Building a Nation: From Confederation to Federal Union

1. Chapter 5 From Confederation to Federal Union 1776-1789

2. Summary The Constitution has allowed our country to grow and change, to survive crises and problems, and even to make and correct mistakes. The writers of the law of our land handed down a document that could breathe, expand, and absorb change. The Constitution of 1787 still exists today- still works today.

3. DO NOW You’ve won your freedom from Great Britain. Great! But what do you do now? Think of yourselves as individual states. As a group, I want you to create a “To-Do List.” Think about things you need to take care of, problems that need to be taken care of now and in the future, things you need to create, etc.

5. Results of American Revolution • End of British rule in America • Patriots have a ton of land and the need for a new government to govern it • First Continental Congress became the Second Continental Congress and that then turned into the Confederation Congress

7. “United States” ? • The only thing that had held the states together was their mutual opposition to Great Britain. • Now that the war was won the states began to go their separate ways.

8. Continental Congress First Continental Congress Second Continental Congress 1775 After British sent troops in response to the Declaration of Resolves, another meeting was held Olive Branch Petition Declaration of Independence Articles of Confederation • 1774 • Declaration of Resolves

9. Articles of Confederation • About: • Created in mid 1776 • Ratified by all 13 states in 1781 • Ran the country until 1787. • Not really much of a government at all • Designed to be weak • Association of states while guaranteeing each state its “sovereignty, freedom, and independence”

10. Weaknesses • Changes to Confederation needed consent of all 13 states • New legislation needed 9 out of 13 states • Congress could not tax • Congress could not regulate foreign trade • One representative per state, regardless of size

11. Confederation Congress • Ran the U.S. from 1781-1789 • Replaced by the first U.S. Congress • Made up of delegates from each state. • Replaced the Second Continental Congress

12. Hot Topics from 1781-1789 • Navigation rights of Mississippi River and Western lands • Land Ordinances and potential war • Shay’s Rebellion • Realization that govt. is weak • Annapolis Convention • After 6 states showed, it is realized that the Articles of Confederation need to be amended • George Washington • Need for a true leader

14. Land Problems • Land Ordinance of 1787 (aka- Northwest Ordinance) • Steps to achieve statehood • 60,000 people • Established a system for governing the Northwest Territory

16. Shays’ Rebellion • 1786-1787 • Law was passed about taxes on land to help pay for war debt • Farmers rebelled and took up arms against the government

17. Class Discussion • How did Shays’ Rebellion point out the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? • Government had no power to stop the protest

19. Result • The rebellion raised doubts about the central government’s ability to deal with civil unrest • Those who previously objected to a strong central govt. now saw the need

20. Class Discussion “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing…God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion…The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants” – Thomas Jefferson Why would he say this? What does this mean?

21. 1786-1788 • Possibly the most creative moment in all of American political history • Key players: • James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry • Federal vs. State authority

22. Cause and Effect

23. Constitutional Convention • From May 25 – Sept 17, 1787 • George Washington was the presiding officer over all deliberations • Gave the convention legitimacy • Debates occurred between radicals and moderates

24. Constitutional Convention • Goal: Strengthen government • What city did the delegates meet to do this? Philly!

28. The “Rising Sun” Chair • “I have often, and often in the course of the session,…looked at that sun behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting.” • What is the “sun” referring to? What does it symbolize? • Some may say… “These are the times….”

31. Benjamin Franklin • Proposed the Albany Plan of Union • Helped draft the Declaration of Independence • Participated in negotiating the Treaty of Paris • Established a printing company, published Poor Richard’s Almanac, invented things

32. Republicanism • Theory that political leaders receive their authority to make and enforce laws from the public (people)

33. Conflicts Everywhere • Small States vs. Large States • North vs. South • Slave States vs. Abolitionist States • Industrial vs. Agrarian

34. Group Activity State Representation

35. Difficulties? • Insufficient time • Different Opinions/Indifference

36. Similarities • What does this classroom have in common with the place the delegates met to discuss the constitution? HOT!

37. Group Activity • Groups of 5 • Should the school day start later or end earlier? • Ex. 8:00-2:30 or 7:00-1:30 or 8:30-3:00 • 5 minutes to reach a decision…..GO!

38. Representation • Should Congress be based on population, with larger states getting proportionately more votes, or should each state receive equal representation?

39. Group Work Read page 143-144 in your textbook Outline the 2 plans presented at the Constitutional Convention and who wrote them

41. Great Compromise • Also known as the Sherman Plan • Roger Sherman of Connecticut proposes the following: • 2 houses • 1 house based on population (House of Representatives) • 1 house based on equal representation (Senate)

42. Group Activity http://2010.census.gov/2010census/ (Internet Activity) http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php (10 Question Form) U.S Census Guided Questions

43. Article Reading + Questions New York Times Upfront: Counting America (pg. 15- 17)

46. Ratification of Constitution • Federalists- supported strong national govt. • Supported Constitution 1. Shays Rebellion 2. During and Aftermath of American Revolution • Anti-federalists- feared strong national govt. • Opposed Constitution 1. created a monarchy 2. took away states rights

47. Three-Fifths Compromise • Should slaves be counted towards population to determine representation? • Political vs. Moral reasons • Northern and southern states came to an agreement • Three-Fifths Compromise- only 3/5 of a state’s slave population would count in determining its representation

49. Federal Papers • 85 essays about why to ratify the Constitution • Outlined how this new government would operate and why this type of government was the best choice for the United States of America.

50. Major Debate • James Madison vs. Patrick Henry • Debated about stronger vs. weaker central govt. • Madison won (stronger) • Once Henry saw defeat was near, the focus turned to a Bill of Rights • Constitution was approved • It had some faults though