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SS8H4TSW describe the impact that led to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the

Bill of Rights. a. Analyze the strengths and

weaknesses of both the Georgia Constitution of 1777

and the Articles of Confederation led to a need to

revise the Articles.

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Georgia Constitution of 1777

Georgia joined the other colonies in celebrating the

decision to become independent of Great Britain.

The former colonies were tired of being governed and living

under laws madeby Great Britain.

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The colonists believed that Great Britain was out of touch

and too far away to understand their needs. The new goal for each colony was

statehood. Each new state was to develop its own method of governance and pass laws

that met its needs.

4

Work was begun on a state constitution to replace the earlier

“Rules and Regulations” which had

been used to govern

the state.

5

Writing the new constitution wasn’t easy. Some citizens

wanted a government like the

one already in place with most

of the power in the hands of a few wealthy

landowners and merchants.

6

The Whigs, a more extreme group, wanted to give all the people of Georgia a chance to govern themselves. Georgia did decide on a government based on the separation of power and the rights of citizens to agree with how they were governed.

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By May 1777, Georgia adopted its first state

constitution at a constitutional convention

held in Savannah.

8

The parish system was done away with, and eight counties

were formed. However well meaning the lawmakers

were in developing the

1777constitution, there

were problems.

9

Rather than a bicameral legislature, the Constitution

of 1777 provided for a unicameral, or

one-house legislature.

10

This single legislative body had very broad powers,

including the ability to make appointments for the judicial

branch (the courts) and the executive

branch (the governor).

11

Stung by the loyalty of former governors to the king,

the members of the constitutional convention

wanted to limit severely the influence

and power of the governor.

12

They proposed a one-year term for the

governor. He was to be selected by the

legislature rather than voted on by the people.

13

The actual power was in the hands of twelve lawmakers

from the legislature who served on an executive

council. This council could accept or reject any proposals initiated by the governor.

14

The constitutional

convention selected

John Treutlen, a Salzburger,

as governor.

15

The Articles of Confederation

The founding fathers wanted to make sure their

new government would be very

different from the government of Great Britain.

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The Articles of Confederation, ratified in

1781, intentionally established a weak

national government.

17

The new U.S. government consisted of a unicameral legislature, Congress, in

which each state had one vote. There was no chief

executive, and no national court system.

18

The weaknesses in the Articles of

Confederation caused major

problems for the

new country.

19

Under the Articles, the Confederation Congress that

couldn’t pay the colonial soldiers during the

Revolutionary War found that it also couldn’t pay them after

the war.

20

The Confederation Congress asked the states for help, but many states

rejected or ignored the request.

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The new government didn’t have the power to regulate trade between the states or

between the United States and foreign countries.

22

Each state had its own money system which also created problems

with trade.

23

The British reoccupied some of the forts in the Northwest

Territory (the area north of the Ohio River) and the national

government was powerless to do anything to stop them.

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As a result, foreign countries had little

respect for the new country.

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George Washington and others were alarmed at what they saw happening to the states under the Articles of confederation. A movement

began to examine and revise them.

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An opportunity arose in 1786 when Virginia asked for a meeting in Annapolis,

Maryland, to discuss the continuing trade problems

among the states.

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Representatives from only five states attended and

nothing was accomplished. The delegates did ask that a second convention meet in

Philadelphia that year.

28

They broadened the goals for the Philadelphia meeting and asked to discuss all the problems of the Articles of Confederation. It was hoped that some changed could be made that would make the national government stronger.

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