Confederation to Constitution

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. Congress would be able to tax and regulate trade and could veto laws. The plan favored larger states, as it was based on population, and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

- Told how the new states would get added into the government - Congress appoints governors, secretaries, and 3 judges - After reaching 5000 people they can elect a state assembly and gets one nonvoting delegate in congress(can learn the ways of congress) - After 60,000 people they have to draft a state constitution to apply to join the state

Structures and Powers of the Articles of Confederation

1. States held larger amount of power, allowing them to control aspects such as currency and trade. The central government only had little power and didn't have a say in almost anything, because the colonies feared a repetition of a tyrannical monarchy. - Each state had their own courts - Only one congress; no other branches. - Each state only had 1 vote - Needed 9/13 to agree on terms

Weaknesses and Problems of the Articles

1. didn't allow the central government(Congress)to collect taxes --> gov. was low on money. Many states did not collect and give their taxes 2. States would print their own money with cheap paper to help citizens to pay off loans and this would lead to states with seaports when they imported something 3. Congress had no power to enforce its laws. 4. Congress had no power to regulate trade. 5. No national court system (judicial branch) 6. Changes to the Articles required a unanimous vote 7. Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size. 8. No checks and balances 9. American ships were getting seized at sea but they couldn't do anything about it

Great Compromise

1787; This compromise was between the large and small states of the colonies. The Great Compromise resolved that there would be representation by population in the House of Representatives, and equal representation would exist in the Senate. Each state, regardless of size, would have 2 senators. All tax bills and revenues would originate in the House. This compromise combined the needs of both large and small states and formed a fair and sensible resolution to their problems.

Article 11, 12, and 13 AOC

Article 11: Stated that Canada could join the new nation if it wanted. Article 12: Stated that the new nation agreed to pay for earlier war debts. Article 13: Declared that the Articles of Confederation were forever and could only be changed by the Congress of Confederation and if all the states agreed.

Article 1&2 AOC

Article 1: Created the name of the combined 13 states as The United States of America. Article 2: State governments still had their own powers that were not listed in the Articles of Confederation.

Article 3&4 AOC

Article 3: The combined states were responsible for helping to protect each other from attacks. Article 4: People can travel freely from state to state; however, criminals who left the state where they committed the crime would be sent back for trial.

Article 5&6 AOC

Article 5: Creates the Congress of the Confederation. Each state gets one vote in the congress and can send between 2 and 7 people to participate in the congress. Article 6: The new central government is responsible for working with other countries, including trade agreements and declaring war. States were required to have trained soldiers who could be ready to fight.

Article 7&8 AOC

Article 7: States could choose their own military leaders. Article 8: Each state government had to raise money to give to the new central government.

Article 9&10 AOC

Article 9: Only the new central government had the power to make declare war, and make peace with foreign countries. The central government was also responsible for assigning Ambassadors to represent the United States in other countries. Article 10: Created a group called the Committee of States who could act for the Congress of Confederation when the Congress was not working.

Slave Trade Compromise

In 1787 some northern states had banned slave trade in their borders, urged that slave trade should be banned in the entire nation, southerners-no, Compromised that congress could not outlaw slave trade for at least 20 years. Northerners agreed that no state could stop a fugitive slave from being returned to someone who claimed that slave

Annapolis Convention

It was a convention held in Maryland to discuss the economic problems that couldn't be fixed under the AOC. only 5 states attended but led to a meeting in Philadelphia the next year to fix the problems

Important Delegates of the Constitutional Convention

James Madison - high participation(was at every meeting), important for the federalist and anti-federalists, kept notes for the convention and is known as a father of the constitution George Washington - very important for the federalists and anti-federalists. Alexander Hamilton - very strong speaker and proposed to have a king be the ruler of the states William Paterson - founded the New Jersey Plan Edmond Randolph - founded the Virginia Plan Roger Sherman - founded the great compromise of Virginia and the New Jersey plan Charles Pickney - a strong supporter of slaves James Wilson - founded the ⅗ compromise

Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787)

Rebellion of debtor farmers in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays. Wealthy people had called back their loans from governments and states but being very poor states they started directly taxing the people. Instead of taking paper money, they needed to pay with gold or silver coins but, most of the people being farmers, didn't have access to these precious metals. The farmers tried to argue with the states but nothing happened and their land was being taken away to pay off their debts. The people first started off protesting and having a petition but that didn't work so they went to shut down the courts. By doing this the courts couldn't pass the papers that would take away farmers' lands. The government couldn't do anything about it since it didn't have a government and it took them 6 months to fix the problem. This caused many people to leave MA to nearby states with lower tax

Why did it take so long to adopt?

Some states felt like they were entitled to gaining land in the new territories and when other states found out that they couldn't get any they weren't happy. So they didn't agree with the new constitution until the other states agreed.

Mount Vernon Conference

Successful at solving navigation and trade problems between Virginia and Maryland. Led to the calling of the Annapolis Convention. Was a conference held at GW home because Maryland and Virginia were arguing about who got what in the Chesapeake and Potomac area. This then led to bringing it to Congress to approve .

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. Smaller states favored this plan as all the states would have equal representation, ensuring that bigger states did not have an advantage. Congress could also tax and regulate trade.

Outcome of Shay's Rebellion

This incident convinced many politicians that there were problems with the government structure and that it needed to be strengthened or changed. Also made the people think that a stronger government would prevent future rebellions

The Constitutional Convention Compromises

Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Great(Connecticut)Compromise, 3/5ths Compromise, Slave Trade Compromise

3/5ths Compromise

allowed slaves to be counted as 3/5ths of a person towards representation and taxation

Land Ordinance of 1785

the government requested states to give back land that they took over so that AOC could be accepted by the other states. They then passed this law, which was a win for the articles, ensuring that it provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S. - They would survey the land with chains and then there would be townships that could be sold and they were 6x6. 80 chains is equal to a mile.