Establishing U.S. Government

Mr. Webster’s Class

Vocabulary• Articles of Confederation – the first constitution of the United

States, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789• confederation – a system of government where power is located

with independent states and there is little power in the central government• Constitutional Convention – a meeting of state delegates in

Philadelphia in 1787 that led to the adoption of a new constitution• debt – something owed, such as money• Shays’ Rebellion – an uprising of Massachusetts farmers who did

not want to lose their farms because of debt caused by heavy state taxes after the American Revolution

Vocabulary• Federalists – people (in the early United States) who supported the

Constitution• Federalist Papers – a series of essays written to defend the Constitution• Anti-Federalists – people who opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution• Three-Fifths Compromise – agreement providing that enslaved persons

would count as 3/5 of other persons in determining representation in Congress• Great Compromise – agreement providing a dual system of congressional

representation• ratification – the process of formally approving something.• Bill of Rights – the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which

establishes rights and protections for American citizens

Articles of Confederation• In 1777, the Articles of Confederation became the first constitution of the United States of America.• It set up a “league of friendship” among the 13 independent states.• By 1781, all 13 states had ratified the

Articles.• The Articles of Confederation created

a one-house legislature known as the Confederation Congress.

Thirteen Independent States• After the publication of the

Declaration of Independence, each state was ready to govern itself.• Some tasks were too big for the

states to handle on their own though.• For example, states could not

raise and support a large army.• For this and other reasons, the

Second Continental Congress planned for a confederation of states.

Weaknesses of the Articles• The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government. • Under the Articles, Congress had

no power to collect taxes, regulate trade, or enforce laws.• There was no single leader or

government policy, nor was there a national court system.• In addition, Congress could not

pass laws without the approval of 9 states, and the Articles themselves could not be changed without the agreement of all 13 states.

Shays’ Rebellion• In 1786, an uprising took place in Massachusetts.• A farmer named Daniel Shays owed

money because of heavy state taxes, and the state threatened to take his farm to pay for his debts.• In an act of protest, Shays led about 1,200 protestors in an attack on a federal arsenal.• Shays’ Rebellion made it clear that the government under the Articles of Confederation was weak and that it could not maintain law and order.

The Constitutional Convention• In the spring of 1787, delegates from the states met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to revise the Articles.• The delegates ultimately decided to create an entirely new plan of government – a new constitution. • This meeting is now known as the Constitutional Convention.

The Virginia Plan• At the convention, the delegates

from Virginia presented a plan for featured a strong national government.• The Virginia Plan was largely the work of James Madison.• The Virginia Plan had a federal

government with a president, courts, and a congress with two houses.• The number of representatives in

both houses of Congress would be based on each state’s population.• It was favored by the delegates from the larger states.

The New Jersey Plan• The New Jersey plan

offered a modified plan.• The plan was based on

the Articles of Confederation, with some changes.• It gave each state one

vote in Congress.• The New Jersey Plan was favored by the delegates from the smaller states.

The Great Compromise• Ultimately, the committee decided that Congress would have two houses – a Senate and a House of Representatives.• In the Senate, each state would have two members.• In the House, the number of seats would reflect each state’s population.• This is known as the Great Compromise.

The Three-Fifths Compromise• Southern states hoped to count enslaved people in their populations so they would have more votes in the House of Representatives.• Northern states opposed this idea.• The delegates eventually decided that every five enslaved persons would equal 3 free persons.• This is known as the Three-Fifths Compromise.

Electoral College• Some delegates thought the people

should have the right to elect the President.• Others thought Congress should elect

the President.• The solution was the Electoral College.• The Electoral College would select the president and vice president, and it would be made up of electors, or delegates, named by each legislature.• The Electoral College still exists today.

However, voters in each state now choose electors.

U.S. Constitution• Throughout the summer of 1787, the members

of the Constitutional Convention worked out the details of the new government.• On September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was adopted and signed by the Constitutional Convention.• The next step was to win the Constitution’s ratification, or approval. • At least 9 of the 13 states were required to ratify the Constitution.• Only then would it become the supreme law of

the land.

Federalists • Those who supported the proposed Constitution were called Federalists. • They supported the idea of a strong national government, where power is divided between the federal, or national, government, and the states.• The main leaders of the Federalists

were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.• To defend the Constitution, they

wrote a series of essays called the Federalist Papers.

Anti-Federalists• Those who opposed the Constitution

were called Anti-Federalists.• Anti-Federalists did not like the idea

of strong, national government as they feared it would ignore the rights of the states.

• They were also concerned that the new Constitution did not have a bill of rights.

• Several state conventions declared they would not ratify the Constitution without a bill of rights.

• The main leaders of the Anti-Federalists were Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and George Mason.

A New Nation is Formed• The Federalists eventually

vowed to create a bill of rights if the Constitution was adopted.

• That promise helped win public support for the constitution.

• New Hampshire became the 9th state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788.

• On March 4, 1789, the new government under the Constitution began operations.

• Clip

• The 13 states in order of ratification:

1. Delaware – Dec. 7, 17872. Pennsylvania – Dec. 12, 17873. New Jersey – Dec. 18, 17874. Georgia – Jan. 2, 17885. Connecticut – Jan. 9, 17886. Massachusetts – Feb. 6, 17887. Maryland – Apr. 28, 17888. South Carolina – May 23, 17889. New Hampshire – June 21, 178810. Virginia – June 25, 178811. New York – July 26, 178812. North Carolina – Nov. 21, 178913. Rhode Island – May 29, 1790

WRITING ASSIGNMENT (worth 25 points)• For this assignment, you are to imagine that the U.S. Constitution was never created

and that the states exist more like countries.• You need to write a 3-paragraph essay that ponders some of the following questions:

• What would life be like?• Would the existing 13 states have expanded, and incorporated new areas of land into their

domain?• Or would there be 50 states, all acting like countries?• What would it be like to travel from one state to another?• What would it be like to move from one state to another? Would it be possible?• Would certain states be more powerful than others?• Would all of the states get along, or would some disagree about specific issues?

• I will be giving 5 points for each paragraph, 5 points for grammar and punctuation, and 5 points for creativity and effort.