1. Confederation and the Constitution

3. I. Reflection Why would someone choose red?
Why would someone choose blue
Would knowing what your peers were choosing change your vote?

4. Articles of Confederation
First Attempt at creating a government
Each state had one vote regardless of population
Did not want to be as harsh as England
Required voluntary contributions towards:
Military
Taxation
Trade
Why would this system of government cause problems?

5. Weakness of the Articles of Confederation
VOLUNTARY!!!!
Many states coined their own currency
Set up their own economy
Undermined each other in business
Congress had NO power to tax so could not pay for an army or provide any servives
LESSON LEARNED:
While it is good for colonies to have independence and make their own decisions – there must be some central or federal government to regulate the colonies (Now called the United States of America)
The articles of Confederation did not work – this is when we came up with the constitution

6. Constitutional Conflicts
Strong Central Government v. Strong States
2. Large States v. Small States
3. North v. South (Slavery)
Solutions
Centralized Federal Government; Separation of Powers (legislative, judicial, executive)
Great Compromise- 2 house Congress (Senate and House)
3/5 Compromise- Can only count 3/5 of the states population of slaves

7. Ratifying the Constitution
Ratification required 9 out of the 13 colonies
Federalists v. Anti-Federalist
Federalists want a stronger central government (Hamilton, Madison)
Anti-Federalist fear government will not protect the rights of the people or the states; demand a bill of rights (Jefferson, Patrick Henry)
Agree to add Bill of Rights in order to ratify the constitution.