1. The Road to a Constitution

2. Creating State Constitutions
Republicanism.
Most had strong governors with veto power.
Most had bicameral legislatures.
Property required for voting.
Some had universal white male suffrage.
Most had bills of rights.
Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

3. Occupational Composition of State Assemblies

4. The Articles of Confederation
Our first national government
Adopted by Congress in 1777
Was approved only after dealing with the issue of Western claims
-lands ceded to government would be used to create new republic states
• Led to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

5. Govt. Structure under the Articles…
Confederation of States
-each state had one vote
- Population did not factor into voting process
• A National Government
-single congressional house=unicameral
- controlled the armed forces
-request financial contributions =
could not levy taxes
• Making changes
-passing laws required 9 of 13
states’ votes
-To Amend
-approval of Congress
-Unanimous approval of all states
13 of 13

6. Its weaknesses….. Central Government had no power over states
-couldn’t enforce taxation
-couldn’t coin money
- couldn’t regulate trade
- couldn’t enter into
foreign agreements
•Difficult to makes laws or amendments
•No national leadership
States hold the power – Afraid of the Government becoming a Monarchy!!

7. Original State claims to Western Lands

8. Land Ordinance 1785
The selling of western land to pay the national debt

9. Land Ordinance of 1785 6 square mile tracts of land
Divided into 36 smaller sections of 640 acres
Divided for growth of towns (townships)
Cost at least $1 per acre

10. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 or the Add-A-State Plan
Congress would be able to sell western lands to raise $$$
Creates a territory under Congressional control w /
3 judges and a governor
5000 free males= create a
general assembly to make own laws
• 60,000 citizens = petition for statehood
OHIO = 1803
NWO prohibited slavery

11. Problems with the Articles:
Nation in a depression - govt. could do nothing to help
States disputed borders created by Congress
States entered into private trade agreements that undermined the purpose of the government
No way to raise an army -
Shay’s Rebellion!!
1787

12. Shays’ Rebellion Farmers income decreased while taxes increased
Inflation and worthless $$ made it hard to repay loans
Those who defaulted on loans lost their farms
1786 – Danielle Shays leads
MA. Farmers in an attempt to capture a federal arsenal!!

13. -Showed the weakness of the new national government!!!
The new US Govt. was powerless to do anything
- No organized army
The MA militia was called out to stop the rebellion!!
Its effect:
-Showed the weakness of the new national government!!!
The Articles of Confederation needed to be replaced!

14. The United States in 1787

15. The Annapolis Convention - 1786
12 representatives / 5 states
[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA]
GOAL  address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states.
Not enough states were represented to make any
real progress.
Called on Congress to have
all the states to meet in Philadelphia

16. The Virginia Plan (The Large State Plan)
A bicameral Legislature
States represented by “Quotas of contribution or the number of free inhabitants”
Called for a three tiered government –legislative, executive and judicial
Had the basic “checks and balances” plan for government

17. The New Jersey Plan (or the Small State Plan)
Create a unicameral legislature
One vote per state
Proposed a United Nations membership concept – states would join as independent entities
Gave govt. power over trade and ability to raise money by creating taxes on foreign goods
Mr. O’Neill’s
Childhood home

18. The Great Compromise – The Connecticut Plan
A bicameral legislature
Creates a Senate and House of Representatives
Equal number of representatives from each state for Senate (2)
House of Representatives have one rep for every 30,000 people –
apportionment
1790 – 160 members on HOR for
4 million people
Currently 435 members of HOR
For 281,424,177 (2000 census)

19. The Question of Representation The 3/5 Compromise
25 of 55 Congressional delegates owned slaves
South wanted slave to count towards population figures
North argued if they counted, they should be able to vote
Each side was concerned over a majority HOR control
(slavery could be outvoted)
“The institution of slavery and its consequences form the line of discrimination (in America)”
James Madison

20. Both sides compromised that each slave would count as 3/5 a person
The word slave is not in the Constitution!!
“population would be determined by
counting the number of "free Persons” plus three-fifths of all other Persons .
Slavery concessions were the price to get the South to join the nation!!
Congress agreed to put off the issue of slavery for 20 years until 1808, putting off the inevitable conflict over slavery in America

21. Federalists vs Anti-Federalists

22. Federalists vs. Anti Federalists
Wealthy social classes Farmers and Frontiersmen
Adopt the Constitution Opposed the Constitution
Government controls Individual rights
Federal Government Stronger state governments
Greater economic control Taxation too burdensome
Many states feared ratification for fear of giving too much power to a new government
DE, PA, NJ (1787), GA, CT, MA, MD, SC (Jan - May 1788),
And New Hampshire (June 1788)
provided the nine vote necessary to approve the Constitution!

23. The Constitution
Power from popular sovereignty – power from the people
Divides power between States and Fed. Govt. = Federalism
Creates a separation of powers
-judicial – Supreme Court
-legislative - Congress
-executive - President
Creates a system of
Checks and Balances –
-No one single powerful authority

24. Indirect democracy = voters elect representative to vote for them
The Electoral college – members from each state indirectly votes for President
State legislatures choose Senators
Is an elastic document = it can be changed through amendments
2/3 of both houses of Congress must approve an Amendment
3/4 of the states must ratify it to make it a law