From Articles to Constitution: Building a New Nation

1. Building a New Nation The Articles of Confederation to the United States Constitution

2. Timeline of Events • 1777 • Second Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation • Vermont abolishes slavery • 1780 • States begin ceding western land to union • Other northern states emancipate slaves

3. Timeline of Events • 1781 • The Articles of Confederation, which John Dickinson helped write five years earlier, go into effect • Joseph II allows religious toleration in Austria • 1782 • Rama I founds a new dynasty in Siam with Bangkok as the capital

4. Timeline of Events • 1783 • The Treaty of Paris at the end of the Revolutionary War recognizes United States independence • Russia annexes the Crimean Peninsula • Ludwig van Beethoven’s first works are published

5. Timeline of Events • 1784 • Russians found colony in Alaska • Spain closes the Mississippi River to American commerce • 1785 • Land Ordinance of 1785 is adopted • The Treaty of Hopewell concerning Native Americans lands is signed

6. Timeline of Events • 1785 • New York state outlaws slavery • Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries cross the English Channel in a balloon

7. Timeline of Events • 1786 • Daniel Shays leads a rebellion of farmers in Massachusetts • The Annapolis Convention is held • The Virginia legislature guarantees religious freedom • Charles Cornwallis becomes governor-general of India

8. Timeline of Events • 1787 • The Northwest Ordinance is passed • Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia • First Federalist paper written • Delaware first state to ratify new constitution • Sierra Leone in Africa becomes a haven for freed American slaves • War breaks out between Turkey and Russia

9. Timeline of Events • 1788 • New Hampshire is the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21st • The Constitution, which James Madison helped write at the Pennsylvania State House, is ratified • Austria declares war on Turkey • Bread riots erupt in France

10. Timeline of Events • 1789 • First presidential election • First Congress meets • George Washington inaugurated, April 30th • Bill of Rights passed by Congress • Judiciary Act of 1789 passed • 1790 • Funding and Assumption passed

11. Timeline of Events • 1791 • First Bank of the United States created • Ratification of the Bill of Rights completed on December 15th • 1792 • Washington reelected unanimously

12. The Articles of Confederation • Basic ideas • Two levels of government will share fundamental powers • State governments had some supreme powers while the federal government had others

14. The Articles of Confederation • Powers given to Congress • Declare war • Make peace • Sign treaties • Borrow money • Set standards for coins & for weights & measures • Establish a postal service • Deal with Native American peoples

16. The Articles of Confederation • Weaknesses • Each state had only one vote in Congress, regardless of size • Congress could not enact or collect taxes • Congress could not regulate interstate or foreign trade • No executive branch to enforce the laws of Congress

17. The Articles of Confederation • Weaknesses • No national court system to settle legal disputes • Articles could be amended only if all states approved (unanimous) • 2/3 majority needed to pass any law (9 out of 13 states) • The 13 separate states lacked national unity

18. The Articles of Confederation • By 1779, 12 states had agreed to accept the Articles of Confederation • Maryland refused until Virginia & New York agreed to cede the land • 1781 – March 1st – Maryland finally accepts the Articles of Confederation and they go into effect

19. The Articles of Confederation • Achievements • Brought the American Revolution to a successful conclusion • Fostered nationalism • Kept the states united • Negotiated and signed the Treaty of Paris (1783) • Passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

20. Land Ordinance of 1785 • Established a plan for surveying the land • Divided the land into townships of 36 square miles • Each section is 640 acres • An individual could buy a section and sell off acreage • Typical farm is 160 acres (4 farms per section) • Minimum price - $1.00 per acre

23. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Was the procedure for dividing the land into territories • Set requirements for the admission of new states • Overlooked the land claims of the native Americans

25. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Requirements for admission of new states • Congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges • A territory with 5000 voting residents (white male landowners) could write a temporary constitution and elect their own government • When the population reached 60,000 free inhabitants, the settlers could write a state constitution, have it approved by Congress and then be granted statehood

26. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Provisions • Bars slavery from the Northwest Territory • Abolishes primogeniture • Guarantees freedom of religion • Carefully defines the individuals rights in court • Establishes the rules for creating states

