2. The Articles of Confederation
After declaring independence, the 2nd
Continental Congress faced the challenge of
establishing a central government.
In 1777, delegates wrote the Articles of
Confederation, America’s first constitution.
A constitution is a plan of government or the
rules of a country.
It est. a “firm league of friendship”
(confederation) b/t the states and created a
Congress with each state having one vote.
3. The Articles of Confederation
Federalism: the sharing of power b/t the federal
and state governments, forming the basis of U.S.
government
Powers NOT given to the federal gov’t were
retained by the states.
Powers shared by the federal and state
governments were called concurrent powers.
The articles did not create an office of chief
executive, a system of federal courts, authorize
Congress to raise an army or tax the states.
Ratification was required by ALL 13 states and
was accomplished in 1781.
4. Weakness of The Articles of
Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was not strong
enough to govern America which now extended
to the Mississippi River.
America was in debt b/c of the Revolution and
the federal gov’t had no ability to resolve the
financial issues.
The federal gov’t could ASK for $ from the
states, but had no power to tax.
Also, the critical issue of slavery, which was
abolished in the northern states, divided the new
nation.
5. Weakness of The Articles of
Confederation
Times were tough for American farmers – many
were unable to sell their goods and pay heavy
taxes levied by the states to pay for their war
debts.
Many farmers ended up in jail and their lands
were seized.
Farmers viewed the actions of gov’t just as they
viewed England before the Revolution – a form
of tyranny.
6. Shays’ Rebellion
In January 1787, Daniel Shays, along with
1,000 other farmers, attempted to storm
the federal arsenal in Springfield, Mass.
To some, the rebellion showed the gov’t
was too weak to rule the nation.
Others, like Thomas Jefferson, believed it
served to correct the ills of government.
7. Constitutional Convention
Alarmed by the events of Shays Rebellion,
delegates from each state met in Philadelphia in
the summer of 1787 – this meeting was called
the Constitutional Convention.
Over half of the delegates served in the
Continental Congress and 1/3 of them fought in
the Revolution.
James Madison is known as the “Father of the
Constitution” because he strongly influenced the
shape of the Constitution.
George Washington was elected president of the
Constitutional Convention.
8. The United States
Constitution
Many delegates feared the establishment of a
president and placing too much power in the
hands of one individual.
The Framers (the founders, or individuals
whose ideas organized the U.S. gov’t and are
found in the Constitution): debated two plans
for improving the legislative branch
– The Virginia Plan: proposed by Edmund Randolph
and favored by the majority of delegates
– The New Jersey Plan: proposed by William Paterson
9. The United States
Constitution
The Virginia Plan
– Bicameral Legislature: one lower house elected by the
people and one upper house whose delegates are
chosen by the lower house.
– Representation in Congress based on states’
population
– Legislative branch makes the laws
– Chief executive (president) chosen by legislature
– Establishment of a federal court system
– Power to veto (prevent becoming a law) state laws
10. The United States
Constitution
The New Jersey Plan
– Unicameral legislature: Congress made up of
one house of delegates
– Maintain the Articles of Confederation
– Equal representation of states in Congress
– Gives Congress the power to tax and regulate
trade
– Establish the laws of the U.S. as supreme over
the states
11. The United States
Constitution
The Constitution would be the supreme law of the United
States.
The country would be a republic, governed by
representation of the people’s will.
The Framers est. a limited government in that it only had
powers granted to it by the Constitution.
The powers were divided and balanced b/t the gov’t: the
executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch.
Each branch of government was given the ability to
check the power of the other two branches – checks and
balances system.
12. The United States
Constitution
Three difficult problems arose:
– 1. Representation in Congress
– 2. How slaves would be counted in determining a
state’s population
– 3. The slave trade
The problems were solved by “The Great
Compromise”, proposed by Roger Sherman,
followed by the “Three-fifths Compromise”.
13. The United States
Constitution
The Great Compromise
– Bicameral legislature
– The House of Representatives: based on a state’s population
– The Senate: each state equally represented by two members
The Three-Fifths Compromise
– Three-fifths of the enslaved counted as part of the population
– Counting formula to be used for calculating taxation and
representation
The Slave Trade
– Congress agreed not to interfere with the slave trade for 20 years
– Congress could limit the slave trade after that time
14. Federalists and Anti-
Federalists
Federalists: Alexander Hamilton and James
Madison; was a political party who supported a
strong central gov’t, built upon representation of
the people; started at the 1796 election.
Anti-Federalists: Thomas Jefferson; opponents
of the Constitution; opposed the concept of a
strong central government and supported strong
state’s rights over federal power; wanted to
protect people against the abuse by federal
government
15. Bill of Rights
Several states refused to ratify (approve) the
Constitution until a Bill of Rights was added.
Bill of Rights: sponsored by James Madison in
1789 and ratified in 1791; first ten amendments
to the Constitution, which guaranteed individual
rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of
assembly, freedom of press, right to bear arms,
right to trial by jury, and the right to petition the
government.
16. The United States
Government
George Washington was America’s first
president and he est. a Cabinet, or set of advisors
that shaped a working relationship b/t the
executive and legislative branches.
The electoral college was created to limit the
people’s power to elect a President directly.
The American Revolution sparked other
revolutions in France and Latin America but the
U.S. did not want to intervene in the political
difficulties of other countries.
17. The United States
Government
When farmers in western Pennsylvania rose in
arms against the government over taxation,
known as the Whiskey Rebellion, Washington
showed the power of the federal government by
sending troops to halt the armed protest.
The rebellion occurred in response to Hamilton’s
debt plan and the tax on whiskey.
By 1796, two political parties had emerged:
Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans.
18. Federalists and Jeffersonian
Republicans
The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton,
believed the Constitution granted the federal
government implied powers, or powers not
specifically mentioned in the Constitution.
Leaders such as Jefferson and Madison
considered themselves Republicans, individuals
who believed in the strict interpretation of the
Constitution.
The emergence of political parties played a
major role in the 1796 presidential election.
19. Federalists and Jeffersonian
Republicans
John Adams, a Federalist, received the
most votes and was elected president in
1796.
Under the provisions of the Constitution,
the individual receiving the second highest
vote count became vice president.
That fell to Thomas Jefferson, a person of
very different political beliefs from
Adams.
