THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• The first government & constitution of USA• Lasted a decade (’77-’87)

• STRUCTURE:• weak central gov’t – opposite of Parliament.

• 1 Branch of gov’t (Legislative) • made up of 13 members, one from each state.• Passing laws required 9 of 13 yes votes.• Amending Articles required all 13 states.

2 POSITIVES FROM ARTICLES

• Land Ordinance of ’85 – set up boundaries and developed area into townships• 6x6 miles = 36 square miles per town• Provided for government & education

• NW Ordinance of ’87 – set up a formula for territories to become new states• Needed to have a republican gov’t • At least 60,000 people

PROBLEMSWeakness Result

No power to tax No Money

No Executive Branch No enforcement of laws

1 house Legislature 1 vote / stateunequal representation

No Judicial Branch disputes not settled problems in interstate

relations

Weakness ResultNo Regulation of commerce Economic quarrels

NO foreign trade

No power to maintain army NO DEFENSE

Power in the States No Unity

Voting consent Impossible to make or change laws

SHAYS REBELLION (‘86)• Economic depression hurt businesses and

individuals after the Rev. War.

• States issued own money, developing inflation making it worthless.• Farmers can’t pay any of their debt.• Farmer’s lost property for lack of payment.

• Shays Rebellion in MA leads to change• Farmers, led by Daniel Shays attacked courthouses

in MA • Want to stop the judges from taking properties away.• Rebellion stopped by militia, not national

government!

RESULTS OF REBELLION• Causes the elite in other states to worry that

other revolts could sprout up.

• The Articles didn’t give national gov’t power to stop this from happening. • More power had to be given to the national gov’t

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (‘87)

• May ‘87 in Philadelphia, PA to address the Articles… They end up changing the gov’t

• Two plans lead the way• NJ plan – small state plan – wanted equal (2)

representation in a unicameral legislature

• VA plan – BIG STATE PLAN – wanted population of ea. state to set representation in a bicameral legislature.

THE GREAT COMPROMISE• AKA The CT Plan – brought big & small state plans

together to form the new government.

• Bicameral Legislature: • US Senate – reps based on equality (every state has 2)• US House of Representatives – reps based on population

• 3/5 compromise:• Deals with slave population and total population count.

• Slave states (south) want slaves counted in total pop = more reps

• Free states (north) rather taxes paid on slaves than reps count

• Compromise ends with 3/5 of state slave pop counting• every 5,000 slaves – 3,000 is counted to the white population.

TYPE OF GOV’T • States were not willing to give up all of their

power.

• US Constitution sets up a Federalist government that has shared powers between the National and State govt’s.• Each gov’t has unique powers as well as shared.

FEDERALISM

NATIONAL

SHARED• Declare War

• Maintain armies

• Regulate Trade

• Admit new states

• Coin money

• Foreign policy• Provide for

public welfare

• Establish courts

• Borrow Money

• Collect Taxes

• Enforce Laws

• Elections

• Local gov’ts

• Business within a state• Marriage laws

• Public safety

STATE

3 BRANCHES• Legislative (laws), Executive (Pres), and

Judicial (Court)

• Multiple branches of gov’t provide for a Separation of Power between the different branches.• No one branch can become more powerful than

another.

• Checks and Balances so that each branch could prevent the other two from greed.

CHECKS AND BALANCES Executive Branch

ChecksLegislative: Judicial:Adjourn Congress Appoint Judges

Veto Bills

Legislative Branch ChecksExecutive: Judicial:Reject appointments AmendmentsReject treaties Impeach JusticesWithhold fundingImpeach Override veto

Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) ChecksExecutive: declare executive actions unconstitutional

Legislative: declare laws unconstitutional