The American Constitution Standard 11.1 – Analyze the sig. events that lead to the development of

our nation and its attempts to realize its guiding philosophies.

EQ - How did the Constitution change the power of the national government? 1

The Articles of Confederation, 1781-1788

• Our 1st government was created in a way that it couldn’t take people’s rights.

• The Nation couldn’t raise taxes or an army.• The government only lasted a few years.• It was a really terrible government, but it was

OUR terrible government.

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The Articles of Confederation, 1781-1788

• States were like their own little countries• Sort of like the European

Union• All 13 states got one

vote.• Each state had its own

unique money•  The expression "not worth a

Continental" arose when the new, American, paper notes essentially became worthless due to severe inflation toward the end of the Rev. War

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Shays’ Rebellion, 1786

• An armed uprising in Massachusetts (MA) makes many people realize that the government was too weak• Daniel Shays was a Revolutionary war

veteran who lost his farm because he fell behind on his farm payments.

• His excuse was that he wasn’t working his farm because he was fighting the British.

• The bank said too bad…and uh thanks for the liberty.

• After the uprising 12 states agreed to meet in Philadelphia, PA.

• Rhode Island did not send a delegate

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The Constitutional Convention, 1787

• The states’ delegates met in PA to fix the Articles of Confederation• They met from May to September and

it was ridiculously hot and humid and the delegates all wore wool and wigs. It was supposedly super miserable (and smelly).

• They realized they needed a stronger national government.• They immediately gave up on

the Articles of Confederation and started over.

• Two major plans were submitted.

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Ratification of the Constitution, 1789

• 9 of 13 states had to ratify (accept) the Constitution for it to be law.

• Federalists wanted the states to vote for the Constitution.

• They wrote essays called “the Federalist Papers” and held parades to drum up support for their side. They won.• They wanted a strong president and more national power than

state power.• James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Ben

Franklin

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Ratification of the Constitution, 1789

Anti-Federalists •Wanted the states to vote against Constitution•They demanded a guarantee of basic rights called the Bill of Rights.

• Good Idea• They wanted a weak national

government, basically they said the Articles of Confederation were awful but it could always be worse so what can you do?

• John Hancock, Sam Adams, Patrick Henry

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What’s in the Constitution?

• Federalism• Federalism divides power

between the national (federal) government and the state governments.

• Separation of Powers• They created three branches of

government: legislative, judicial, and executive.

• Separation of Church and State• The government can’t tax

churches and churches can’t get involved in politics.

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The New Nation

• George Washington was elected the first President and John Adams was the first Vice President.• Washington had to “invent”

how to be President• In 1789, only white, land

owning men had the ability to vote in most states• Very few votes overall:

• Delaware 3% of the population

• Georgia 5%• New York 3%• Rhode Island 0.7%.

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The New Nation

• Whiskey Rebellion, 1794• The government

raised taxes on the production of whiskey which PA farmers refused to pay.

• Whiskey- concentrated liquid corn

• Easier to transport and store

• Urban vs rural politics

• Washington led 15,000 federal soldiers to make them pay and proved that the new government was strong.

• This was the opposite of Shays Rebellion

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The First Political Parties

• Federalists• Alexander Hamilton

supported federal authority.

• national bank, a high tariff, industry

• Democratic-Republicans• Thomas Jefferson

supported the states’ having more authority.

• state banks, a low tariff, farmers 11

Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798

• John Adams, a Federalist, made it illegal to express opinions considered dangerous to the government (sedition).

• The Act raised the residency requirements for citizenship (voting).

• Most new immigrants were becoming Democratic-Republicans.

• Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, 1798• Thomas Jefferson argued that the states

should ignore any laws that violated the Constitution.

• This argument, called nullification, led to the Civil War. 12

Marbury v. Madison, 1803

• Arguably, the MOST important Supreme Court cases in American history.• Marbury was appointed by John Adams at the end

of his presidency but had to get his license to be a judge from the new president Thomas Jefferson.

• James Madison refused to hand over the papers because he thought Marbury’s appointment was illegal.

• Created - Judicial Review• The right of the Supreme Court to declare

acts of the Congress and the president as unconstitutional.

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