1. The Articles of Confederation
And the Art of Compromise…..

2. Articles of Confederation
Remember the Second Continental Congress? They appointed a “Committee of Thirteen,” one representative from each state, who were in charge of writing (drafting) the new National Constitution.

3. The new National Constitution would be called “The Articles of Confederation.”

4. The Articles DID give Congress the power to:
Conduct Foreign Affairs
Maintain Army
Borrow money
Issue currency (money)

5. But… The Articles did NOT give power to the newly formed government to:
1. Regulate trade (regulate means “to control”) 2. Force anyone to join the military

6. 3. Force collection of taxes – if money was needed, they just asked the State Legislatures, but could not force them to give money.

7. Government? What Government? Know the following facts…..
1.Each of the 13 states now enjoyed independence from British Rule, and by 1780, each had a state constitution.

8. 2. Most states also had a governor, and a bi-cameral legislature (a house and a senate). Now Americans worried about having too much power in one person, so the legislature helped to balance the power.

9. 3. Voting rights were enjoyed by white, males who owned property or paid taxes, and were at least 21 years old. Some states allowed freed-black males to vote.
4. Even though the Revolution was fought and won by a new nation, each state still felt independent from each other – much like 13 individual countries.

10. The Constitutional Convention – A Brief Introduction
The MAIN issues discussed at the Constitutional Convention were:
How would each of the 13 states be represented in government? Should each state have only one representative? Each state have five? How would a balance of power be achieved?
What about slavery? End it? Continue it? Expand it?
Just how much power should the Government be given?

11. These problems were solved by The Great Compromise, and The 3/5 Compromise.
Define Compromise: a conclusion reached when two parties (groups) each receive most, but not all, of what they desire.

12. The Great Compromise: (or, How to Balance Power of BIG states and little states)
1. Congressman Roger Sherman proposed there be a House of Representatives elected by voters. The number of representatives elected depended upon the state’s population. Higher population = more representation which equaled more POWER!!! (One representative per 30,000 whites.)

13. He also proposed … 2. The Senate would be made up of only two men elected by the people. Population did NOT matter – every state had TWO representatives in the Senate.

14. The 3/5 Compromise:
Problem: Southern states had larger populations than Northern states due to high number of slaves. Southerners wanted to count slaves in population, giving more representation = more power!
Northern states said “NO!”
So…..

15. 1. The 3/5 Compromise allowed states to count a portion of their slaves as part of the General population. (Every 5 slaves = 3 people) 2. This gave Southern states a bit more representation in the House of Representatives.

16. Example!!!!!
BEFORE 3/5 Compromise, Georgia had 120,000 whites and 60,000 slaves – total allowed to count in population was: _______________

17. 120,000. Remember, only whites could be counted in population!!!

18. Total representatives
Total representatives? 120,000 total population divided by 30,000 = how many Representatives?

19. 4

20. Georgia had 120,000 whites and 60,000 slaves 3/5 of 60,000 = 36,000
AFTER 3/5 Compromise,
 Georgia had 120,000 whites and 60,000 slaves 3/5 of 60,000 = 36,000

21. 120,000 whites + slave portion of 36,000 = 156,000 total population

22. 156,000 divided by 30,000 = a little over 5.
Now, Georgia has one more representative in Congress to vote for Southern affairs

23. More Votes = More Power!!!