Creating A Constitution Constitution = a document stating the rules under which a government will operate Leaders of the new nation remembered what they had hated about British rule Americans sought to create a republic in which the states had more power than the central government Explain different levels of government…state and national As the Continental Congress began moving towards independence in 1776, leaders in the individual states began creating governments 11 of 13 states created new constitutions

Creating a Constitution Targets I can determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. I can evaluate and debate why the Constitutional Convention decided to create an entirely new framework of government. I can describe what shaped the outcome of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 I can explain how compromises solved crises in the Constitutional Convention.

Chart Who proposed the plan? What was included in the plan? Who supported the plan? Virginia Plan page 213-214 (read through The Great Compromise) New Jersey Plan page 214 Great Compromise page 214-215 (Terms of Compromise)

Federalists versus Anti-Federalists Chapter 7 Section 3 Federalists versus Anti-Federalists Federalists Leaders: John Jay James Madison Alexander Hamilton Position on the new Constitution: supported it Main argument for position: need for a strong central government

Federalists versus Anti-Federalists Leaders: Patrick Henry George Mason Position on the new Constitution: against it Arguments for position: It weakened state power It had no bill of rights The President could become like a king by being repeatedly reelected

The Ratification Debate Approval needed from 9 states before the Constitution could go into effect Importance of Massachusetts: Anti-federalists hoped it would reject the Constitution because opposition was strong where Shay’s Rebellion had occurred. It was approved after a major campaign by the Federalists Importance of Virginia: Virginia was large and powerful. If it rejected the Constitution, New York and other states might do so, too.

The Bill of Rights Many states believed that a bill of rights was essential to protect basic liberties and to protect against abuses by the federal government. First Amendment: guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and press Second Amendment: deals with the right to bear arms Third Amendment: bars Congress from forcing citizens to keep troops in their homes

The Bill of Rights Fourth Amendment: protects citizens from unreasonable searches of their homes or seizure of their property Fifth through Eighth Amendments: protect citizens who are accused of crimes and brought to trial Ninth and Tenth Amendments: limit the powers of the federal government to those granted in the Constitution.