Building a New NationThe Articles of Confederation
Objectives
• Identify the problems facing the 2nd Continental
Congress after the war
• Identify the purpose of the Articles of
Confederation
• Define weakness of Articles of Confederation
• Define three economic issues facing the new
American government
• Access the need for the Constitutional Convention
Problems after the War
1. The former colonies,
now states, needed
a new form of
government (chose
Republic)
2. Which laws to create
for the 13 new states
Problems after the War
3. What powers would
states have and what
powers would the
national (republic)
government have?
4. New land and national
debt issues
The Articles of Confederation
• 1781- the Articles of Confederation were
ratified as the government of the United
States
• Articles formed a loose alliance between the
states
• Articles provided unified front for the country
but Articles has no real power
Activity
• In groups of 3-4, students will look at the
major weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
• Students will look at different placard cards
that explain the weaknesses and fill out
appropriate box on their worksheet
• Before the group can move on to the next
placard, the group must have their sheet
checked by the teacher
Check for Understanding
• Four minutes to fill in questions
provided…
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
1.Congress could not enact and collect taxes
2. Congress could not regulate interstate or
foreign trade
3.Regardless of population, each state had only
one vote in Congress
4.Two-thirds majority-9 out of 13 states needed to
agree to pass important laws
Weaknesses of Article of
Confederation
5. Articles could be amended only if all states
approved
6. There was no executive branch to enforce the
laws of Congress
7. There was no national court system to settle
legal disputes
8. There were 13 separate states that lacked
national unity
Successes of the Articles of
Confederation
• Land settlement:
–Land Ordinance of 1785
–Northwest Ordinance of
1787
Economic Failures of the Articles of
Confederation
The United States faced economic crisis due to the
Articles of Confederation’s inability to tax
1. Foreign Debt
Nation owed 190 million dollars to foreign countries for
their assistance during the war
2. Foreign relations
Britain stationed troops in the Great Lakes; Spain closed
trade on the Mississippi River due to money owed by
the U.S.
Shay’s Rebellion
• Rebellion led by Daniel Shay
• Based on high debt after the
war in Massachusetts
• Shay’s Rebellion showed the
inability of the government
to act
• Also showed the weakness
of the government with
financial and military
problems
Annapolis Convention
• Delegates met to discuss weaknesses with
Articles of Confederation in Annapolis
• Only 12 delegates from 5 states showed up
• Failure of Annapolis Convention prompted
Alexander Hamilton to call for another
convention to be held in Philadelphia
• The convention would lead to the Constitution
Building a New Nation
The Constitutional Convention
Objectives
• Identify the location of the Constitutional
Convention
• Identify 4 issues brought up at the C.C.
• Compare the Virginia and Jersey Plans
• Explain the Great Compromise
• Define the 3/5 Compromise
• Define Federalism
• Identify the “Father of the Constitution”
The Constitutional Convention
• Philadelphia was chosen
as a symbolic location to
hold the convention
• George Washington was
chosen by unanimous
decision to be chairmen
• He was chosen because
of his prestige
Major Issues at the Convention
1. Representation in
Congress
-population and size
2. Slavery
-taxation and representation
3. Supremacy
-Federal vs. State
governments
4. Division of Power
-Branches of Government
and Checks and Balances
Activity
• Individually, take 10 minutes to read “Big
States vs. Small States” on page 142
• As you read, on the back of your note
sheet, fill out necessary information and
be ready to discuss how the Connecticut
Plan became the known as the Great
Compromise
Check for Understanding
• What was the location of the Constitutional
Convention?
• Who presided over the convention as
chairman… why was he chosen?
• What were the 4 main issues discussed at the
convention?
• What was the Virginia Plan… New Jersey
Plan… and the Great Compromise?
3/5 Compromise
• Proposed to solve North/South
issue of representation and
taxation
• To benefit the North,
compromise made slaves worth
3/5 of a person to lesson
number of representatives from
Southern states
• To benefit the South, less
taxation due to smaller
population
Supremacy: Division of Power
• Federalism- chosen to solve the issue of State vs.
Federal power
• Delegated Powers: foreign affairs, coining of
money, national defense, etc. are given to
national government
• Reserved Powers: education, marriage laws,
regulating trade between states, etc. are given to
the state government
Branches of Government
• Executive: President
(enforces laws)
• Legislative: Congress
(makes laws)
• Senate- upper house
• House of Representativeslower house
• Judicial: Supreme Court
(interprets laws)
Checks and Balances
Writing the Constitution
• Many founding fathers
helped write the
Constitution
• James Madisonconsidered “Founding
Father”
Check for Understanding
• What was the 3/5 Compromise?
• What is Federalism… what are delegated
powers…what are reserved powers?
• What are the 3 branches of government…
what does each do… who heads each branch?
• Who is the “Father of the Constitution?”
Building a New Nation
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Class Objectives
• Explain the stances of the Federalists and AntiFederalists
• Identify the publication of the Federalists and
Anti-Federalists
• Identify the author of the Bill of Rights
• Analyze the Bill of Rights
• Create Bill of Rights book
Trouble over the Constitution
• American government so different
under the Constitution many
disagreements started
• Main controversy- power given to
the national government vs. state
government
• Controversy forms two opposing
groups- Federalists and AntiFederalists, each with their own
interpretations of the Constitution
The Federalist View
1. Favored strong National Government that
shared power with states
2. Believed checks and balances would keep all
branches of government equal
3. Believed a central government was needed to
facilitate trade , conduct foreign relations, and
provide national defense
4. Believed that having a strong national
government was necessary for a nation the size
of the U.S.
