1. Warm Up:
Take out page 73 of your notebook. Share your letter to the founding fathers with your table. You may:
Take turns reading out loud
Exchange notebooks and read each others quietly

2. How was the United States government set up?
Today’s Question:
How was the United States government set up?

3. Agenda:
In groups: Analyze one feature of the Articles of Confederation
Whole group: look at pictures, discuss Constitutional Convention

4. Articles of Confederation: The first document to set out the rules for the new nation.

5. In groups: Read the background information on your placard
Find the “feature” on your chart
Fill in your chart
Chose a presenter to explain this feature to the class

6. Why was this included in the Articles?
Weakness
Why was this included in the Articles?
Possible problems that could occur
1. No chief executive
(No king or President leading the new nation)
There was a lack of leadership for the new nation. No one to make tough decisions or represent USA to other nations.
2. No power to raise money or tax citizens; national government could only request money from the states
 States often chose not to pay taxes and the national government did not have enough money to operate.

7. 3. No power to draft an army; the national government could only request that states send soldiers for defense
Continental army dissolved after the war. Memory of a large army of British soldiers in the colonies was too painful!
4. New laws for nation need approval of 9 of the 13 states
 Wanted to protect the power of individual states. Fear of a strong national government.
5. No power to settle disputes (arguments) between states
Disputes among states often could not be resolved. States were not very united.

8. What should be changed?
Old Rules
New Rules

13. You’re invited!
Design an invitation that might be sent to people who might attend the Constitutional Convention. Your invitation should include information about when the convention will begin and end, where it will take place, who has been invited, and what will be accomplished at the meeting. Invitations must also include a bold title, a catchy statement to entice people to attend, and other creative touches common in formal invitations.