1. Confederation to Constitution: The Confederation Era Chapter 8; Section 1
Essential Question: How did Americans create a national government that respected both the independence of states and the rights of individuals?

2. Forming a New Government
Main goal was to prevent governmental tyranny from reappearing in the nation
Decided on a republic
Only landowners could vote (except Pennsylvania and Georgia)
African Americans not allowed to vote
Women not allowed to vote in most states

3. Articles of Confederation
Congress agreed on a republic, but could not decide if each state would receive one vote, or if voting should be based on population
In the Articles, the national government would be run by the Confederation Congress
Congress could wage war, make peace, sign treaties, and run Indian affairs
Articles left the most important powers to the states
Authority to set taxes, enforce national laws, control of land west of Appalachian Mountains

4. Articles of Confederation
Articles were sent to the states for ratification in 1777
Some small states that did not have Western land claims refused to sign
Gradually, all states gave up their control of western land, led to the ratification of the Articles in 1781.
United States finally had an official government

5. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles
Needed to pay back debts earned from Revolutionary War
Confederation Congress had no money to do so
International challenges:
Britain competed against American fur trade by refusing to evacuate its military forts south of the Great Lakes
Britain barred American ships from waters in the Caribbean, Spain also put up barriers in the Caribbean
Spain refused to allow Americans to use the Mississippi River or port in New Orleans
Spain and Congress argued over the boundary of Florida
Showed the weaknesses of the Articles: U.S. did not have the strength to face up to the superior forces of Britain or Spain

6. Shay’s Rebellion
Congress still owed veteran soldiers’ salaries for the Revolutionary War
300 soldiers demonstrated before the Pennsylvania State House, and drove Congress out of the city
Congress could not raise money
Could not levy taxes – depended on states to send money
States levied taxes to pay back war debts – few normal citizens could afford them
Daniel Shays led a march on a federal arsenal. Around 1,000 soldiers from the state militia quickly defeated Shays’ men
Significant because it showed that the national government needed more power.

7. Powers Granted and Denied Congress
Granted Congress
Denied Congress
Conduct foreign affairs
Declare war and make peace
Issue or borrow money
Control Indian affairs
Run postal service
Establish executive branch
Enforce national laws
Enact and collect taxes
Regulate interstate or foreign trade
Establish federal courts
Amend the Articles

8. Confederation to Constitution: Creating the Constitution Chapter 8; Section 2
Essential Question: How did Americans create a national government that respected both the independence of states and the rights of individuals?

9. Constitutional Convention
In Sept. 1786, delegates from five states met in Maryland to discuss ways to promote trade among the states
They believed that increasing trade would raise the economies of all states
However, this would require amending the Articles of Confederation
Convention was called to discuss the issue

10. Constitutional Convention
Met May 25, 1787
Elected Convention President George Washington
Closed proceedings – meaning citizens were not allowed inside
All we know comes from James Madison who kept detailed notes
55 delegates arrived for the Constitutional Convention, now called Founders
Not a diverse group – there were no Native Americans, African Americans, or women among the delegates

11. Challenges to the Convention
James Madison and other Virginia delegates drafted the Virginia Plan
Government with three branches
Executive branch = enforce laws
Judicial branch = interpret laws
Legislative branch = create laws
Two legislature sections
Upper House and Lower House
The number of representatives in both houses would be based off of state population
Checks and Balances
Delegates from small states strongly objected the Virginia Plan
Larger states would have more political power because they would have more representatives
New Jersey delegate William Patterson presented the New Jersey Plan
Single-house congress where every state had an equal vote, regardless of population
Small states supported the New Jersey Plan

12. Challenges to the Convention
Emotions ran high as the delegates tried to solve the representation issue
A committee led by Roger Sherman and other delegates created the Great Compromise
To satisfy the smaller states, each state would have an equal number of votes in the Senate
To satisfy the larger states, representation in the House of Representatives would be based on state population

13. Challenges to the Convention
Because representation in the House would be based on population, the convention had to decide who would be counted in the population.
Southern states had more slaves than Northern states
Southern states wanted slaves to be counted for representation, but not taxation
Northerners said slaves were not citizens, and should not be counted for representation, but should for taxation

14. Challenges to the Convention
Delegates reached an agreement known as the three-fifths compromise
Three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for both representation and taxation
Slavery was already outlawed in some Northern states, wanted to see it banned country-wide – Southern states disagreed
Another compromise: the decision over slavery would not be made until 1808 (when the eventually banned the importation of Africans)

15. Challenges to the Convention
On Sept. 17, 1787, the delegates passed the Constitution. All be three of the 42 delegates present signed the Constitution. It was then sent to each state for approval. What were some of the major challenges facing the Convention?

16. Federalists and Antifederalists
Supported the Constitution
Like the idea of Federalism
Published a series of essays known as The Federalist Papers
Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
Written to promote federalist views and answer critics
Appealed to both reason and emotion
Thought the Constitution took too much power away from the states and did not guarantee rights for the people
Strong president could easily become a king
Senate could become the ruling class
Liberties won during the Revolution could be lost

17. Confederation to Constitution: Ratification and the Bill of Rights Chapter 8; Section 3
Essential Question: How did Americans create a national government that respected both the independence of states and the rights of individuals?

18. The Battle for Ratification
Antifederalists wanted a written guarantee that the people would have freedom of speech, of the press, and of religion
Also wanted the right to trial by jury and the right to bear arms
Federalists insisted that the Constitution granted only limited powers to the federal government – it could not violate state rights
Gave people power to protect their rights by electing trustworthy leaders
In the end, the Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution

19. Ratification of the Constitution
Needed nine states to approve the Constitution
Two-thirds of states needed to ratify
Eventually all states ratified the Constitution
Achieved ratification in 1790
A Bill of Rights was to follow in 1790

20. The Bill of Rights
James Madison submitted ten amendments to the Constitution
Later became known as the Bill of Rights
The first nine guarantee basic individual freedoms
Showed that the Constitution could be amended to reflect the changes in society
Two-thirds of each house of Congress or two-thirds of the state legislatures can propose an amendment
Amendment then needs approval from three-fourths of the states
Bill of Rights became the first ten, since then 17 more have been added

21. Confederation Weakness
How did Americans create a national government that respected both the independence of states and the rights of individuals?
Confederation Weakness
New Gov’t Strengths
Taxes
Could not levy taxes
Could levy and collect taxes
Trade
Could not regulate trade between states nor internationally
Could regulate interstate and foreign trade
Courts
Congress depended on state courts to settle disputes
National system of courts set up (Supreme Court)
Executive
Enforcement of laws left to the states
Has the power to enforce own laws
States’ Rights
Equality; regardless of size or population
Proportional in House, Equal in Senate
Amendments
Unanimous vote required
2/3 vote in each house of Congress
Laws
Nine states had to approve an ordinary bill
Majority required to pass bill