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Strengths and Weaknesses of the GA Constitution of 1777 Strengths Weaknesses. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Strengths Weaknesses. Toward a New Constitution. Articles of Confederation : rules that governed United States after the Revolutionary War
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Strengths and Weaknesses of the GA Constitution of 1777Strengths Weaknesses
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Strengths Weaknesses
Toward a New Constitution • Articles of Confederation: rules that governed United States after the Revolutionary War • Weaknesses of the Articles: • congress could not pay soldiers • states could not be forced to pay • trade between states not regulated • trade with other countries not controlled • George Washington and other leaders agreed to gather to discuss the problems
The Constitutional Convention • 1787: Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia • Fifty-five representatives attended • George Washington presided over the convention • Delegates knew problems of the weak national government and sought solution
Constitutional Convention of 1787 • William Few and Abraham Baldwin represented Georgia at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia; George Washington presided • U.S. Constitution established three governmental branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial • Senate and House of Representatives established; only three-fifths of slave population would count toward representation
The Great Compromise • Equal Representation: each state would have equal votes in Congress – favored by small states • Great Compromise, or Connecticut Compromise: House of Representative would have “proportional representation” and Senate “equal representation”
Compromises on Slavery • Slaves were a large part of population in the South • Debate as to whether to count slaves in “proportional representation” of House of Representatives • Three-Fifths Compromise: States were allowed to count 3 of every 5 slaves in their census for purposes of representation • Agreed to stop importing slaves after 1808
Ratification • ratification: to approve or make valid • September 17, 1787: Constitution approved • Federalists: people who wanted a strong national government • Antifederalists: wanted states to have more power than national government • By 1791, ten amendments approved – known as The Bill of Rights – to protect citizens’ rights • Delaware was first state to ratify; Georgia was the fourth state to ratify • June 1788 – Constitution ratified by 9 states and becomes the framework for US government