Federalist Leaders
George
Washington
John Jay
James
Madison
Alexander
Hamilton
The Anti-Federalist View
1. Believed that one central government was
unable to control the interests of the entire
nation
2. Felt that the power of the nation should rest in
the hands of the local and state governments
3. Believed that a central government would only
serve the best interest of the privileged minority
4. Afraid the rights of the common man would be
taken away without a Bill of Rights added to the
Constitution
Anti-Federalist Leaders
Patrick Henry
Richard Henry Lee
Samuel Adams
Works of the Federalists and AntiFederalists
• The Federalists Papers
• Letters from a Federal
Farmer
• Written by Hamilton,
Jay, Madison
• Written by R. H. Lee
• Provided analysis of the
major points of the
Constitution to the
public
• Stated that the rights of
the common man
needed to be protected
at any cost
View on the Bill of Rights
Federalists
-Unnecessary due to all
state constitutions
already containing their
own
- Believed that the
Constitution would not
infringe on people’s rights
Anti- Federalists
-Necessary due to the fact
the Constitution
weakened state powers
-Demanded a Bill of
Rights be included or else
they would not ratify
Constitution
Check for Understanding??
• What are the major stances of the Federalist and
the Anti-Federalists?
• Who were the major leaders of each group?
• What were the major publications of both groups
and who wrote them?
• What were the views on a Bill of Rights from each
group?
Shaping of the Bill of Rights
• Bill of Rights was initially
based on the Virginia
Declaration of Rights
• Virginia Declaration of
Rights was written by
George Mason
• Much of the Bill of Rights
can be credited to George
Mason
Shaping of the Bill of Rights
• The first amendment of the
Bill of Rights (Freedom of
Religion), was influenced by
the Virginia Statute of
Religious Freedom
• Thomas Jefferson, the
author of this work declared
that a government may not
establish a national religion
nor support a favored church
The Bill of Rights
• The Bill of rights was added to
the Constitution which led to
ratification in 1788
• The Bill of Rights also known
as the Ten Amendments
guaranteed the rights of
American citizens
• The principle author of the Bill
of Rights was James Madison
Activity
• In groups, you will construct and fill out the “My Bill of
Rights Booklet”
• Read Amendments 1-10 on pages 166-167 and fill in
Amendment, definition (in your own words), and a
present day example
• Once the booklet is complete, we will go over it
together as a class
20 point activity
Session 4: Building a New Nation
Political Divisions and Foreign Conflict
Class Objectives
• Identify the significance of Washington’s
presidency
• Compare the origins of the Federalists and
Democratic-Republicans
• Identify foreign relation problems that the U.S.
encountered
• Explain how relations with France normalized
Washington’s Presidency
• George Washington took office in 1789 as
the first President of the U.S.
• First challenge- shape the judicial branch
by creating the Supreme Court through
the Judiciary Act of 1789.
• John Jay- First Chief Justice
• Washington also appointed advisors to
help him make decisions to run the
country known as the Cabinet
• Most notable Cabinet members were
Hamilton (Treasury) and Jefferson (State)
Federalists vs. Democratic
Republicans
Federalists
Democratic-Republicans
Leader: Alexander Hamilton
Leader: Thomas Jefferson
Supporters: Wealthy Northerners
Supporters: Common
Southerners
Characteristics:
Desired National Bank,
Economy based on shipping
and banking, Government led
by well-educated, strong state
and local governments
Characteristics:
No National Bank, economy
based on agriculture,
Government led by the
common man, strong state
and local governments
Bank of the United States
• The National Bank was proposed by Hamilton to be jointly operated
by the government and private investors to generate income
• The bank was supported by Federalists because it benefited the
wealthy elite and the federal government
• The Democratic-Republicans were opposed to the Bank because it
gave economic power to the Federal Government and the Northern
merchants (Northerners = creditors, Southerners= Debtors)
• To resolve issue, Hamilton suggested the National capital be located
in the South in order to calm the fears over the National Bank
• This led to the creation of Washington D.C.
Protective Tariffs
• To encourage American citizens to
buy American manufactured goods,
protective tariffs place on ALL
imported goods
• Tariffs angered southern farmers
because they relied on equal trade
with European countries
• Southerners forced to pay extra for
foreign goods while Northerners
enjoyed cheaper American goods
Whiskey Rebellion
• Hamilton issued an excise tax on
corn and whiskey production which
angered farmers
• When the farmers revolted, a
detachment of 15,000 American
soldiers was sent to put down the
rebellion. No shots were fired!
• Whiskey Rebellion proved military
could be used in domestic issues
Check for Understanding
• What was the Judiciary Act of 1789?
• What is the Cabinet?
• What was the controversy over the Nation
Bank?
• Why did Washington D.C. become the capital
city of the U.S.?
• What were protective tariffs?
Foreign Relations with France
• American Revolution caused the
French Revolution
• French declared war on all
monarchies including England’s
and asked the U.S. to support
• Federalists in American
government pressured George
Washington to declare the U.S. to
stay neutral because of good
relations with England
X Y Z Affair
• Meeting between American delegation and low level
French officials nicknamed X, Y, Z who tried to bribe the
Americans in order to meet with the top French foreign
minister
• Led to the passing of the Alien and Sedition Actscharge anyone speaking out against the government
jail time
• Led to the passing of the Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions which stated that states could nullify an
act of the federal government
Results of Foreign Affairs
• Napoleon Bonaparte become emperor of
France
• Tensions eased between two nations
• Argument over state and national powers still
raged on!
Check for Understanding
• Why did the US refuse to help France?
• What was the XYZ Affair?
• What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?
• What eased tensions between France and the
U.S.?