27. Problems under the Articles • Shays’ Rebellion • Uprising in Massachusetts (1786 – 1787) • Caused by excessive land taxation, high legal costs, and an economic depression following the Revolution • Poor farmers were threatened with loss of their property or imprisonment for their debt

30. Problems under the Articles • Shays’ Rebellion • All over the state in 1786, smaller uprisings were stopping courts from holding session • Daniel Shays led an army of 1,000 farmers to seize the arsenal in Springfield, MA • Without authorization, the Massachusetts militia stopped Shays and his men before they could seize the arsenal

31. Annapolis Convention • In 1786, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and others called for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation • The assembly met in Annapolis, MD from September 11 - 16 • Five states sent delegates to the Annapolis Convention where they decided to set a convention for the following year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

32. Annapolis Convention

33. Ending the Confederation • After Shays’ Rebellion, 12 states, except Rhode Island, sent delegates to a convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. • So in the same room that the delegates of the Second Continental Congress created and signed the Declaration of Independence, a convention was held and a group of men led by George Washington brought forth a new government after deciding to do away with the ineffective and weak Articles of Confederation.

34. Creating a New Government • In May of 1787, 55 men met in Philadelphia, PA in a closed room to revise the Articles of Confederation. • What they chose to do instead was create a brand new form of government, one that we still use today. • George Washington was elected chairman of the convention

36. Dealing with the Issues • In the process of creating a new government, the delegates needed to solve the issue at hand • Balance of Power • Congressional Vote • Slaves • Rights of the People

37. Representation in Congress • Large v. Small states • Two plans were developed • Virginia Plan • New Jersey Plan • Compromise was needed • Connecticut Compromise also known as the Great Compromise

39. Virginia Plan • Written by James Madison • Proposed a bicameral (two house) legislature with membership based on each state’s population • Lower house would be elected by the people, the upper house by the lower house • Had three levels of government that shared powers (executive, legislative, and judicial)

40. New Jersey Plan • Written by William Paterson • Proposed a unicameral (one house) legislature with each state being given one vote in Congress regardless of size • Had three levels of government that shared powers (executive, legislative, and judicial

41. The Great Compromise • Also known as the Connecticut Compromise • Written by Roger Sherman • Proposed a bicameral (two house) legislature • The upper house (Senate) would have equal representation – 2 votes per state who were elected by the state legislatures. • The lower house (House of Representatives) would have representation based on population of the state elected by the voters. • Had three levels of government that shared powers (executive, legislative, and judicial)

42. Three-Fifths Compromise • Northern v. Southern States • Northern states did not want slaves counted when figuring representation in the House of Representatives • Northern states wanted slaves counted when levying taxes • Southern states wanted slaves counted when figuring representation in the House of Representatives • Southern states did not want slaves counted when levying taxes

43. Three-Fifths Compromise • The Compromise • 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted for representation in the House of Representatives as well as for tax purposes • This settled the political issue but not the economic issue of slavery

45. Division of Powers • Strong Central Government v. Strong State Governments • Strong Central Government • Authority derives power from the people • The central government should be stronger than the states • Strong State Government • Authority derives from the states • The states should remain stronger than the central government

46. Division of Powers • Federalism • A new system of government in which powers are divided between the national government and state governments • Delegated (enumerated) powers are powers given to the national government by the Constitution • Concurrent powers are those shared by the national and state governments • Reserved powers are those only given to the states

47. Division of Powers • Delegated Powers • Print money • Regulate interstate (between states) and international trade • Make treaties and conduct foreign policy • Declare war • Provide an army and navy • Establish post offices • Make laws necessary and proper to carry out these powers • Reserved Powers • Issue licenses • Regulate intrastate (within the state) businesses • Conduct elections • Establish local governments • Ratify amendments to the Constitution • Take measures for public health and safety • May exert powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government or prohibit the states from using

48. Separation of Powers • Three Branches of Government • Executive • Headed by the President • Enforces the laws • Legislative • Headed by Congress • Makes the laws • Judicial • Headed by the Supreme Court • Interprets the laws

50. Checks and Balances • This system was established to prevent any one branch from dominating the others. • Each branch is given powers so that they may check to make sure the others are not abusing the powers given to them.