Chapter 2 Pages

2.2: The Articles of Confederation

Background

  • After declaring independence from Great Britain and writing the Declaration of Independence, 13 colonies drafted a constitution, asking for a republican form of government.
  • Americans wanted the government to be a republic (a regime in which people held power and elected representatives to govern according to the rule of law)
  • The men who wrote the articles sought to limit power to the national government (in fear of a system too powerful).

Results 

  • Articles of Confederation created an alliance of sovereign states held by a weak central government

Problems 

Operational problems:

  1. The government was too weak to impose taxes.
  2. The national government could not raise an army or a navy since they did not have the power necessary to request for troops.
  3. The national government could not regulate foreign or interstate trade.

Physical problems:

  1. No executive, so the government could not enforce laws.
  2. No courts
  3. Unicameral, meaning one man is equal to one vote. This was a problem because smaller states would be overpowered in votes by larger states.
  4. The articles could not be changed unless there was a unanimous vote.

 

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2.3: Development of the Constitution

                Virginia Plan                                                                   New Jersey Plan

►Representation was population-based                         ►Representation was state-based

►National govt. could legislate states                              ►National govt. can provide                                                                                                                    defense but does not override                                                                                                              state authority

►National govt. could veto laws                                       ►Unicameral

►Bicameral

Great Compromise

  • Sparked by the frustration from the people and from compromise.
  • This was made to figure out how each state was to be represented.
  • Combined the Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan to fit people’s ideas.
  • Bicameral (2 chambers, including the House of Representatives and Senate)
  • President was in power for 4 years

3/5 Compromise

Since southern states were at a disadvantage over the more represented and bigger states, they wanted a way to be represented better, so they came up with this compromise

  • 3 votes for every 5 slaves
  • Southerners were taxed for their slaves to count their vote
  • No laws pertaining to slavery for 20 years

Separation of Checks and Balance

1. Executive

  • President is the commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces
  •  

    President can appoint federal judges & can grant pardons

  • President can veto legislation

2. Judicial

  • Supreme court hears cases
  • Supreme court can declare laws
  • There is a chief justice in the supreme court

3. Legislative

  • Congress has the power to pass legislation
  • Congress can declare war
  • Senate can ratify treaties
  • Congress can impeach the president
  • Congress can regulate the court’s jurisdiction

 

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2.4: Ratification of the Constitution

1. Federalists

  • Strong support mainly from New England
  • Supported the constitution
  • Elite members of society, wealthy & well educated
  • Believed that a strong national government would be better for national defense and economic growth. Currency would make commerce easier & taxes would fund improvements for trading.

2. Anti-federalists

  • Strong support from the South
  • Disfavored a powerful national government, thinking that it would favor the rich over the middle
  • Most anti-federalists distrusted members of the elite
  • Feared that the national government would impose unpayable taxes on farmers

The Federalist Papers were a set of 85 essays that urged citizens to ratify the U.S. constitution. In the end, the Federalists won over the citizens and the constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, with New Hampshire being the final state.

 

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2.5: Constitutional Changes

To prevent difficulty of changing the constitution, a 2/3 majority in both houses of Congress and 3/4 of state legislatures is to approve of changes.

The Bill of Rights was added that protected people’s individual liberties (Natural Rights)

  • 10 Amendments were added to the constitution in 1791.
  • The most important amendments are the 13th (abolishing slavery), 14th (granting citizenship to African Americans) and 15th (vote regardless of race, color, and sex)
  • The first amendment protects five of the most basic human rights such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government to right wrongs.