Main Idea What were the Articles of Confederation

Main Idea • What were the Articles of Confederation and how were they unable to deal with the problems of a new nation?

OK, we won our Independence and everyone was very excited!

Very excited…

• After declaring independence in 1776, American political leaders created new constitutions and declarations of rights that articulated the roles of national and state governments to protect their rights.

• These documents protected individual rights and limited government power.

• Power was typically placed in the hands of state governments to protect their autonomy & property rights were strongly protected.

This protection of property extended to…

Articles of Confederation • The first government we tried, was called the Articles of Confederation. Under this government, the 13 states were unified and a central government with very limited power was created.

• After all, they knew what they didn’t want in a government…

• So they went the other way…

Articles of Confederation • Under the Articles, there was no real national government. – 13 individual republics united loosely together. – Power lay in the hands of the States.

Articles of Confederation • But it got worse… • During the Revolution, the Congress printed $250, 000 of money they didn’t have to pay for the war.

Financial Crisis • This created a financial crisis that had to be dealt with. • If America would not pay off its debts, then the new nation could not receive credit.

• No credit, no international business. • No international business, no economy!

Financial Crisis • Since each state controlled its own economy, currency and credit the 13 individual states really controlled the economy of the United States.

Financial Crisis • If the Federal Government controlled the economy, currency and credit then the financial crisis could be dealt with. • But that would require a new government.

• The Articles of Confederation, had to go!

Write a summary about the Articles of Confederation and how were they unable to deal with the problems of a new nation.

Main Idea • What were some of the key issues they had to resolve to get all 13 states to accept the Constitution?

• It had been decided that instead of having 13 individual republics, each sovereign & independent, we needed one government with power over the states. • This went against everything the people thought before.

Constitutional Convention • 55 men arrived in Philadelphia to debate the new Constitution. Among them were: – George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

Constitutional Convention • James Madison was the central figure in the writing of the Constitution.

• They had a few things going for them: 1. ) They knew they needed a new form of government. 2. ) They knew what they didn’t want.

Constitutional Convention • They had a lot of…

Constitutional Convention • And they had…

Constitutional Convention • Two main sides to the debate: – The Virginia Plan – The New Jersey Plan

The U. S. Constitution • Threatening to derail the convention was the issue of slavery.

The U. S. Constitution • But there was another problem… • Representation in the House of Representatives depended on population. Southern states believed they would be under-represented in Congress, and slavery could be outlawed by northern states who were turning against slavery.

The U. S. Constitution 3/5

The U. S. Constitution • Slaves would each count as 3/5 of a person for the purposes of representation in Congress. • This increased the population of southern states by 20%

The U. S. Constitution • And it provided enough southern votes in Congress to fend off any challenges to slavery until the Civil War.

Write a summary about the key issues faced at the Constitutional Convention and how they solved them.

Main Idea • How did the Constitution balance the needs of states with the federal government to unite 13 states with different needs, views on economy, slavery and western expansion?

President Washington • Dealing with this was President Washington

And…

Economic crisis • When President Washington met with his cabinet, one of the first issues to come up was the debt from the Revolution.

Economic crisis • The new, stronger, federal government had just inherited a debt of $54, 000 • (in 1790 dollars)

Economic crisis • Alexander Hamilton also wanted the federal government to assume the debts the states had accumulated under the Articles of Confederation. – Another $21, 000

Economic crisis • This would put the federal government in charge of the U. S. economy, the states would not have any control over it.

Economic crisis • Since most southern states had paid off their war debt already, this was not a popular plan in the South.

• Autonomy was still a major issue, so was fear of a strong central government taking rights from the people. • To combat this, Jefferson wanted to keep political power centered in the states.

• After all, the entire Revolution had been fought by the colonists protecting the autonomy of their colony from being taken from them by a strong central government led by a King. • Jefferson didn’t want a President to do the same thing!

• So Jefferson wanted to protect the 13 states by keeping autonomy with them; not giving it to a central (or Federal government).

Blue = < 1 person per sq. mile Orange = > 50 people per sq. mile

Economic crisis • A deal was struck between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson – Hamilton would get federal control of the entire debt of the united States

Economic crisis • A deal was struck between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson – The capital of the united States would be located in the south, giving southern states access to the central government.

Write a summary about how the Constitution balanced the needs of states with the federal government to unite 13 states with different needs, views on economy, slavery and western expansion?