The Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Convention

1. The Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Convention

2. Objectives: • We will be able to define the term, “Articles of Confederation” • We will be able to identify and describe (4) aspects of the structure of the national government under the Articles of Confederation • We will be able to identify and analyze (5) specific sections of the Articles of Confederation. • Drill • Grab a handout from the front desk and complete the “Articles of Confederation Anticipation Guide” Drill and objective

3. “Articles of Confederation” Handout DUE: Next Class homework OR ELSE!!!!

4. You are going to decide how the grades are weighted in Unit 3. You must come to 100% and must incorporate these five categories • Tests • Quizzes • Homework • Classwork • Projects • Once you are in your groups I would like you to decide what you think and we will then share the ideas with the class and vote on the best solution. Simulation

5. What problems were you faced with in trying to reach an agreement? Why do you think that as a small group you could function towards a goal, but once you had to decide as a class, you found it more difficult? Simulation follow up

6. Articles of Confederation- the agreement made by the original 13 states in 1777 establishing a confederacy to be known as the United States of America. • Time in effect : 1781-1788 • replaced by the U. S. Constitution in 1788. • The Constitution that we still use today The definition

7. One branch of government: Congress, responsible for making national laws • Each state had one (1) vote in Congress • No executive (President) • No judiciary (Courts) Structure

8. 9 of 13states had to approve a proposal before it could become a law • All the states had to agree to amend the Articles of Confederation (Never happened) Decision making

9. National government could not collect taxes • The national government had to ask the individual states for money • There were national and state currencies • Each state could regulate trade with other states • Each state could tax its residents Money and finances National Rhode Island New York

10. Only the states could establish militias (state militaries • The national government managed agreements with other countries and Native Americans • The national government could appoint military officers • Could create a national navy • Could make peace and war Protection

11. The A of C established • a postal system • weights and measures • courts • consequences for piracy Other interesting facts

12. You will now receive a copy of the actual Articles of Confederation. You will be placed into groups and read the articles. Each groups will be responsible with one concept on the handout. We will then have a debriefing discussion and highlight important items. Reading the Articles of confederation

13. What is it really saying? What does it mean for the United States? Its citizens? What is the biggest problem with the Articles of Confederation? Breaking down the articles

14. Article II-State Sovereignty • By signing the document, the delegates of each state agree to commit their state to the permanent union of states that will be called the United States. • The form of government created by this document is called a confederacy, Any rights, privileges and powers that are not specifically given to the Congress by the Articles of Confederation are maintained by the state. • Article V-Representation in Congress • Each state can decide how it wants to select its delegates, but it must do so once a year, prior to the annual meeting of Congress on the first Monday of November. • States can send between two and seven delegates to Congress. • Each state has one vote in Congress, no matter how many delegates are sent. Breaking down the articles

15. Article VIII-War Preparation • The common treasury will supply any money needed to pay for war or to defend the country, when allowed by Congress. Each state has the responsibility of contributing to the common treasury based on the relative value of all the land within that state. • Article IX- Powers of Congress • Only Congress has the right to make peace and make and to make treaties and alliances with foreign nations. • Congress will help resolve conflicts between states relating to boundaries, jurisdiction and other issues, but only as a last resort. • In order for Congress to act on the specifically listed powers above, nine of the thirteen states must agree.. Breaking down the articles

16. Article XIII-Pledge of Perpetual Union • Each state must accept and agree to follow the decisions of the United States in Congress assembled. The states must follow all of the rules as stated in the Articles of Confederation. The union of states is meant to last forever. No alterations can be made to the Articles without the agreement of Congress and the confirmation by each of the state legislatures. • Each of the delegates that sign this document has the power to commit the state that they represent to all of the Articles and their specific contents. The people of each state will agree to follow the rulings of Congress on all matters they discuss, and each of the states agrees to never violate the union. We have signed this as members of Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 9, 1778, the third year of American Independence. Breaking down the articles

17. Objectives • We will be able to describe Shays’s Rebellion and explain how it led to the writing of the U.S. Constitution. • We will be able to identify (4) founding fathers who had a significant role in the writing and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. • We will be able to outline the events that took place during and after the Constitutional Convention. • Drills • What were (2) of the issues that the Articles of Confederation had? • When was the Articles of Confederation drafted? • What was the one branch of the national government that was created under the Articles of Confederation? • Why couldn’t the national government pay its debts under the Articles of Confederation? Drill and Objective

18. “Researching the Compromises” handout. • This will be due next class and used for your debate then checked for completion. Homework

19. The states were ignoring the national government and doing whatever they want • States were not respecting each others’ rights. • Commerce • The federal laws were being treated more like “recommendations.” • Some of the laws in states conflicted laws that were in the Articles of Confederation. • State courts would find the laws of the states more important than the federal law. • Laws are created then changed or repealed so frequently there is no consistency. • People did not understand what was going on with the law because no law stayed in effect for long enough. • Countries were less likely to do business with the United States Why were the articles of confederation problematic?

20. Daniel Shays • Former captain of the Revolutionary War • The Situation: Massachusetts • After a series of pleas for help from the state to pass laws to help farmers keep their land through contracting economic times, no help was given • Shays’s gathered a force of 1200 men to advance on the federal arsenal in Springfield. • The Mass. Militia put down the rebellion Shay’s Rebellion

21. Armed rebellion was now on the mind of American leaders. • More and more people began to support a larger and stronger national government. Shays’s rebellion-what this meant

22. Annapolis, Maryland • 1786 • Only 5 of the 13 states sent delegates to the meeting • They were not able to get anything accomplished from this meeting • Discussed commerce • BUT Alexander Hamilton convinced the other representative to hold another convention in Philadelphia with the intention of only amending the Articles of Confederation. Annapolis Convention

23. Definition: The convention of United States statesmen who drafted the United States Constitution. The constitutional convention

24. You will be reading the section on the Constitutional Convention in your textbook • Pgs. 53-54 and 56-58 • Once you have read the section you will answer the questions on the handout provided for you. • We will then be discussing the topics covered on the handout out in class. Understanding the constitutional convention

25. Objective • We will be able to identify and analyze the (5) major compromises and plans that came out of the Constitutional Convention. • Drill: • What was (1) problem of the Articles of Confederation? • What event led to the decision to hold a Constitutional Convention? • Who recommended a second convention in Philadelphia? • The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention? Drill and Objective

26. Rule 1: • EVERYONE participates • This will be part of the grade that you receive. You must participate at least (3) times throughout the debate. • Rule 2: • Stay on task • I only want to hear discussion and debate about the compromises that were made at the Convention. Not what happened last night… • I will determine when we switch topics and what we debate, so pay attention to my direction. Debate Rules

27. Rule 3: • When someone else is talking, YOUR NOT • Make sure that you are giving other people the opportunity to participate and be heard. YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING. • Rule 4: • Have FUN • This is a fun way to try and learn these new concepts and prove that you did your homework. Have fun with it. Debate Rules

28. You will be split into two opposing sides. You will either be in favor of the larger states or the smaller states. You will then need to be ready to defend your position based on your homework research. • I will be leading the debate, that is it. The rest of the debate is up to you. How this Debate will be set up

29. In your opinion, which of these compromises was the most important? Why? Was it easy or hard to agree with the side that you were assigned? Why? Do you think this was a successful activity for you to learn something new about the Constitutional Convention? Why or why not? Debate follow up