Chapter 8:

Confederation to
Constitution (17761791)

Continental Congress
United we stand, divided we
fall! (Silas Deane, 1776)
After the American
Revolution the Continental
Congress was the frst
national government.
Each state had only one
vote in the Continental
Congress.
The national government
had the power to wage
war, make peace, sign
treaties, and issue money.

Articles of
Confederation

The Articles of
Confederation (AC) placed
the most important powers
to the state (taxes,
enforcement of laws, etc.).
The Continental Congress
passed the AC in November
1777, but the small states
without claims to Western
lands did not sign.
Over the next 3 years all
the states gave up claims
to Western lands, and in
1781 all states ratifed the
AC.

Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory included lands
that formed the states of Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and
Wisconsin.

Land Ordinance of 1785 established

a plan for surveying and selling the
federally owned lands west of the
Appalachian Mountains.

Land Ordinance of 1785 divided

Western lands into 6 mile square
plots, called townships, and a square
mile was for schools.

Northwest Ordinance described how

the Northwest would be selfgoverned, and after there was 60,000
people could apply to become a new
state.

 The United States borrowed

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Most of the money was
owed to soldiers that
served in the Continental
Army.
Shays Rebellion was when
Daniel Shay lead a group
men as they marched on a
federal arsenal in
Massachusetts. The state
militia defeated Shay and
his men.

Creating the Constitution

After the American Revolution, most
states placed high taxes on goods from
other states.

In 1787 after Shays Rebellion, 12

states sent 55 delegates to a
meeting in Philadelphia (only Rhode
Island did not attend).

The meeting of 55 delegates in

Philadelphia became known as the
Constitutional Convention (3/4
were in the Continental Congress).

The delegates and other leaders at

the time of the Constitutional
Convention became known as the
Founders, or Founding Fathers, of
the United States.

Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan

proposed a government
that would have three
branches (Legislative,
Executive, and Judicial).
The Virginia Plan
proposed a legislature
with 2 houses.
In the Virginia Plan, the
number of
representatives in the
legislature would be
based on the states
population or wealth.

New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan

called for a legislature
with only 1 house.
In the New Jersey Plan,
each state would have 1
vote.
The small states
supported the New
Jersey Plan.

Great Compromise

Also known as the Connecticut

Compromise

Each state would have equal

number of votes in the Senate.

Senators serve 6 year terms.

Number of votes in the House of

Representatives is based on state
population.

House of Representatives serve 2

year terms.

Three-Fifths Compromise

The Southern states had many more

slaves than the Northern states.
Southerners wanted the slaves to be
counted to the population for
representation, but not for taxation.
Northerners argued slaves should not
be counted for representation, but
counted for taxation.
Three-ffths of the slave population
would be counted when
Setting direct taxes on states
AND
Determine representation in the
legislature.

The Constitution

Federalism is a system of
government in which the federal
and state governments share
power.

Federalists were supporters of the

Constitution.

James Madison, Alexander

Hamilton, and John Jay wrote
essays defending the Constitution
in the Federalist papers.

Antifederalists were people who

opposed the Constitution because
they thought the Constitution took
too much power away from states
and did not guarantee rights for
the people (George Mason and
Patrick Henry).

Bill of Rights
(First 10 Amendments
in the Constitution)
1) Religious and Political
Freedom
2) Right to Bear Arms
3) Quartering Troops
4) Search and Seizure
5) Rights of Accused Persons
6) Right to a Speedy and
Public Trial
7) Trial by Jury in Civil Cases
8) Limits of Fines and
Punishments
9) Rights of People
10) Powers of States and
People

CAUSE AND EFFECT: Bill of Rights and the Founding Fathers

Amendment

Description

Religious and Political

Freedom

Right to Bear Arms

Quartering Troops

Search and Seizure

Rights of Accused
Persons

Right to a Speedy and

Public Trial

Trial by Jury in Civil

Cases

Limits of Fines and

Punishments

Rights of People

10

Powers of State and

People

What influenced the

Founding Fathers to
add the amendment to
the Bill of Rights?
Puritans, Pilgrims,
Quakers, and other
religious moved to
America because they
were persecuted in
England for their
religious beliefs.