Chapter 3 Key Terms:

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Chapter 3 Key Terms Constitution p.78executive
p. 79economic depression p. 82Daniel Shays p.
83James Madison p.87judicial branch p. 87Roger
Sherman p. 88James Wilson p.88compromise p.
88Governor Morris p. 91ratify p. 92Alexander
Hamilton p. 92John Jay p. 92George Mason p. 93
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Chapter 3 Focus Question How did the United
States Constitution overcome the weaknesses of
the Articles of Confederation and provide for the
organization of the new government?
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Creating the Constitution
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Section 3.1 Governing a New Nation
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Government by the States

• As the revolution approached, eleven of the
  thirteen states wrote new constitutions.
• These constitutions minimized the power of the
  governor, giving most of the power to state
  legislatures elected by the people
• Governors served as the states executive,
  responsible for carrying out laws and appointing
  key state officials, but they had very little
  power.

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Protecting Rights

• Virginia was the first state to include a bill of
  rights in its constitution.
• It included freedom of religion, freedom of the
  press, the right to a trial by jury and barred
  cruel and unusual punishment.
• In some cases, rights were not protected because
  there no check on the power of the legislature.

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The Articles of Confederation

• It was the first framework for a national
  government, adopted by the Continental Congress
  in 1777
• It had just one branch of government, a one house
  legislature called Congress all states had one
  vote
• States retained most of the power
• Congress had limited powers, and no way of
  enforcing laws they passed