Articles of Confederation

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Articles of Confederation

• The first American Constitution

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Confederation

• Alliance of independent states

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The Articles of Confederation
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Ordinances

• Laws
• What other words mean law
• Act
• Code
• law

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Do not get these confused

• Northwest Ordinance
• 1. it set up a government for the N.W. Territory
• 2. Guaranteed basic rights to settlers
• 3. Outlawed slavery
• 4. Aloud a way for the N.W.T. to be come states

• Land Ordinance of 1785-
• Set up a system for surveying and settling the
  Northwest Territory.

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Economic Depression

• A period when business activity slows, prices and
  wages fall, and unemployment rises.

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Shays Rebellion

• Revolt lead by Daniel Shay to prevent the states
  from taking their farms.
• It showed the weaknesses of the Articles of
  Confederation.
• May 1787 several states gathered for a convention
  to Revise the Articles of Confederation

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Constitutional Convention

• 1787 Meeting in Philadelphia to revise the
  Articles of Confederation

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Constitution

• A written plan of government

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Executed

• Carried out the laws

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A big plan

• Virginia Plan
• James Madisons idea
• wanted 3 branches of the government
• Legislative branch has 2 houses
• Number of members is based on Number of people in
  each state

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A small idea

• Legislative only has one house.
• Each state has one member.
• William Pattersons idea

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A Great Compromise

• Called for a two house legislature
• House of Representative was based population
• Senate was equal with every state receiving two
  representatives.

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3/5 Compromise

• Stated that 3/5 of the slaves would be counted
  as part of the population.

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Slave Trade Agreement

• Congress could not out law slave trade for at
  least 20 years
• Northern states could not prevent a slave owner
  from getting his slave.

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Checks and Balances

• How the government makes sure that no one branch
  becomes too powerful.

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Executive Branch (President)

• Carries out the laws
• Can veto, or refuse laws
• Appoints judges
• Can call special sessions of Congress

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Legislative Branch (Congress)

• Can over ride veto of the president
• May remove president from office
• Must approve treaties
• Must approve Presidents appointments

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Judicial(Supreme Court and other Federal Courts)

• Makes judgments about laws
• Can declare laws unconstitutional
• Can declare actions of the president
  unconstitutional

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John Locke

• 1690 Two Treatise of Government
• two points
• people have natural rights
• rulers must protect these rights

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Baron de Montesquieu

• 1748 the Spirit of the Laws
• Separation of powers
• Three branches of government

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What were these and how did they lead to our
government today?

• Magna Carta
• English Bill of Rights
• House of Burgesses
• Mayflower Compact
• Enlightenment
• John Locke
• Montesquieu

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1. Goals of the Constitution

• Form a more perfect union
• Establish justice
• Ensure Domestic tranquillity
• Provide for the common defense
• Promote the general welfare
• Secure the blessings of liberty

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Form a more perfect union

• Three branches of government
• Commerce Clause
• strong central government

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Establish Justice

• Secure basic rights
• Trial by jury

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Provide for common defense

• Safety against others Britain France
• Build navy army

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Promote the General welfare

• Building schools
• Setting up government programs

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Secure the blessings of liberty

• Bill of rights
• Checks and balances

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The people rule

• Government is for the people by the people
• Two Treaties of government
• John lock
• Declaration of Independence

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Limited Government

• Checks and balances

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Federalism

• Expressed power for the federal and State
  government

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Checks and balances

• The make sure the no one branch gets too powerful
• Executive
• Legislative
• Judicial

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What make the constitution a living document?

• Amendments
• Elastic Clause
• Commerce Clause

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Amendments to the Constitution

• First ten amendments
• able to create laws and changes to the
  Constitution

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Commerce Clause

• Made state relations more friendly
• regulated trade and other state relations.

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How does the national government work?

• Three branches of government
• constitution
• Checks and balances

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Three ring circus

• Three branches of government
• all falls under the constitution

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Formal Amendments

• A formal amendment is a change to the
  Constitutions actual written words.

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Some formal amendments

• 1 congress proposes State legislature ratifies
• 2 Congress proposes state conventions ratifies
• 3 National convention proposes State
  Legislatures ratify.
• 4 National convention Proposes State Convention
  Ratifies

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Informal Amendments

• Informal amendments do not change the
  constitutions actual words.