Articles of Confederation

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Articles of Confederation Constitutional
Convention

• Schaumburg High School

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Articles of Confederation

• First American Govt (1777) (1781)
• Written by 2nd Continental Congress John
  Dickinson (PA)
• Battle between Radicals Reconciliationists

• Problems
• Unable to collect taxes
• Unable to regulate trade
• No Executive to enforce laws
• No Judiciary to interpret laws
• Consensus needed to amend the Articles

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Articles of Confederation

• The AOC reflected the prevailing political
  philosophy
• Nationalists emerge pushing for a change!
• Alexander Hamilton
• Jon Morris
• It could not handle Americas challenges
• Shays Rebellion

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Federalists

• Supporters of a new, more highly centralized
  government
• Supported national organization/local liberties
• Alexander Hamilton

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Antifederalists

• Supporters of a loose organization of states
  under the Articles of Confederation
• Feared another anarchy
• Thomas Jefferson

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Constitutional Convention

• 5/25/1787- 9/17/1787
• A meeting of nationalists to revise or overthrow
  the AOC to make national government stronger
• 74 men elected
• 55 men attended
• 16 attendees did not sign it
• 39 served in Cont Congress
• 21 fought in Amer. Rev.
• 8 signed the Decl of Indep.

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A Bundle of Compromises

• Big States versus Small States (Most important)
• Representation in both houses of Congress?
• How to elect the president?
• Taxation? Proportional or equal?
• North versus South
• Slavery
• Tariffs
• Nationalists versus States Rights
• Rural versus Urban

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Main Issue Liberty vs Order

• How much power do you give the government to
  maintain order yet not hinder or control liberty?
• Amend AOC or overthrow it?
• Great Compromise Proportional rep. in House
  equality in Senate
• Main reason small states ratified the
  Constitution
• Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for taxes
  representation
• North got its Navigation laws passed then

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John Dickinson

• Pennsylvania
• Did not sign Dec. of Indep.
• Author of AOC
• Leading champion of small states

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Alexander Hamilton

• New York
• Responsible for calling convention
• Author of Federalist Papers
• Washington aid in Amer. Rev.
• 1st Sec. of Treasury
• Killed by Aaron Burr in a duel

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George Washington

• Virginia
• Brought legitimacy to the convention
• Worried about his reputation by attending
  illegal convention
• Winner of Amer. Rev.
• 1st President of the United States of America

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Gouverneur Morris

• Pennsylvania
• Most conservative vocal delegate
• Leading anti-slavery voice
• Constitution was his words

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Robert Morris

• Pennsylvania
• Superintendent of Finance
• 3rd or 4th most important delegate
• Spoke rarely but influentially
• Financed the war

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Benjamin Franklin

• Pennsylvania
• Oldest delegate at 87
• Added legitimacy
• Slept throughout most of the convention
• Suffering from the gout

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James Madison

• Virginia
• Wrote the Constitution
• Author of Federalist Papers
• Father of Bill of Rights
• Checks Balances
• 4th Pres. Of the USA

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Other Issues

• The power of the Executive Branch
• Citizenships, Immigration, admission of new
  states
• Federalists vs Antifederalists
• State ratifications-All states had conventions to
  ratify the Constitution
• 1st to ratify Delaware
• Last to ratify NC RI Why?