Forming the Constitution

Civics and Economics Goals 1.05 Identify the major domestic problems of the nation under the Articles of Confederation and assess the extent to which they were resolved by the new Constitution.

WEAKNESS OF A NEW NATION Constitution – document that lays out the laws and principles of a government. –Colonies became individual states and drafted separate constitutions Articles of Confederation (AOC) –Set up by Congress to attempt a form of national government.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AOC was set up under a system of cooperation, or “league of friendship”. –Set up a one-house legislation known as the Confederation Congress –Only government body with control over an army and authority to deal with foreign countries on behalf of the states –The colonists refused to give power to the confederation in fear of a powerful central government. –In order for any law to be passed by Congress at least 9 of the 13 states had to agree. Differences among the states made it difficult to agree

WEAKNESSES OF 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 its laws LACK OF CENTRAL POWER  No single leader or group directed government policy  No national court system existed RULES TOO RIGID  Congress could not pass laws without the approval of 9 states  The Articles could not be changed without the agreement of all 13 states

AOC ’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ordinance of 1785 –Divided the land into townships and allowed Congress to raise money by selling the land to settlers. Northwest Ordinance –Laid the basis for the organization of new territorial governments and set a precedent for the method of admitting new states to the Union. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin

INDIVIDUAL STATES Virginia Plan - Edmond Randolph and James Madison proposed a government made up of three branches, Executive, Judicial, and Legislative. The Legislation called for two house with representatives from each state based on population. This was popular with the bigger states but not the smaller ones who thought there would be less representation for their state (Montesquieu): NEW JERSEY PLAN – also called for three branches of government, but only one house of legislation with equal representation for each state no matter the size of population. SEPERATION OF POWERS LEGISLATIVE TO MAKE LAWS EXECUTIVE TO ENFORCE LAWS JUDICIAL ADMINISTERED LAWS FAIRLY

THE COMPROMISES OF THE CONSTITUTION The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan) -A compromise for the issue of the Legislation branch, there would be two houses for the legislation branch. -House of Representatives directly elected by the people and each state granted a number of seats based on population. -The Senate elected by state legislatures with each state having two senators, regardless of population -Together both houses would comprise CONGRESS 3/5 Compromise -Southern states having WAY more slaves than the Northern States wanted to include their slaves as part of the population. The North did not want slaves counted as it would effect the number of representatives in Congress. Compromise  for every 5 slaves, the states would count 3 people. Slave Trade and 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.

THE COMPROMISES OF THE CONSTITUTION Electoral College -The constitution would create an Executive Branch with an established office of President of the United States as head of the branch. It was not practical for every citizen to vote for this national office. The President would be chosen by electors to the Electoral College (sole purpose is to elect the President every four years) If no majority can be reached by the Electoral College, then the election is decided by the House of Representatives (1800 and 1824) Bill of Rights -The constitution would not be ratified WITHOUT the approval of a number of Amendments protecting Civil Liberties. North Carolina and Rhode Island held off until these amendments had actually been submitted to Congress. The first order of business in Congress in 1789 was the pass the amendments. Consists of the first ten amendments (additions) to the constitution and stems from the principles for which the American Revolution was fought.

SHAY’S REBELLION Started by an outraged War Veteran over… …TAXES!! Economic depression hits the states after the war Many states in debt needed to pay for the war Massachusetts raises taxes –Only individual states could raise taxes –Daniel Shay starts a small rebellion that threatened the state of Massachusetts Showed the founders of government that a stronger central government was needed