Shaping a New Nation

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Shaping a New Nation

• The United States after the Revolutionary War

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F.O.A. (Bellwork)
Whats happening in this photo?
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F.O.A. (Bellwork)

• What would happen if the government could not tax
  us?
• What if states could not be forced to provide
  soldiers for our protection?
• What if there was no president?

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Remember. . .
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• The Treaty of Paris had officially ended the
  Revolutionary War, and Britain was SUPPOSED to
  leave the new United States territories. . .
• But because of the weaknesses of the Articles of
  Confederation, the new U.S. government was
  unstable and weak.

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Articles of Confederation Weaknesses

• Most power held by the states
• Only one branch of government
• The one legislative branch had very few powers
• No judicial branch (Supreme Court)
• No executive branch (President)
• No system of checks and balances
• Could not force states to provide soldiers for a
  national military
• Could not tax (this was the states right)

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Weakness Chart
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Because the U.S. government was so weak. . .

• It couldnt force British troops to leave the
  U.S.
• Britain began passing tariffs (taxes on imports
  or exports) that the U.S. was forced to pay in
  order to trade
• Britain and Spain both closed trade routes that
  the U.S. depended on

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Assignment

• Read Chapter 5, Section 1 (pages 152-155).
• Answer 1-4 all parts on page 155.

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• Because of the closed trade routes and high
  tariffs, many states began printing large amounts
  of money
• Created inflation (money value decreases, prices
  of goods increase)

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Depression

• Period of low economic activity and high
  unemployment
• Makes some people crazy and desperate

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Shayss Rebellion
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• MA farmers were losing their farms because they
  couldnt pay their taxes
• Daniel Shays and other farmers rebelled in order
  to save their farms
• Rebellion went on for a long time because the
  national government had no army to put it down
• Proved to many people that the U.S. needed a
  stronger national government

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Constitutional Convention

• Most Americans agreed that the national
  government under the Articles of Confederation
  was way too weak
• Delegates arrived in Philadelphia in May, 1787 to
  discuss how to solve these issues

INDEPENDENCE HALL
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The Major Issues

• Every delegate thought changes needed to happen
  just didnt agree on how much
• Representation in Congress
• Slavery
• How strong the new national government should be

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Representation in Congress

• How would representatives be chosen? Would
  larger states be allowed more representatives?
  Should everyone get the same amount of votes?
  Was there any way to compromise?

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Large States Liked. . .

• Edmund Randolphs Virginia Plan
• Bicameral legislature (House and Senate)
• Representation in both houses based on population

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Small States Liked. . .

• William Pattersons New Jersey Plan
• Unicameral Congress (one house)
• Each state got the same number of votes

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The Great Compromise
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• Idea put forth by Roger Sherman of CT
• Bicameral legislature (House and Senate)
• Number of Representatives for each state based on
  population
• Each state got two Senators

• Virginia Plan
• Bicameral
• - Rep. based on pop.

• New Jersey Plan
• Unicameral
• Equal Rep.

• Great Compromise
• Bicameral
• Representatives based on population
• - Equal number of senators

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Slavery

• In order to increase their representation,
  Southern states wanted to count slaves in their
  populations.
• Northern states disagreed they did not want to
  count slaves in the population, but they did
  think that the South should have to pay taxes on
  them.

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Three-Fifths Compromise

• Slaves would count as 3/5 of a regular person.
  Taxes would be paid on all slaves.
• The writers of the Constitution were very careful
  to not speak bad about slavery (this wouldve
  upset the South).

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Other Ideas Found in the Constitution. . .
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Popular Sovereignty

• Sovereignty The ability to rule
• Popular sovereignty means that political rule
  belongs to the people!

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Federalism

• The sharing of power between states and the
  federal government

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Checks and Balances

• Keeps any of the three branches of government
  from becoming too powerful

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Federalists vs. AntifederalistsThe Bill of
Rights
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A Little More Compromise. . .

• First Great Compromise
• Second Three-Fifths Compromise
• New Question Just how strong is this new
  national government going to be?

OR
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Federalists

• Wanted a strong, powerful national govt
• Defended their views in a series of articles
  called The Federalist Papers

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WASHINGTON
FRANKLIN
MADISON
HAMILTON
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Anti-Federalists

• Were opposed to the Constitution for several
  different reasons
• Didnt want a new govt (just a better one)
• Thought new govt had way too much power
• No section in the Const. that guaranteed certain
  rights

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GEORGE MASON
PATRICK HENRY
JEFFERSON
SAM ADAMS
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More Compromise, Please!

• Both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
  published articles trying to persuade the
  American people
• Each state voted on whether or not to ratify
  (pass) the Constitution
• Only 9 states needed to ratify it but in order
  for it to really be effective, all 13 states
  needed to ratify it

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The First State

• Dec. 7, 1787 Delaware becomes the first state
  to ratify the Constitution

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Compromise Made

• Several states only agree to ratify the
  Constitution if a Bill of Rights were created
  to protect individual freedoms

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Bill of Rights

• 1st 10 amendments (official changes) to the
  Constitution
• Set a clear example of how to adjust or change
  the Constitution to reflect the wishes of the
  people

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Remember. . .

• What role did compromise play in the writing of
  the United States Constitution?
• Representation Great Compromise
• Slave Population Three-Fifths Compromise
• Strong/Weak Government Federalists vs.
  Anti-Federalists
• Protecting Freedoms Bill of Rights