1. Unit 2: A Nation & Its Ideals Emerge
Ch. 6: Creating the Constitution
Begin reading/placing vocab in your notes (left/right side)
Open books to pg. 61

2. Essential ?
How and why did the framers distribute power in the Constitution?

3. Objectives
examine the fundamental governing principles on which the Constitution is based & how those principles are embodied in the document.
analyze how the Constitution establishes a limited gov’t in which powers are distributed among different levels/branches.
summarize how the various elements of the Constitution exemplify efforts by the framers to divide power.

4. Volunteer to read 6.1 Warm-up:
In anarchy, there are no rules. Individuals can do as they please, but there is no system of gov’t to protect them from the actions of others.
In a monarchy, one individual holds most of the political power. The monarch can promote stability, but this is the expense of the rights of those he/she rules.
In your notebook, create simple illustrations to represent anarchy & monarchy.
Then answer this question: In your opinion, which is a more powerful threat to liberty: anarchy or monarchy? Why?

5. Confederation of States
Revolutionary War  1775 – 1781 (fighting)
GB finally recognizes independence of colonies in 1783
Would not form a loose confederacy until end of the war
@ the state level:
Each had a constitution
Each separated powers into executive, judicial, & legislative
**None outlawed slavery**

6. Our 1st Constitution
1777 nation’s constitution drafted (not ratified until 1781)
Created a confederation
Called  Articles of Confederation
Why would they choose this style?
What it looked like:
State retains sovereignty
Power not given to Congress was reserved for states (still is the case)
Congress had power to declare war, negotiate foreign treaties, create postal system, settle disputes b/w states
Could not impose taxes
No executive branch to carry out laws; no judicial branch to settle legal issues

7. Moving on up (or west)
End of American Revolution  Treaty of Paris in 1783
GB gave up claims to the Northwest Territory (see pg. 63)
GB had acquired this land from France after the French & Indian War
2 Key pieces of legislation led to the movement West
Land Ordinance of 1785
Set up surveying of the land & began dividing up by regions to be settled
Northwest Ordinance of 1787

8. Northwest Ordinance Land Ordinance divided the land up
Northwest Ordinance described how it would be governed
Regions divided into territories
When territory had 5,000 free adult men  could elect legislature
When territory reach 60,000 free inhabitants  legislature to write a constitution, form a gov’t, & could become a state w/ Congressional approval
New states: = standing w/original & same rights/freedoms
**new states in this territory would have ban on slavery**

9. Problems Brewing Confederations tend to have a weak centralized gov’t
Not unlike what the newly independent colonies were under
What were the potential pitfalls of the
Articles of Confederation?

10. Problems Brewing Congress couldn’t: In light of these issues:
levy taxes
Central gov’t starved
Regulate interstate commerce or w/ foreign countries
Unicameral w/ only 1 rep/state
9/13 vote to pass laws
13/13 to amend
No exec branch to enforce laws
No judicial to settle legal disputes
Create uniform currency
States ignored laws
In light of these issues:
GB closed several ports to Am. ships
No fear of retaliation… couldn’t feed/pay the Am. Army
Also, no guarantee all states would fight together to support the cause
Treaty of Paris  GB agreed to remove army from Northwest Territory
w/ weak army & gov’t GB left many troops in place
No uniform currency = weak currency + poor trade b/w states & foreign countries  depression

11. 6.2 Note Check ?s (answer left side) Confederation of States
Why were the Articles of Confederation written? What potential shortcomings did they have?
What was the Land Ordinance of 1785? How might it benefit Americans?
What effect did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 have on the spread of slavery?

12. Your Task Read 6.4 (The Constitutional Convention)
Compromise
Problem
Conflicting Ideas
Solution
Great Compromise
3/5ths Compromise
Electoral College
Read 6.4 (The Constitutional Convention)
Then complete the following chart (left side)
Title: Compromises of the Constitutional Convention

13. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists  favored creation of strong fed gov’t that shared power w/ states
Anti-federalists  preferred confederation w/loose tie b/w states & a less powerful fed gov’t

14. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
F vs. A.F
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Large territory made rep gov’t ideal
Checks & balances would prevent tyranny
Bill of Rights to be added later
Anti-Federalists
Worried about potential increased powers/taxation
Thought would create a large standing army
No Bill of Rights
Strong fed gov’t would lead to tyranny
Constitution drafter 1787  needed 9/13 states to ratify
Ratified in 1788 after promise of a Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights  1st 10 Amendments
Drafted by James Madison & ratified in 1791
**U.S. Constitution is oldest still in use anywhere in the world**

15. Warm-Up (left side)
If you had lived during the time of the Constitutional Convention, would you have supported or opposed ratification of the new Constitution?
Yes or no?
Explain your answer – provide examples