Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Pair-Share: If you were James Madison (“Father” of the Constitution) what ideas would you include in the Constitution for the newly formed United States?

Today’s Standards:  * Analyze the ideological origins of the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers' philosophy of divinely bestowed unalienable natural rights, the debates on the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and the addition of the Bill of Rights.

Objective  Students will be able to analyze the issues that led to the formation of the Constitution by correctly predicting the remedy to each problem.

Introduction:  After winning the American Revolution, colonists set up a confederation, or loose union, of INDEPENDENT states.

 Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government was very weak.

 State governments did not want to give up power to a strong national government.

Difficult Vocabulary  Commerce = Trade  Interstate = between states  Regulate = to set rules for  Congress = legislature (makes laws)  Dispute = argument  Coin money = make money  Levy= place or put  Militia = military

Activity: Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation  Directions: Get with your 2:00 appointment – side by side Discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and decide a remedy for each problem. If you come up with the same remedy that the founding fathers did, you will get an extra credit point for your team.

Articles of Confederation 1. Problem: No executive branch to carry out the laws of Congress

How Remedied by the Constitution? 1. A separate executive department was created headed by the president. Its job was to enforce the Constitution and laws enacted under it and to conduct foreign relations.

Articles of Confederation 2. There was no national judiciary to handle offenses against the central government’s laws and to settle disputes between states.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 2. A judicial department was created, headed by a supreme court, to handle offense against federal laws, disputes between states, and cases involving foreign diplomats

Articles of Confederation 3. Congress did not have the power to levy taxes, It could only requisition, or request, contributions from the states.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 3. Congress was given the power to levy and collect taxes, thus freeing it from dependence upon financial contributions by the states.

Articles of Confederation 4. Congress could not regulate interstate and foreign commerce.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 4. Congress was given the power to regulate commerce between the states and with foreign nations, thus enabling it to make enforceable trade treaties with foreign nations.

Articles of Confederation 5. The states, as well as congress, had the power to coin money

How Remedied by the Constitution? 5. Only congress was given the right to coin money and regulate its value, in order to provide a single national monetary standard

Articles of Confederation 6. Congress was in no position to support an army and navy, since it could not collect taxes. It had to depend on the support of states militias.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 6. Congress, with power to tax, could afford to create a national army and navy, thereby freeing the central government from dependence upon states militias. In addition, states militias were put under the control of congress

Articles of Confederation 7. It was difficult to pass laws under the articles, since at least nine states had to approve each.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 7. Under the constitution the process of lawmaking was made easier. Bills needed only a simple majority vote of congress to become laws.

Articles of Confederation 8. The requirement of unanimous consent of all the states made amendment of the articles almost impossible.

How Remedied by the Constitution? 8. The constitution provided for amendment by two-thirds of congress and three-fourths of the states. This made change more possible, although still difficult.

Summary:  After the American Revolution, a new government was formed by the Articles of Confederation. This government had many problems which will lead to the creation of a new government under the Constitution.

Composing the Constitution

Pair-Share  What were the issues that led to the formation of the constitution and how were they resolved?