Confederation to Constitution Chapter 8

Confederation Era Section 1 1.To describe the expansion of the nation and the development of state government 2.To analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation 3.To evaluate the importance of the Northwest Ordinance 4.To identify the causes and effects of Shays’ Rebellion

Confederation Era Moving West – Wilderness Road would be cut by Daniel Boone Main road into Kentucky after 1775 By 1790, 100,000 settlers would move in More people = statehood

New State Government – After independence is declared states begin to experiment with governments Framers wanted to include democratic systems in the colonial governments – Some created different branches – Some based a bill of rights on the English Bill of Rights of 1689 All governments that were formed were a republic in nature.

The Confederation “United we stand, divided we fall.” Silas Deane – Government was needed after July 4 th 1776 Republic Debates on powers and land begin – 1 vote per state – Territory disputes – Smaller states were upset about the territory in the west

Articles of Confederation – Americans feared a strong national government would lead to tyranny or abuse of power Purposely made weak 1 vote per state, and unanimous votes for big topics – Confederation could: Wage war, make peace, and sign treaties Issue money – Confederation could not: Set Taxes Enforce the Laws

The Northwest Ordinance – US had to decide what to do about the Western Lands How to divide it? Land Ordinance of 1785 How to govern them? Northwest Ordinance 1787 – Land Ordinance of 1785 Surveyors staked out six-mile-square plots called townships Northwest Territory covered the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin

Northwest Ordinance 1787 – Governance based on population 5,000 free men in territory – Land owners could elect an assembly 60,000 free men in territory – Could apply to become a state Slavery outlawed and rivers open to navigation Freedom of Religion Trial by Jury

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Successes of the Confederation Governed the nation during the war Treaty of Paris negotiations Passed the Land Ordinance 1785 Passed the Northwest Ordinance Failures of the Confederation Lacked power enforce the law Lacked power to levy taxes Lacked power to regulate trade among the states Required all 13 states to approve changes in the Articles

Shay’s Rebellion – The country was in debt June 1783, Patriot soldier march on Congress Average tax debt was $200 a year – Most Americans didn’t make that much in a year. – Farmers were having land seized Shays’ Rebellion January 1787 – Unjust taxation – 1500 men tried to capture a federal arsenal – Soldiers would stop the uprising – Leaders realized the failure of the Confederation

Creating the Constitution Section 2 1.To identify key events leading to the Constitutional Conventions and to identify key delegates 2.To describe the delegates’ expectations 3.To analyze the major issues and compromises of the Constitutional Convention 4.To explain the compromises made regarding slavery and trade in the Constitution

Constitutional Convention is Called – Sept. 1786, 5 delegates meet in Annapolis, MD Try to create national trade laws, and they realize that they do not have the power to inforce such laws High taxes are damaging relationships Alexander Hamilton calls for convention – Shays’s Rebellion would convince 12 states to send delegates

The Convention’s Delegates – 55 delegates would converge on Philadelphia Thomas Jefferson (in spirit), Ben Franklin, George Washington, James Madison, and many more Lawyers, planters, merchants, and doctors Dubbed the Founder, Founding Father Minorities, Natives, and women not represented

Delegates Assemble – Goals varied in many ways save one Amendments to the Articles Design of new government All agreed on protecting the people – Seeking a balance of Federal Power Strong enough to protect Americans Not stronger than what can be controlled – Washington appointed

The Virginia Plan – Edmund Randolph as Speaker Virginia Plan – Three Branches: Judicial, Legislative, & Executive – Legislative made of two houses based on population/wealth Not acceptable to smaller states

New Jersey Plan – William Paterson called for the New Jersey Plan No major changes to Confederation Legislature with only one House with one vote Empower government to regulate trade and raise money by taking foreign goods – The Great Compromise Nearly a month long debate Smaller states would get equal #s in the Senate Larger states would get representation based on population in the House of Representatives

Slavery and the Constitution – Who gets counted for the House of Representatives? All men? Landowners? Slaves? Southern states want to count slaves as general population for representation, but not for taxation. Northern states want to count slaves for taxation but not towards the general population. – Three-Fifths Compromise

Ratifying the Constitution Section 3 1.To identify positions of the Federalists and Antifederalists 2.To explain the role of The Federalists papers in the ratification process 3.To describe the battle for ratification 4.To summarize efforts to pass and ratify the Bill of Rights

Federalists and Antifederalists In Sept Constitution is sent to be ratified – Two groups form during the debate over Federalism: Federalists and Antifederalists Federalists supported the idea of a centralized government sharing power with the states Antifederalist did not support the Constitution, believing that it took too much power and did not support the people.

The Federalist Papers – To calm fears and counter Antifederalists ideas essays were written Appearing first as separate papers, they would be assembled into a single book – James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay were the major authors – Appealed to reason and emotion One major advantage over the Antifederalists

The Battle for Ratification Despite the controlling the papers ratification would take just under 3 years, ending with R.I. in 1890 – Virginia and New York would be harder victories for ratification Virginia’s Patrick Henry and George Mason wanted/needed a bill of rights – Mason had been one of the 55 but refused to sign the Constitution – People’s liberty had to be ensured

The Bill of Rights – As the last seven states were ratifying the Constitution a bill of rights was being created – To set forth the rights of Americans – Way to protect the people from the government – James Madison would take up the mantel – He created a list of amendments once elected to Congress – Congress would edit his list and put them at the end of the Constitution ¾ vote was needed – 1791 Virginia cast the final vote – The Bill of Rights (Ten amendments)