Unit 4: Statehood Articles of Confederation & Georgia Constitution of 1777 CCGPS: SS8H3a- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both the Georgia Constitution of 1777 and the Articles of Confederation and explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation led to a need to revise the Articles.

Graphic Organizer: Strengths & Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation StrengthsWeakness

Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation were the 1 st form of constitution for the USA. They were written at the same time the Declaration of Independence was written. It set up a system of government that divided power between the national government and the individual state governments. Congress was the national body of government (unicameral).

Articles of Confederation Strengths of the Articles of Confederation were that Congress could do the following: 1.declare war 2.sign treaties 3.deliver mail 4.create money But the individual states had the most power. Each state could do the following: 1.collect its own taxes 2.issue its own money 3.support its own military 4.had 1 vote in Congress Individual State Power

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation  Congress: 1.lacked power to enforce laws 2.lacked power to levy (raise) taxes; therefore, Congress could not repay the $42 million debt from the American Revolutionary War. 3.lacked power to regulate (control) trade among states 4.required all 13 states to approve changes in the articles 5.Lacked power to create a national military

Weaknesses of the Georgia Constitution of 1777 Unicameral legislature (1 house)-This gave too much power to the legislative branch. The legislature elected the Governor. John Treutlen was the state of Georgia’s 1 st Governor. John Treutlen

Think- Pair- Share The year is 1787 and your young country needs to create a government. Everyone is wondering what the new government will be like. You have been invited to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to decide how the new government should be organized. With your table partner, discuss the following questions: How do you form a government? What will be your main goal in creating a new government? How will you get the people at the convention to agree on important issues? What do you think your biggest challenges will be?