Road to the Constitution

1
Road to the Constitution

• How the Constitution came to be

2
Road to the Constitution

• The American Revolution is in full swing and it
  does not look good for the colonists
• 1776 the colonists declared their independence
  from Great Britain

3
Road to the Constitution

• Richard Henry Lee
• He gets the Congress together and for 17 months
  they try to write a permanent govt

4
Road to the Constitution

• On November 15, 1777 they succeed and approve the
  Articles of Confederation
• They granted freedom to each state and they could
  make their own laws

5
Road to the Constitution

• At first this seemed like a great govt, but
  things begin to change quickly
• Weaknesses are spotted almost immediately
• Certain powers are not mentioned creating
  confusion

6
Road to the Constitution

• Major Weaknesses
• No national currency
• Powerless to collect taxes
• Powerless to regulate trade
• Could not raise an Army
• Could not make states obey
• Difficult to amend the articles (13)

7
Road to the Constitution

• A meeting is called to make a new govt
• 1787 the meeting in Philadelphia becomes the
  Constitutional Convention
• The sole purpose to revise the Articles of
  Confederation

8
Road to the Constitution

• 55 delegates work to write the Constitution known
  as Framers
• They agree on certain rules and a President of
  the convention, but that is about it as different
  plans emerge
• Agreed that discussion would be kept secret

9
Articles vs. Constitution

• HANDOUT

10
Road to the Constitution

• Virginia Plan v. New Jersey Plan
• Issue of REPRESENTATION

11
The Great Compromise

• Virginia Plan

• New Jersey Plan

• Called for a bicameral legislature
• States representation in each house would be
  based on its population
• Supported by larger states

• Called for a unicameral legislature in which each
  state had equal representation
• Supported by smaller states

12
Connecticut Plan or Great Compromise

• Gave something to both large and small states
• Created the Congress, a bicameral legislature
• States had equal representation in the upper
  house or the Senate
• In lower house, or House of Representatives,
  representation was based on population.

13
Road to the Constitution

• There is much debate about the shape of the
  Congress, the Presidency, and a written Bill of
  Rights
• People who are for the Constitution are known as
  Federalists and people against the Constitution
  are known as the Anti-Federalists

14
The Bill of Rights

• Ensure peoples liberties that cannot be taken
  away
• These are the first ten amendments written into
  the Constitution

15
Bill of Rights

• Includes such things as the Freedom of
• Speech (1st)
• Bear Arms(2nd)
• Protection from illegal search (4th)
• Incriminating yourself (5th)
• Fair trial (6th)
• Cruel and Unusual Punishment (8th)

16
Constitution Amendments

• 13th Ended Slavery
• 14th Equal protection of citizens
• 15th African Americans can vote
• 18th Made alcohol illegal
• 19th Gave Women the right to vote
• 21st Made alcohol legal again
• 26th Voting age lowered to 18

17
Forming a new government

• Organizing the Convention