DRAFTING THE CONSTITUTION

WARM UP – MARCH 2 Answer these three questions at the top of the guided notes AND take out your web quest from Monday: 1. What were the strengths of the Articles of Confederation? 2. What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? 3. What was Shay’s Rebellion?

NORTHWEST ORDINANCE Northwest Ordinance – plan for governing new lands in western territory Established a government Guaranteed rights to individuals in the territory Outlawed slavery

Trouble in Paradise: Shays’s Rebellion Daniel Shays Farmer, Revolutionary War veteran ANGRY because he can’t pay the high taxes in MA Courts continued to approve foreclosures of farms in MA September 1786-January 1787 - Shays’s Rebellion a series of revolts led by former Revolutionary War captain Daniel Shays to prevent judges in Massachusetts from foreclosing on the farms of farmers who could not pay taxes the state had levied

Trouble in Paradise: Shays’s Rebellion In January 1797, Shays organized a militia of 1,200 to march to the arsenal at Springfield, MA with the goal of taking the weapons and marching on the courthouse in Springfield. At the arsenal, state officials disbanded the mob, 4 rebels killed

Trouble in Paradise: Shays’s Rebellion Why is Shays’s Rebellion significant? Proved that the nation needed a STRONG CENTRAL gov’t! Showed that there were LARGE problems with the way state governments and the “federal” government operated under the Articles of Confederation Highlighted the difficulties facing the disjointed nation as the states were no longer unified in fighting a common enemy like in the war. Many people began to think that the new national experiment was doomed to fail.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation No central unity No president or central leader to enforce laws No national court system to resolve disputes Congress cannot tax citizens to pay debts Each state = 1 vote in a one-house legislature (regardless of population) Major decisions = 2/3 approval (war, etc) Amendments (changes) to the document, including federal laws = all 13 approval SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!

Constitutional Convention Shays’s Rebellion (1787) and other problems highlighted the need for a stronger central government… “The consequences of [an] inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereignties pulling against each other, and all tugging at the federal head will soon bring ruin on the whole… Let us have [a government] by which our lives, liberty, and property will be secured or let us know the worst at once.” - George Washington, 1786

Constitutional Convention When: 1787 Who: 55 delegates from all states (except Rhode Island) White men Wealthy – lawyers, merchants, or planters Well-educated Where: Philadelphia, PA Why: To address the problems with the Articles of Confederation and create the US Constitution

Items for Debate Congress – Unicameral (one-house) or Bicameral (2 house)? Representation in Congress – based on population or equal? Slaves – how to count in population for representation? Should the slave population continue to grow? Power of government – shared between federal and state governments? How to prevent federal government from being too powerful? Power of people – should the people directly elect leaders or should representatives elect leaders?

State Representation in Congress The Great Compromise - Roger Sherman - Bicameral Congress Senate – equal representation House of Representatives – based on population Virginia Plan - James Madison - Favored large states - Bicameral House - All representation based on state population New Jersey Plan - William Patterson - Favored small states - Unicameral House - Each state = equal votes

Slave Population & Representation in Congress The Three-Fifths Compromise Slaves would count as 3/5 of a citizen when determining population for representation in Congress AND when levying taxes North - Slave population should NOT count when determining # of Reps in Congress - Slaves SHOULD be counted when levying federal taxes South - Slave population SHOULD count when determining # of Reps in Congress - Slaves should NOT count when levying federal taxes

The Slave-Trade Compromise Slavery Debate The Slave-Trade Compromise Unregulated slave trade for 20 years, then Congress can abolish international slave trading. Free States (North) -Federal regulations on slave trade/import -Economy too reliant on slave labor Slave States (South) - No federal regulations on slave trade/import

Sharing of Power Federalism - system in which federal and state governments share power Federal (national) powers = Delegated/Enumerated Powers State powers = Reserved Powers

Limiting National Power And federal agencies

Checks and balances - a system to ensure that no governmental branch becomes too powerful

Limiting the Power of the People Upper class could not trust the “common people” with voting rationally. Electoral college - group of electors (who represent citizens) that choose the President and Vice President Reflects a fear of giving too much power to the masses

James Madison Kept extensive notes on the Constitutional Convention Played a major role in drafting (writing) the Constitution Referred to as the “Father of the Constitution”

Constitution of the United States of America Finished in September 1787, but still needed to be ratified (officially approved) by at least 9 states to take effect Preamble 7 Articles (sections) Powers of the legislative branch Powers of the executive branch Powers of the judicial branch States’ rights How to make amendments Supremacy Clause (federal laws > state laws) Signers of the Constitution

Federalists vs Anti-federalists Supporters of the Constitution Wanted a strong federal government Insisted that the checks and balances would prevent the federal gov’t from getting too powerful Opponents of the Constitution Wanted a weak federal government (favored states’ rights) Scared that the federal gov’t would become too powerful and deny individual rights

Federalists vs Anti-federalists John Adams George Washington James Madison Alexander Hamilton Urban areas - Merchants, skilled workers, laborers saw benefit of large gov’t that could regulate trade Small states States with weak economies Thomas Jefferson Patrick Henry Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee Rural areas – feared more taxes Large states States with strong economies