Good Afternoon! -Be sure to look for your name on the card on each desk (Your assigned table) -Grab a note sheet on your way in Agenda: -Notes (45 Minutes) -Re-Test review (10 Minutes) -Constitution Scavenger Hunt (Remainder)
The Constitution Objective 3.2
Articles of Confederation First government of the United States. Created a league of friendly states. Weak central government, strong state powers. Laid the foundation for much of the U.S. Constitution.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation Lack of Power and Money Congress had no power to collect taxes Congress had no power to regulate trade Congress had no power to enforce laws Lack of Central Power No single leader or group directed government policy No national court system existed Rules Were Too Rigid Congress could not pass laws without the approval of 9 states The articles could not be changes without the agreement of all 13 states
The Constitutional Convention Begins 1787 - Philadelphia Delegates from all the states invited to a convention to improve the Articles of Confederation 55 Delegates attended (Only R.I. did not attend)
Leaders of the Convention George Washington was asked to preside (lead) over the convention. James Madison kept notes of the discussions and is often called “The Father of the Constitution.” The men who wrote the Constitution are called the “Founding Fathers.” All the participants in the Convention were wealthy, white, males.
Issues that Divided the Nation’s Leaders The power of the federal government. Would the states or the federal government have the most power? Representation in Congress How many members of Congress would each state get? Small states wanted equal representation Large states wanted it to be determined by population of the states Slavery How would slaves be counted? Would the slave trade continue?
The Virginia Plan Called for a new national government. Threw out the Articles of Confederation Three separate branches of gov. legislative, executive, judicial Representation in the legislative branch based on population of state large states like the plan small states don’t Written by James Madison
The New Jersey Plan Calls for three branches of Government Legislative, Executive, Judicial Only one house of legislation with equal representation for each state no matter the size of population. Small states like the plan, the large states hate it. There would have to be a compromise.
The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan) Combination of Virginia and New Jersey Plan Legislature would have two houses (parts): House of Representatives Senate House of Rep. - based on the population of state Senate - two senators per each state
Slavery ⅗ Compromise For every 5 slaves, the states would count 3 people Made each slave ⅗ of a person in deciding numbers in House of Representatives. Compromise is an important aspect in a democracy
Slavery Continued Slave Trade and the Commerce Compromise The North who opposed the slave trade agreed to allow the slave trade to continue for 20 more years, after which Congress could impose regulations. Important to southerners who insisted that their economy could not survive without the slave trade.
National Authority Congress given the power to raise an army and navy levy taxes regulate foreign and interstate trade make all laws that are “necessary and proper” to implement the delegated powers Supremacy Clause - Congressional legislation is the supreme law of the land
Amendment Process
Bill of Rights First 10 amendments in the Constitution List of individual rights and limits on the government Federalists agreed to adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution to appease the Anti-Federalist and support ratification.
Ratification Nine of the thirteen states would have to ratify Constitution for it to be the new government Federalists - supported the Constitution Anti-Federalist - opposed the Constitution Federalist Papers - series of articles and essay in newspaper to sway public opinion in favor of the Constitution