WANTED A Just Right Government Wanted A government

WANTED: A “Just Right” Government

Wanted: A government that… • Has enough ____ to do its job • Doesn’t give anyone too ______ power much say • Considers the needs of all _____ states • Lets people have a ____ • Protects individual _____ power rights

In 1777, the Ameri cans wrote their first plan for government in a document called the Articles of Conf ederation

The First Attempt: The Articles of Confederation? What’s a confederation? ? group A confederation is a _____ of individuals _______ united together for a _____. purpose

The First Attempt: The Articles of Confederation independent • Each state was _________ and had its government own ________. representatives to the • Each state would send ________ “Congress of the Confederation. ” central • The Congress was the only ______ government. There was no ______. President • In Congress, each state got _______ vote. one

The First Attempt: The Articles of Confederation Hey, this sounds great! Wait! Not so fast… • States get to keep their • Congress had no way to power and ______ independence _____ enforce laws ______ its _______! • No _______ government telling the states what to do • Congress had no power to taxes collect _____ to pay for the military! • Congress had the power to military to create a _____ • The Articles could only be protect changed if ______ ALL the ____all the states _____ states agreed!

Think About It Under the Articles of Confederation, a President would lead the country. True False

Think About It States would be independent under the Articles of Confederation. True False

Think About It The Articles of Confederation were easy to change. True False

Think About It The more people a state had, the more votes it got in Congress. True False

Think About It Congress did not have the power to collect taxes. True False

Think About It Congress could pass laws and force states to follow them. True False

Think About It The Articles of Confederation created the first American government. True False

s g n i h t d o o g e m o s e r e w e r e h T e h t t u o b a s g n i h t d a b e m o s d an n I. n o i t a r e d e f n o C f o s e l c i t r A e h t e k i l t l e f e l p o e p general, ! g n i k r o w t ’ Congress isen too weak to end the n s a w t vernmbetween our states! goconflicts

… n o i t u l o s y s a e o n s a w e r e h t t Bu We need a President! Down with central government! Large states should have more say! More help for fishermen! Up with central government! Small states should have more say! Who needs a President? More help for farmers!

States Had Different Needs Some states depended on fishing , while others mostly grew crops.

States Had Different Sizes Some states had many people, while others had few.

People Had Different Opinions Some people feared a central government. Others thought a central government was necessary. A central government will have too much power! We’ll lose our freedom! But we’ll never get anything done if no one is in charge!!

Think About It Everybody thought the central government should have more power. True False

Think About It Some people were afraid states might lose their independence. True False

Think About It Different states had different needs for government to meet. True False

Think About It The states all got along with each other. True False

Think About It The government created by the Articles of Confederation had everything under control among the states. True False

Something needed to chan ge, but people didn’t want a centr al government to have too m uch power!

The states decided to put aside some of their differences a nd come together to try to so lve the problem of forming a new government…

A New Idea! Articles of Confederation 1 Branch Legislative—makes laws New Idea 3 Branches

A New Idea! t u B ! t i a W tive: u c e x E ws a l t u so Carrie Legislative: Makes laws How many votes should each state get in the legislature? Judic ial: Inter prets laws

Think About It Each state gets to send representatives to the legislature. Which states would have the most power if… • The more people a state had, the more representatives it got? Answer: The more people, the more power!

Think About It Each state gets to send representatives to the legislature. Which states would have the most power if… • Each state got one vote, no matter how small? Answer: People in the small states would have more power.

Battle of the Plans The Virginia Plan The New Jersey Plan 2 1 • Legislative branch has ___ “chambers” “chamber” • Number of votes for each state depends on the population state’s ______ Larger states would • ____ have more power • Each state gets ___ 1 vote Smaller states would • ____ have more power (Virginia was a large state, and New Jersey was a small state. Surprise!)

Think About It Is it more fair for every state to have the same amount of power no matter how few people live there, or should states with more people have more power? All states should have the same power Larger states should have more power WHY?

o t s e c n e r e f f i d f o t o l There were a The Constitution f o t o l a d n a e m o c r ove t of the United u b … e k a m o t s e s i m compro Statesfiof … nally. America

The Constitution Solution Legislative: Makes laws Divide Congress Into Two Houses Senate Each state gets 2 votes. tive: u c e x E ws a l t u so Carrie Judic ial: Inter prets laws House of Representatives The more people the state has, the more votes it gets! And that’s not all…

Not only did the Constitu tion resolve the problem of the legislature, but it solved so me other problems as well…

Think About It Did the Articles of Confederation require states to treat other states the same as their own citizens? Yes No

The Constitution Solution The Constitution requires each citizens of other state to treat ____ states the ______ same as it treats its own citizens.

Think About It How many states had to agree in order for the Articles of Confederation to be changed? All states A majority of states

The Constitution Solution The Constitution can be changed if ________ two-thirds (2/3) of the members of Congress and ________ of three-fourths (3/4) the states agree.

Think About It Did the Articles of Confederation require states to follow the laws Congress passed? Yes No

The Constitution Solution The Constitution says that the laws passed by Congress are _____ superior to laws passed by the _______. states

e d a m s n a c i r e m A The new s n o i t u l o s d n u o f d n a compromises ’s t e L. t n e m n r e v o g for their new e h t f o t c u d o r p l a review the fin ! n o i t n e v n o C l a n o i t Constitu

Under the Constitution Laws are made by the _______ branch. A executive B legislative

Under the Constitution Laws passed by Congress are _____ to state laws. A superior B inferior

Under the Constitution Congress has ______. A 1 chamber B 2 chambers

Under the Constitution Each state gets two votes in the _____. A House of Representatives B Senate

Under the Constitution In the House of Representatives, the number of votes each states gets is based on its ____. A population B taxes

Under the Constitution A change to the Constitution must be approved by ______. A All states B ¾ of states

Although they managed to solve the problems created by th e Articles, there were still m any decisions to be made befor e everyone accepted the Constitution!