NEW NATION PRE-ASSESSMENT

1. What is the Constitution?2. What is the Bill of Rights?3. What are the names of the two parts of Congress?

4. Name the three branches of government.

5. Name the basic responsibility (job) of each branch.

GUIDING QUESTIONWhy have the democratic

principles of the Constitutionbeen able to withstand time?

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and determine the reasons for its failure.

Complete a CLOZE activity that describes the creation and outline of the Constitution.

Define and describe the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances.

Present a speech from the point of view of a Federalists or Anti-Federalists that influences citizens of North Carolina to vote for or against the Constitution.

POST REVOLUTIONARY WAR PROBLEMS

Need for a governmentSectionalism – colonies were not

unifiedNo uniform currencyNo trading policiesPoor transportation

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

Our first constitution

Created a loose alliance of states

Granted more power to the states due to their fear of a strong central government (KING)

STRENGTHS OF THE AOC

Power to print moneyConduct foreign affairsRaise an armyEstablish a postal systemCreated a legislative branch

WEAKNESSES OF THE AOC

Each state had one vote, but required a unanimous decision

Unable to collect taxesNo executive or judicial branch

CAUSES OF SHAY’S REBELLION

Daniel shay’s was a Massachusetts farmer who fought in the Revolutionary War.

After the war, the newly founded U.S. attempted to collect taxes from its citizens. Since veteran’s of the war were not paid, and these patriots left their homes to fight, they had no money to pay taxes.

Many farmers, like Shay, ended up in debtor’s prison for being unable to pay their taxes. Shay organized a rebellion against the government.

EFFECTS OF SHAY’S REBELLION

The rebellion proved that the Articles of Confederation was too weak.

The national government lacked control over the states and couldn’t protest against an armed rebellion.

Delegates met at the Constitutional Convention to discuss revising the government.

AS A RESULT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE UNITED STATES FINALLY GAINED 1._____________. THE YOUNG COUNTRY NOW NEEDED TO WRITE A 2.________________ (PLAN OF GOVERNMENT). THEIR FIRST PLAN WAS CALLED THE ARTICLES OF 3._______________. BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE UNDER THE RULE OF THE 4.__________ OF ENGLAND, THE FRAMERS PURPOSELY LEFT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT 5.__________. THEY GAVE MOST OF THE POWER TO THE 6._____________. AFTER DANIEL SHAYS LEADS A 7._____________ OF A GROUP FARMERS, DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE MEET TO REVISE THE ARTICLES.

PEANUTS VIDEO

1. What is the setting (time and place) of the writing of the Constitution?

2. List the names of the famous “founding fathers” mentioned in the video who took part in the Constitutional Convention.

3. Describe what the setting and debate was like inside Independence Hall.

4. Name as many issues as you can which the delegates at the convention debated.

5. What were the outcomes of these debates?

WHAT IS THE SETTING (TIME AND PLACE) OF THE WRITING OF THE CONSTITUTION?

1. The summer of 1787 in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11 years after the Declaration of Independence.

LIST THE NAMES OF THE FAMOUS “FOUNDING FATHERS” MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO WHO TOOK PART IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

2. Washington, Randolph, Hamilton, Franklin, Morris, Madison, Sherman, Gary, Mason, Wilson, Ellsworth, Pinckney, Rutledge

DESCRIBE WHAT THE SETTING AND DEBATE WAS LIKE INSIDE INDEPENDENCE HALL.

3. hot, long, difficult, secretive, close to failure

NAME AS MANY ISSUES AS YOU CAN WHICH THE DELEGATES AT THE CONVENTION DEBATED.

representation in the House of Representative and the Senate, who would be Head of State, election of officials, Judiciary Branch, slavery, Bill of Rights

WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THESE DEBATES?

one president, Senate would have equal representation and the House would be decided by population, officials would be elected by the people

Federalists Anti-Federalists

Favored the ratification of the Constitution

The Confederation government was too weak.

The Constitution would balance state and national power.

State constitutions would protect individual rights.

A strong central government will protect property, promote trade, improve the nation’s finances and negotiate with foreign powers.

Favored a strong central government and loose interpretation of the constitution.

Opposed the ratification of the Constitution

The Constitution would make the national government too strong.

The Constitution would weaken state’s rights.

A national bill of rights was needed to protect individual rights.

The federal government had too much power to impose taxes and raise an army which would lead to tyranny/monarchy.

Favored states’ rights and a strict interpretation of the constitution.

ANALOGIESEXAMPLE - SKY : BLUE :: GRASS : ______ (ANSWER =GREEN)

 1.) Supreme Court : judicial :: ______ : executive

 

2.) upper house : ______ :: lower house : House of Representatives

 

3.) Articles of Confederation: first constitution :: ______ : first 10 amendments

4.) Antifederalists: oppose the Constitution :: Federalists : for the Constitution

5.) make laws : ______ :: enforces laws : executive

 

6.) George Washington: first president :: ___________: father of the Constitution

 

7.) appoints judges : executive :: approves judges : ______