From the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

From the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union to the Constitution

Republic – the people choose representatives to govern them

The Articles of Confederation • Created during the Revolutionary War to unite the states. • Based on the ideas of Benjamin Franklin and the Albany Plan, which Franklin got from the League of 6 Iroquois Nations. • Created a weak national government and left most important powers to the state • George Washington called it a “Paper Tiger”

The Articles of Confederation were ratified on March 1, 1781. The document created the office of president to be appointed by a Committee of the States and limited to a term of one year. Presidential duties involved presiding over the United States in Congress Assembled, executing laws, treaties, and military orders, including military commissions, receiving foreign dignitaries, assembling and adjourning Congress, and other routine functions required by the office. A new president, John Hanson of Maryland, was selected on November 5 th. Hanson served a one-year term that ended on November 4, 1782. From 1782 until 1789, when George Washington took the oath of office, seven more presidents were chosen. And, therefore, George Washington was actually our ninth president.

The Articles of Confederation Article I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America. " Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. Article III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.

The Articles of Confederation Weaknesses 1) No separation of powers. (1 branch) 2) Majority of the power rested with the states. 3) Did not have the power to tax, which meant that they could never put their finances in order. 4) They could ask states for troops and money but could not force them.

The Articles of Confederation Weaknesses 5) Could not resolve issues between states, enforce laws, and maintain order. No Federal Judiciary. 6) In order to change or amend the Articles, unanimous approval of the states was required which essentially meant that changes to the Articles were impossible. 7) For any major laws to pass they had to be approved by 9 or the 13 states, which proved difficult, to do so that even the normal business of running a government was difficult.

Presidents of the Articles Arthur St. Clair 1) Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781 – July 9, 1781) 2) Thomas Mc. Kean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781) 3) John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782) 4) Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783) 5) Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784) 6) Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785) 7) John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – May 29, 1786) 8) Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786) 9) Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787) 10) Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)

Land Ordinance of 1785 • Arthur St. Clair, president number seven, issued the Northwest Ordinance that annexed the Northwest Territory for future settlements. • Surveyors staked out six-mile-square plots, called townships, in the Western lands • The townships were broke down into 36 squares • A township was 640 acres • The sixteenth square was designated for public education

Northwest Ordinance • Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation of the inhabitants of the United States. Therefore, the immediate goal of the ordinance was to raise money through the sale of land in the largely unmapped territory west of the original colonies acquired from Britain at the end of the Revolutionary War. • In addition, the act provided for the political organization of these territories.

Northwest Ordinance • Described how the Northwest Territory was to be governed • When there were 5, 000 free males in an area , that owned at least 50 acres of land a piece they could elect an assembly • They could apply to become a state when they reached 60, 000 people • It also outlined the laws of the Northwest Territory and set the pattern for growth in the United States

Northwest Territory • The lands staked out under the Land Ordinance of 1785 became known as the Northwest Territory • It included land that became the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin

Constitutional Convention • 1787 Each state was invited to send delegates to Philadelphia in May 1787, “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. ” • 55 delegates from 12 states showed (Rhode Island no show) • Took place at Independence Hall • Secrecy was important

Virginia Plan • Virginia Plan-1787 called for a strong national government with three branches. • Legislature had 2 house • Representation would be based on population or wealth • Written mostly by James Madison, but presented by Edmund Randolph • Big states love it!

New Jersey Plan • Worried large states would have all the votes. • Called for three branches of government • legislative branch would have one house • each state would have 1 vote • Written and presented by William Patterson • Little states loved it!

Great Compromise • The delegates to the Constitutional Convention came to a compromise. • There would be 3 branches of government • The legislative branch would have 2 houses • One house would be based on population (House of Representatives) • The other house would be based on an equal vote (Senate)

3/5 Compromise • The question was should slaves be counted as people for representation in congress. • And should the owners of those slaves be taxed.

3/5 Compromise • The north wanted slaves to be counted for tax purposes only • South wanted them counted for the number of representatives each state would have. • Delegates came up with the 3/5 Compromise. Slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person (3 out of 5) for paying taxes and representation in congress.

Shay’s Rebellion

Federalism

Federalists and Antifederalists

Reasons for a Bill of Rights

Separation of Powers

Preamble

Constitution

Checks and Balances

Electoral College

Meets and Bounds