I.State Constitutions A.Formation of a New Government 1.Colonists concerned over amount of power given to leaders. Why? 2.Most states developed bicameral legislatures a.Created laws b.Voter elected in most states 3.Executive branch a.Carried out laws b.Very little power c.Usually one-year terms

B.Rights of Citizens 1.Freedoms varied from state to state such as voting 2.Idea “all men are created equal” a.Americans question slavery b.1804 – all northern states ban slavery 3.Most states had a bill of rights

II.Articles of Confederation A.State Worries 1.Citizens felt loyalty to states, not nation 2.Nov 15, 1777 – Continental Congress passes the Article of Confederation a.National constitution b.Would go into effect after approval by all states

B.Claims in the West 1.Several states claimed large tracts of western land 2.States with no western land wanted those claims to belong to the national government 3.Worried some states would become too powerful

C.Articles Ratified 1.Ratified in 1781 when Virginia gave up land claims 2.Focused on state rights 3.Weak National Government a.Why? – Bad experience with British Monarchy b.Each state had one vote c.Could declare war, raise an army and navy, make treaties, borrow money, establish a postal system, and conduct business with Native Americans and other countries

D.Weaknesses of the Articles 1.Weaker than state governments 2.States had to enforce laws 3.No court system 4.Larger states thought they should have more than one vote 5.Couldn’t collect taxes a.Could not support wars b.Could not pay for national services

Adopted November 15, 1777 Approved by all states March 1, 1781

George Washington Our 1 st, 11 th, or 16 th President?

Samuel Huntington Thomas McKean John Hanson Elias Boudinot Thomas Mifflin Richard Henry Lee

John Hancock Nathaniel Gorham Arthur St. Clair Cyrus Griffin

What about Peyton Randolph? First President of the First Continental Congress

Thomas McKean was the first President simply titled “President of the United States” in any official documents.

For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly.

The Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

Franklin tried to argue on the Turkeys behalf but to no avail... Congress told Franklin to "go fly a kite!" Which he did. Ever since that day, the Eagle has been our mascot, but politics has been filled with turkeys. As for the Turkey he got his own holiday, Thanksgiving. Of course they don't eat an Eagle on the Fourth of July, now do they?

The Eagle was placed on the Great Seal in 1782.