Forging a New Constitution Objective: describe the struggle to preserve and fund a strong central government

Need for Change Depression – period when economic activity slows and unemployment increases

Shay’s Rebellion When farmers could not pay taxes or debts, the states were taking their land and throwing them in jail Showed that the national government could not respond to the economic crisis or to an armed threat to the government

Slavery in the New Republic Slavery existed and was legal in every state North begins working to end slavery Virginia passed a law that encouraged manumission – the freeing of individual enslaved persons Southern plantations depend on slave labor; white southerners fear economic system would die without slavery Slavery begins to divide the north and south

Discrimination Freed African Americans face discrimination even in states that do not allow slavery Not allowed to go to many public places Few states gave them the right to vote Most of their children could not go to school with white children

Summary Why did farmers in Massachusetts rebel in 1787? What problems did freed slaves face even in northern states? Why did the south cling to the practice of slavery? Activity suggestions: illustrate Shays Rebellion; create timeline/flow map for events leading to Shays Rebellion; illustrate problems faced by freed slaves; illustrate why the south clings to the practice of slavery