, and technological changes • Amended just 27 times • Many nations have modeled their governments after our Constitution

47. Inspiration • “We the People of 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”

48. PREAMBLE – a preliminary statement of purpose Preamble (Goals) • Form a more perfect union • Establish justice • Ensure domestic tranquility • Provide a common defense • Promote general welfare • Secure liberty

49. 3 Branches Today • Legislative: Congress, makes laws • Executive: President, enforces laws • Judicial : courts and judges who interpret laws • Constitution: Plan of government that describes the different parts of the government and their duties and powers

50. Federal Government • Power is shared among state and national authorities • Reserved Powers: reserved for the states; example—education • Delegated Powers: powers delegated to the federal government—declaring war • Concurrent powers: federal and state governments hold powers—taxation