1. "A More Perfect Union"

2. Articles of Confederation Structure of Government
Created by 2nd CC
Governed from 1777 – 1788
Only a legislative branch
Yearly elections
Unicameral
1 vote per state

3. Powers of Congress Make war & peace Send & receive ambassadors
Make treaties
Borrow money
Create a system of money
Create post offices
Raise an army & navy
Set a system of weights & measurements
Settle disputes between states

4. State Obligations Provide money & troops when requested
Treat people from other states fairly
Full faith & credit to other states’ docs
Send fugitives back to original state
Allow travel between states
Submit disputes to Congress

5. Weaknesses - 1 Vote per state - No power to tax - Can’t regulate trade
- No executive or judicial branches
- Laws require 9/13 states
- 13 states required to amend
- “Firm league of friendship”

6. Why would the Founding Fathers create such a WEAK CENTRAL GOVERNMENT?

7. Problems States taxed each other States printed their own money
States enforced & interpreted law differently
Shay’s rebellion

8. Result of the Articles Annapolis, MD meeting to discuss issues
Philadelphia meeting to REVISE Articles
James Madison & Alexander Hamilton
Eventually ended up creating the Constitution

9. Father of the Constitution
James Madison
Research philosophy on government
Helped call the convention
Wrote the Virginia Plan
Took detailed notes at the Convention

10. Virginia Plan Developed by James Madison Proposed by Edmund Randolph
Abolished “Articles of Confederation”
3 Branches
Bicameral legislature
Based on proportional
Created stronger central government

11. Constitutional Convention
Convention called to discuss revision of Articles
- Philadelphia in 1787
- 74 delegates from 12 states
- RI not present, 55 would sign

12. New Jersey Plan William Patterson Did not abolish “Articles”
Would strengthen central government
Executive by committee – Parliamentary
Judiciary chosen by executive
Quickly scrapped – some provisions added to VA Plan – led to passage of Connecticut (Great) Compromise

13. Connecticut Compromise
Roger Sherman
Similar to VA Plan
Bicameral Legislature
Upper House – Senate – equal rep.
Lower House – House of Reps proportional rep.
Federal in form – states retained rights
Rejected when introduced, but later used

14. Final Vote Which states didn’t vote for Constitution? Passed 11 to 0
NY didn’t have quorum of delegates
Rhode Island didn’t attend

16. Bundle of Compromises Connecticut (Great) Compromise
Three-Fifths Compromise
Slave Trade and Commerce Compromise
Electoral College

17. Ratification Needed formal adoption by 9 of 13 states
Bitter debate begins in many states
Federalists support ratification
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton
Anti-Federalists opposed ratification
George Mason, Patrick Henry

18. FEDERALISTS FAVORED RATIFICATION Wrote Federalist Papers (New York)
J. Madison, A. Hamilton, John Jay
Government needed more power
Divided power between 3 branches
Single person executive
Solved specific problems of Articles
Supported by most newspapers

19. ANTI-FEDERALISTS OPPOSED RATIFICATION George Mason, Patrick Henry
No guarantee of personal rights
States didn’t have enough power
President may become king
Liberties gained would be lost

20. The Politics of Ratification
Ratification of the Constitution
STATE DATE
Delaware Dec 7, 1787
Pennsylvania Dec 12, 1787
New Jersey Dec 18, 1787
Georgia Jan 2, 1788
Connecticut Jan 9, 1788
Massachusetts Feb 6, 1788
Maryland April 28, 1788
South Carolina May 23, 1788
New Hampshire June 21, 1788
Virginia June 25, 1788
New York July 26, 1788
North Carolina Nov 21, 1789
Rhode Island May 29, 1790
Patrick Henry’s famous cry, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”
Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman