1. Unit 3: A New Government is Born
Mrs. Martin
American History 1

2. Problems of the Articles
No president or judiciary
Strict limits on Congressional power
No taxing (could only ask states)
No raising an army (could only ask states)
No regulating international or inter-state trade
States had the majority of power (disorganized)

3. Problems of the 1780s: Social and Economic
Disrupted trade and economic depression
Clashes between debtors (small farmers) and creditors (merchants)
Shay’s Rebellion

4. Constitutional Convention
Held in Philadelphia in 1787 (55 delegates)
Original goal=reform Articles of Confederation
Ended up changing the structure of government and added:
President (Articles had just Congress)
National judicial system (Articles used local courts)
Major overall change: Constitution gave more power to federal government (esp. Congress)

5. Ratifying the Constitution
At least 9/13 colonies had to ratify (approve) the Constitution before it would go into effect
ratification debates held at special conventions in every state
2 sides to ratification debates: federalists and anti-federalists

6. federalists Overall more cosmopolitan/wealthy/powerful
Merchants/professionals (sympathize with creditors)
Better educated
Typically from coastal areas or cities
Priority: preserve social order
Fear: excessive power to the people (too much democracy)

7. anti-federalists Overall more localists Priority: preserve liberty
Smaller farmers (debtors) and those who sympathized with them
Often not as educated and less powerful
Generally from the interior (backcountry) of states (farming communities)
Priority: preserve liberty
Fear: tyranny

8. Crafting the Constitution
Virginia Plan: largest states get most votes (failed)
New Jersey Plan: same amount of votes for each state, regardless of size (failed)
Great Compromise (aka Connecticut Compromise): Senate gives 2 votes per state; House of Representatives votes are based on population
Issue: how to calculate population? 3/5 Compromise (slaves count as 3/5 person)

9. Bill of Rights
Constitution was more of a federalist document so many anti-federalists were strongly against it during the ratification debates (i.e. Patrick Henry)
Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to satisfy the anti-federalists
It limits government power in important ways and protects individual people