LAUNCHING A NEW REPUBLIC We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.

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Timeline of Important Events 1777 Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation 1781 Articles of Confederation do into effect. British surrenders at Yorktown Treaty of Paris formally ends the Revolutionary War 1783.

Timeline of Important Events 1786 – 1787 Daniel Shays leads a rebellion of Massachusetts farmers United States Constitution ratified George Washington becomes 1 st President Bill of Rights added to the Constitution.

Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris marked the end of the Revolutionary War. It was signed in Paris, France in The Treaty was signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay from America and David Hartley, a member of the English Parliament.

Treaty of Paris

Terms of the Treaty of Paris that marked the end of the Revolutionary War. Terms favorable to AmericaTerms Favorable to Britain Gained IndependenceIndividual states were required to return Loyalists’ property. Boundaries extended from the Mississippi River, Canada, and Spanish Florida.

What issues did America have to deal with as a new nation? PROBLEMSSOLUTIONS Western landsStates give up western claims – Northwest Ordinance Postwar Depression – Shay’s RebellionIssues about trade Representation in the new governmentTwo plans introduced – Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan Slavery3/5 Compromise

Articles of Confederation “United we stand, divided we fall.” – Silas Deane Representatives agreed they wanted a Republic. Disagreed about how many votes each state would have and who would rule the land west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Article of Confederation

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Lacked power to enforce laws. Lacked power to levy taxed. Lacked power to regulate trade among the states. Required all 13 states to approve changes in the Articles. Allowed Congress to issue currency, but the states were still allowed to print their own money.

Shays’ Rebellion Under the Articles of Confederation, the new nation had serious money issues. Money Congress had printed during the war was worthless. Farmers couldn’t pay their debts and were forced to sell their land and livestock to pay taxes. In 1786, a Massachusetts farmer, Daniel Shay, also a war hero from the Revolutionary War lead a rebellion to protest.

Shays’ Rebellion Continued In 1786, Shays and his followers closed down courthouse to keep judges from taking their farms. The Massachusetts government ended Shays’ Rebellion in 1787 by sending militia troop. Private donations from wealthy people had helped the sate militia put down the revolt.

Call for Convention Shay’s Rebellion shocked Congress. People worried that the nation they had fought so hard to create was falling apart. Each state was invited to send delegates to Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Western Land Claims The issue over the western lands was solved under the Articles. The large states holding vast amounts of western land ceded the land to the government under the Articles so that all the states could share in the wealth of those lands. The Northwest Ordinances were passed that provided for the creation of equal, self governing states in the Northwest Territories and the newly created states would have the same rights and privileges as the original 13 states.

The Land Ordinance of 1785 Set up a system for surveying and dividing land in the new territory. After surveyed, the land was to be divided in 36-square-mile townships. Each township would be divided into 36 numbered sections of 1 square mile each. Each section would be divided for sale to settlers and land dealers. Section 16 was always set aside for schools.

Northwest Ordinance In 1787 Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance that divided the Northwest Territory into smaller, self-governing territories. When the population reached 60,000, a territory could apply to become a state. Included a list of rights that gave a settlers the same privileges as other citizens. Forbade slavery. Most important law passed during the period of confederation.

The Virginia Plan Meant to replace – not revise – the Articles of Confederation. Called for a national government with three branches. Proposed a bicameral legislature based on population. Gave the more populous states more influence.

The New Jersey Plan Called for a less powerful federal government. There would be one house of Congress with each state having equal representation – regardless of size.

State Representation In Government The Great Compromise! 1.Legislature will have two houses – Senate and House of Representatives. 2.Senate would give equal vote for each colony. 3.House of Representatives would have representation according to state population.

Slavery Some northern states wanted to abolish slavery. Southern states opposed ending a system of labor on which their agricultural economy depended. Southerners wanted slaves to be counted when determining representation. Northerners wanted slaves to be counted for taxation but not representation. Compromise – every fifth slave would be counted as equal to three whites. The Three-Fifths Compromise settled the dispute.

Commerce Issues Northerners favored giving Congress broad powers to control trade. Southerners worried that Congress would outlaw the slave trade and place heavy taxes on southern exports such as tobacco and cotton. Compromise – Congress would have power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce, but it could not tax exports and it could not outlaw the slave trade until 1808.

Ratifying the Constitution FederalistsAnti-Federalist Supported removing some powers from the states and giving more power to the national government. Favored dividing powers among different branches of government. Proposed a single person to lead the Executive Branch. Wanted important political powers to remain with the states. Wanted the Legislative Branch to have more power than the Executive Branch. Feared that a strong executive might become a king or tyrant. Believed a Bill of Rights needed to be added to the Constitution to protect people’s rights.

Moving On!!! Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania ratified in December In January, Georgia and Connecticut; Massachusetts joined in February. By June, nine states had ratified, but New York and Virginia hadn’t voted. Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution.