The Articles of Confederation
The Introduction: The Preamble
"We the People of the United States..." are the first words of the Preamble (or beginning) of the Constitution. These words are important because they tell us: Our government is based on Popular Sovereignty ( the people have the power to rule)
The Executive Branch ( President)
- Checks Legislative: The President approves or vetoes laws based by Congress. - Checks Judicial: The President chooses the justices for the Supreme Court.
The Judicial Branch ( Supreme Court)
- Checks Legislative: The Supreme Court can declare a law passed by Congress unconstitutional - Checks Executive: The Supreme Court can declare the President's actions unconstitutional
Roger Sherman - The Great Compromise
- Connecticut delegate who came up with the solution to how both small states and large states would be fairly represented in Congress
State Powers?
- Create local courts - Issue licenses (drivers' , marriage, hunting,etc) - make laws for businesses within the state - Ratify ( approve ) Constitutional amendments - Take care of the health and safety of its citizens.
Sherman's Plan?
- Dividing Congress into 2 Houses: 1. Senate: each state would receive an equal number of representatives a. This pleased small states 2. House of Representatives: the number of representatives would depend on the state population a. This pleased Large states - Both houses would have to approve a law for it to pass.
Alexander Hamilton and John Jay
- Federalists who wrote a series of articles called The Federalist Papers: promoted the Constitution and explained how it would work
George Washington - President of the Convention
- Hero of the Revolution; Virginia delegate -Later was voted 1st President - Only President to be unanimously voted for
Powers of the State Government: Made their own trade laws
- It was difficult for the states to trade with each other or different countries. - Merchants weren't sure what trade laws to fallow.
The Virginia Plan
- James Madison developed the plan - Federal System: states share power with the central government, but the central government has more power that the states - 3 parts of branches: 1st Branch: make laws for the nation Representatives in congress based on population - larger states would get more votes. 2nd Branch: carry out the laws 3rd Branch: studies and interprets the laws -Republic:government in which the citizens elect leaders to represent them - the citizens have all the power
Examples of trade laws?
- Merchants in New York are confused because the laws in Pennsylvania for trading and selling goods are different. - Foreign trade laws in Charleston, SC might be different from the trade laws at the port in Massachusetts, con using merchants coming from Italy.
Ratify the constitution problems, Antifederalists?
- Opposed the constitution - Believed that a strong central government was a threat to liberty ( freedom) of citizens. - Wanted a Bill of Rights: list of the rights of individuals guaranteed by the government.
Article 2: The Executive Branch - ENFORCES, or CARRIES OUT THE LAWS for the country.
- President: head of branch, citizens elect a new President every 4 years. - Vice President: serves under the President, takes over Presidential duties if something happens to the President - Cabinet: departments that support the President and helps him/her make decisions in enforcing laws. EX. Department of Defense, Department of Education, etc.
National Powers?
- Print money - Declare war - Built the military - Make treaties (agreements) with foreign countries - Make rules for doing business between the states and foreign nations - Create post offices and postage ( stamps) - Make laws to enforce the constitution.
Shared Powers?
- Set up courts - Collect taxes - Built roads - Borrow money - Make and enforce laws - Create bansk
Article 3: The Judicial Branch - STUDIES AND INTERPRETS THE LAWS to make sure that they follow the Constitution
- Supreme Court: the highest court in the nation - 9 justices ( judges)
National, State, and Local Levels of Government?
- The 3 branches of government are located at all 3 levels of government. - Local and State laws MUST OBEY federal laws.
The Legislative Branch ( Congress)
-Checks Executive: two-thirds of Congress can pass a law even if the President vetoed it. -Checks Judicial: Congress must approve the justices the President chooses for the Supreme Court.
The Ordinance of 1787/the Northwest Ordinance
-Explained how the new land of the Northwest Territory would be measured, divided, and sold - States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan were settled under this ordinance - made slavery illegal in the Northwest Territory.
James Madison - The Father of the Constitution
-Member of Congress; Virginia delegate - Took notes, gave many speeches, and lead many discussions - Knew The Articles of Confederation had failed - created a NEW PLAN for government called The Virginia Plan, which is what our constitution is based on - Later become the 4th President
Benjamin Franklin
-Respected for his wisdom; Pennsylvania delegate
Ratify the constitution problems, Federalists?
-Suports of the constitution - Believed in a strong central, or national government - Federalists Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote Federalist Papers to try and promote the Constitution.
Most Common way to Amend the Constitution?
1. 2/3of Congress proposes a change 2. 3/4 of the state must vote to change it
Shay's Rebellion?
1. Let debtor farmers out of jail 2. Tried to capture weapons belonging to the national government - Congress could not stop the farmers because it did not have a power to create a U.S. army - State militia eventually defeated the rebellion
Different Plans for Government
1. The Virginia Plan 2. The New Jersey Plan
Daniel Shays?
A Massachusetts farmer and former soldier in the War for Independence/Revolutionary War, was angry that farmers were being thrown in jail for not being able to pay the state's high taxes or there debts, so he led a rebellion of Massachusetts farmers.
