1. American History I - Unit 3 Ms. Brown
CREATING A NEW NATION
American History I - Unit 3
Ms. Brown

2. Review
Often, the Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787 are considered the only positive aspects of the Articles of Confederation. Why?
What did Shays’s Rebellion show the young nation?
What were some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

3. Review
Often, the Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787 are considered the only positive aspects of the Articles of Confederation. Why?
Set up the blueprints for future national growth!
Land Ordinance of Plan for mapping and selling the land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River
Northwest Ordinance of procedure for dividing western lands into territories which would later become states
What did Shays’s Rebellion show the young nation?
The need for a stronger central government
TJ didn’t agree!
What were some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
No central unity, No president or central leader to enforce laws, No national court system to resolve disputes
Congress cannot tax citizens to pay debts or regulate interstate trade
Each state = 1 vote in a one-house legislature (regardless of population)
Amendments (changes) to the document = all 13 approval

4. 3.2 – DRAFTING THE CONSTITUTION
AH1.H.2.2 Analyze key political, economic, and social turning points in American History using historical thinking, focusing on lasting impacts.
AH1.H.4.1 Analyze the political issues and conflicts that impacted the US through Reconstruction and the compromises that resulted.
AH1.H.4.2 Analyze the economic issues and conflicts that impacted the US through Reconstruction and the compromises that resulted.
AH1.H.5.1 Summarize how philosophical, ideological, and/or religious views on freedom and equality contributed to the development of American political and economic systems.

5. Constitutional Convention
Shays’s Rebellion (1787) and other problems highlighted the need for a stronger central government…
“The consequences of [an] inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereignties pulling against each other, and all tugging at the federal head will soon bring ruin on the whole… Let us have [a government] by which our lives, liberty, and property will be secured or let us know the worst at once.”
- George Washington, 1786

6. Constitutional Convention
When: May-September 1787
Who: 55 delegates from all states (except RI)
White men
Wealthy – lawyers, merchants, or planters
Well-educated
RI didn’t attend in protest of a federal government
Where: Philadelphia, PA
Why: To address the problems with the Articles of Confederation and create the US Constitution

7. Items for Debate
Congress – Unicameral (one-house) or Bicameral (2 house)?
Representation in Congress – based on population or equal?
Slaves – how to count in population for representation? Should the slave population continue to grow?
Power of government – shared between federal and state governments? How to prevent federal government from being too powerful?
Power of people – should the people directly elect leaders or should representatives elect leaders?

8. State Representation in Congress
Congress – Unicameral (one-house) or Bicameral (2 house)?
Representation in Congress – based on population or equal?
State Representation in Congress
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Created by James Madison
Favored large states
Bicameral house
All representation based on state population
Created by William Patterson
Favored small states
Unicameral house
Each state = equal representation
The Great Compromise
Created by Roger Sherman
Bicameral House
Senate = equal representation (2 senators/state)
House of Representatives = representation based on state population

9. Slave Population & Representation in Congress
Slaves – how to count in population for representation?
Slave Population & Representation in Congress
North
South
Slave population should NOT count when determining # of representatives in Congress
Slaves SHOULD count when levying federal taxes on slave owners
Slave population SHOULD count when determining # of representatives in Congress
Slaves should NOT count when levying federal taxes
The Three-Fifths Compromise
Slaves will count as 3/5 of a citizen when determining representation in Congress and when levying federal taxes
5 slaves = 3 citizens

10. The Slave-Trade Compromise
Slavery Debate
Slaves – should the slave population continue to grow?
North Free States
South Slave States
There should be federal regulations on the slave trade.
The economy is too reliant on slave labor.
The federal government shouldn’t meddle at all with the slave trade.
The Slave-Trade Compromise
The international slave trade will remain unregulated for 20 years, then Congress can abolish the international slave trade (not slavery itself).

11. Sharing of Power
Power of government – shared between federal and state governments? How to prevent federal government from being too powerful?
Federalism - system in which federal and state governments share power
Federal (national) powers = Delegated or Enumerated Powers
State powers = Reserved Powers

12. Limiting National Power
And federal agencies

13. Checks and balances - a system to ensure that no governmental branch becomes too powerful

14. Limiting the Power of the People
Upper class could not trust the “common people” with voting rationally.
Electoral college - group of electors (who represent citizens) that choose the President and Vice President
Reflects a fear of giving too much power to the masses

15. How to Make Amendments RATIFICATION PROPOSAL
Amendment = change to the Constitution
Ratification = official adoption
PROPOSAL
⅔ vote by both houses in Congress OR
⅔ vote at a special convention called by states
RATIFICATION
¾ vote of the state legislatures OR
¾ vote at a special ratifying convention called by states

16. James Madison Kept extensive notes on the Constitutional Convention
Played a major role in drafting (writing) the Constitution
Referred to as the “Father of the Constitution”

17. Constitution of the United States of America
Finished in September 1787, but still needed to be ratified (officially approved) by at least 9 states to take effect
Preamble
7 Articles (sections)
Powers of the legislative branch
Powers of the executive branch
Powers of the judicial branch
States’ rights
How to make amendments
Supremacy Clause (federal laws > state laws)
Signers of the Constitution