Topic:

Forming a New NationEssential Question:

How is the Constitution superior to the Articles of Confederation?

Articles of Confederation America’s 1st constitution Adopted during the Revolutionary War (1777)

Weaknesses: States had more power than the federal (national) government

Weaknesses: States had more power than the federal (national) government

Congress could not: Tax Regulate trade

No national court system No system of checks and balances

No national court system No system of checks and balances

Critical Period (1781-1789) Period between the end of the Revolutionary War and the Ratification of the Constitution

Problems with: Debt Foreign affairs Rebellions

Foreign affairs Rebellions

Shays’ Rebellion Rebellion of farmers in rural Massachusetts (1786)

Showed the failure of the Articles of Confederation

Shays Shattuck

10-2-2Discuss

The Articles of Confederation

The Critical PeriodWrite a sentence describing why Shays’ Rebellion was important

Rebellion of farmers in rural Massachusetts (1786)

Showed the failure of the Articles of Confederation

Rebellion of farmers in rural Massachusetts (1786)

Showed the failure of the Articles of Confederation

Constitutional Convention James Madison

Author of the Virginia Plan Based on Montesquieu’s ideas

“Father of the Constitution”

Based on Montesquieu’s ideas

“Father of the Constitution” George Washington

President of the Constitutional Convention

George Washington President of the Constitutional Convention

Important compromises Great Compromise

Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut Compromise between large and small states

Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut Compromise between large and small states Representation in the House of Representatives: Determined by population

Representation in the Senate: 2 per state

Representation in the Senate: 2 per state

Three-fifths Compromise Designed to get southern states to agree to the Constitution

Each slave counted as 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and representation

Designed to get southern states to agree to the Constitution

Each slave counted as 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and representation

The Constitution The U.S.’s formal plan of government

The supreme law of the land Based on Madison’s Virginia Plan

The supreme law of the land Based on Madison’s Virginia Plan

Unified the states Created a strong national government and a national court system

Unified the states Created a strong national government and a national court system

A “living document” Amendments Elastic Clause

Amendments Elastic Clause

Signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787

10-2-2 Discuss

James Madison George Washington Compromises The Constitution

Write a sentence describing one of the following: James Madison’s importance How the Constitution is a “living document”

Elastic Clause Signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787

Elastic Clause Signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787

Ratifying the Constitution Federalists

People who supported the ratification (approval) of the Constitution

Wanted a strong national government

Alexander Hamilton

James Madison

People who supported the ratification (approval) of the Constitution

Wanted a strong national government

Anti-Federalists People who opposed the ratification of the Constitution

Two main reasons: Some wanted stronger state and local government

Some wanted a bill of rights

Patrick Henry

George Mason

Some wanted stronger state and local government

Some wanted a bill of rights

Federalist Papers Essays that supported:

A strong national government

Ratification

A strong national government Ratification

Written by: James Madison Alexander Hamilton John Jay

Alexander Hamilton John Jay

Bill of Rights The first ten amendments to the Constitution Some states refused to ratify the Constitution without it

The first ten amendments to the Constitution Some states refused to ratify the Constitution without it

Written by James Madison in 1789 Added to the Constitution in 1791

10-2-2Discuss

The FederalistsThe Anti-FederalistsThe Federalist PapersThe Bill of Rights

Write a sentence comparing the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists

Written by James Madison in 1789 Added to the Constitution in 1791