The Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Convention

BR: What do you remember about the U. S. Constitution BR: What do you remember about the U.S. Constitution? What do you want to know more about it? Read pp. 132 to 139 in the textbook. republic: political system where people rule through elected representatives republicanism: govt. gets authority by the consent of the people democracy: people have influence over govt.’s decisions

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent to adopt and amend (all states had to agree) ONLY had a legislative branch; NO executive to enforce laws; NO judicial to resolve disputes was very weak: no power to require states to pay taxes--could only request money each state had one vote in Congress--benefitting smaller states states had different currency and taxed each other’s goods

Shays’s Rebellion, 1786 farmers in Massachusetts could not pay their debts--and lost their farms they marched on the capital to protest state militia forced them to leave many Ams. saw this as a sign that a stronger central government was needed to keep peace and prevent rebellion

The Constitutional Convention Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--May to September, 17, 1787 George Washington: chair of the convention John Adams and Thomas Jefferson--absent James Madison: took notes and crafted the final document; called the “father of the Constitution” attended by 55 delegates from 12 states (all except Rhode Island) debates were held in secrecy

Plans for Government had the experience of 3 branches in their states decided immediately to get rid of the Articles and start over Virginia Plan: from Madison; create a bicameral (two-house) legislature--both based on a state’s population; benefited larger states New Jersey Plan: from William Patterson; a one-house legislature--with equal representation for states; benefited smaller states

Compromises Great (Connecticut) Compromise: 2-house Congress (Senate--2 per state; House of Reps.--based on a state’s pop.) Slavery compromises: slave trade would not end until 1808; slaves counted as ⅗’s of a person for representation and taxes; fugitive slaves would be returned to their masters; word “slave” does NOT appear in the original document Commerce Compromises: no taxes on exports--just on imports; only one currency for the U.S.--no state coining money