The Articles of Confederation 1777

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The Articles of Confederation1777
This Articles of Confederation was our first
constitution.
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What is a confederation?

• confederation a loose alliance among the 13
  states

• The Articles had only one
• weak branch of govt
• a legislative branch

• The Articles did not provide
• for a president or a court
• system.

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We Americans were afraid of two things when
thinking about a new government...
1. A king , president, or other form of govt
that was too powerful.
Im proud to be a Virginian!
2. We didnt want to give up loyalty to our state.
TJ
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Congress (weak)
State govts (strong)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
each state had one vote
economic power
1. 2. 3.
could declare war
regulate trade
coin money
.
9/13 states needed to approve a bill
could not be forced to contribute funds to the
national govt
could not tax
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Northwest Ordinance (1787)
Congress wanted a way to settle the new territory
gained by winning the Revolution.
The Nwest Ordinance provided a way to divide up
land that settlers could purchase.
In the new territories, the Ordinance
1. guaranteed basic rights to settlers
2. outlawed slavery
3. allowed a territory to apply for statehood
once 60,000 people settled there
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Ohio
CT
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This was our govt for 10 years, until Shays
Rebellion in 1787.
John Adams
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Shays Rebellion

• Farmers in Mass. rebelled because the govt
• was doing nothing about their economic
  difficulties.

• Congress was unable to stop the rebellion.

I think its time for a new constitution.
Why?

• A private militia raised in Mass. finally stopped
  the uprising.

Congresss inability to stop the rebellion
underscored the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation.
James Madison
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Constitutional Convention, Philadelphia, 1787
The Virginia Plan
Executive Branch Judicial Branch Legislative
Branch
This plan called for a strong natl govt with
three branches.
This plans legislative branch was bicameral, or
had two houses in its congress.
Number of seats in each house would be awarded
based on population of the state.
LARGE states
Which states were favored in the Virginia Plan?
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The New Jersey Plan
William Paterson
Executive Branch Judicial Branch Legislative
Branch
This plan also called for three branches of govt
This legislative branch would have only one
house, with one vote for each state.
small states
Which states were favored in this plan?
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The Great Compromise
Roger Sherman of CT suggested a compromise b/w
the VA Plan and the NJ Plan which came to be
called the Great Compromise.
Sherman called for two houses (bicameral) in
Congress
House of Representatives
Senate

• members of House elected

• members chosen by state legislatures

• of members based on population

• each state would have two senators

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Do slaves count?
Southerners wanted to include slaves in the
population count.
Northerners said that if slaves werent allowed
to vote, they shouldnt be counted.
Three-Fifths Compromise

• 3/5 of slaves in any state would be counted

• so, a slave was considered 60 of a person.

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The Constitution of the United States

• 9/13 states ratified the Constitution in June 1788

• 13/13 states ratified in May 1790

• The main author of the Constitution was James
  Madison