Amendment?
A change in the constitution
Responsibility?
A duty or task citizens should do to support our government and the Common Good ( goods of all U.S. citizens).
Democracy?
A government in which the people have the power to make decisions about their leaders and laws; mostly done through a republic.
The Bill of Rights
A list of rights, or liberties guaranteed by the United States Government.
Checks and Balances
A system where each branch limits the power of the other 2 branches to prevent one branch from becoming more powerful than the others.
Examples of Responsibilities?
Voting, paying taxes, respecting the right of the others, following the laws, volunteering, etc.
Why was the Bill of Rights includes in the Constitution?
Because the Antifederalists wanted to make sure that the government could NOT take away all the rights of its citizens ( as King George 2 tried to do to the colonists). These rights limit the power of government and make sure its citizens are protected.
Three-Fifths Rule?
Compromise that counted five slaves as three citizens that could be counted as of a state's population.
Article 1: The Legislative Branch - MAKES LAWS for the country.
Congress made up of 2 parts: 1. Senate: each state has 2 senators (100 total) 2. House of Representatives: based on each state's population - larger populated states have more representatives ( 435 total) - Powers of Congress: rise money through taxes ( money citizens pay to the government) to pay for goods and services such as roads, schools, hospitals, etc.
Result of ratifying the constitution?
Federalists promised Antifederalists that they would add a Bill of Rights and eventually all 13 states ratified the Constitution.
Articles of Confederation?
First plan of government for the United Staes; approved by the Second Continental Congress.
Right?
Freedoms guaranteed by the government: listed in the Bill of Rights
Republic?
Government in which the citizens elect leaders to represent them - the citizens have all the power.
Example of money?
If a citizen from Georgia went to Virginia, he/she would have to trade GA money in for VA money. The GA money might not be equal to the same amount as VA money (GA $1.00 might equal only $0.50 in VA), so it was hard to trade money.
The Constitution?
Is our plan of government, and describes how our government works.
Important Leaders of the Constitutional Convention?
James Madison George Washington Benjamin Franklin Roger Sherman Alexander Hamilton and John Jay
The Northwest Territory
Land North of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River that was won in the Revolution
Powers of the State Government: Print and borrow money
Limited of the National Government: - Could NOT create taxes PROBLEMS - Congress needed money to: 1. Pay off its debt from the American Revolution 2. Pay its lawmakers 3. Pay the soldiers who had fought in the American Revolution - Congress had to ask the states for money, but could NOT make them pay.
Powers of the State Government: Make peace treaties with other countries; including American Indians
Limits of the National Government: - Could NOT control trade PROBLEM - racing laws were different from state-to-state; confusing U.S. merchants and other countries trying to trade with the U.S.
Powers of the State Government: Organize new territories
Limits of the National Government: -Could NOT force states to obey its laws PROBLEMS - Each state ran like its own individual country - There was NO unity among the states - NO one unified country
Powers of the State Government: Declare war
Limits of the National Government: -Could NOT set up a national army or US military PROBLEM - The new nation had no national military to protect it in case another country attacked it. - The U.S, could not form military to handle situations inside the country.
Powers of the State Government: Print their own money
Money was different in each state and was worth different amounts in value
Separation of Power
Power is divided equally among the 3 branches
The Great Compromise?
Roger Sherman came up with a solution to the Biggest Problem Facing the Convention: How small states and large states could both be fairly represented in Congress - The Great Compromise
The New Jersey Plan
Small states did not like that the number of representatives in congress was based on population, because that meant larger states would get more votes in congress than smaller states, so under The New Jersey Plan: each state 1 vote, so that small states would get as much power as large states.
The Issue of Slavery
Southern delegates wanted slaves to count as part of state's population, which would give southern states more representatives in Congress - Other delegates said that was unfair, since slaves were treated as property, not citizens.
Federal System?
States share power with the central government, but the central government has more power than the states.
Balance of Power?
The authors of the Constitutions made 3 branches of government that were equal in power because they wanted to prevent one person or branch from becoming too powerful and having all of the power like King George 3 did.
How are the 10 amendments known in other words?
The Bill of Rights
The Constitutional Convention?
The Philadelphia meeting called by Congress after Shay's rebellion where delegates from the states met to discuss how to change the articles of Confederation. -They eventually decided NOT to change it, but to write a whole new plan for our government - The United States Constitution
Ratifying the Constitution
The United States Constitution is based on Madison's Virginia Plan and was signed on Sept, 17th, 1787, at least 9 out of 13 states had to ratify the constitution, but were Problems.
Popular Sovereignty?
The people have the power to rule
The Importance of Shay's Rebellion?
The rebellion showed that the Articles of Confederation had failed and that weak national government could NOT keep order. -Congress decided to ask states to send their delegates to a meeting in Philadelphia to discuss how to change he Article of Confederation.
Details and weakness of the Article of Confederation?
Weak national government - most power with the states. -Many Americans did not want a strong central, or national government. They had just fought for freedom to govern and rule themselves, and feared that if they gave the national level of government too much power, the government would try to control them like King Georg 2 did.