Creating a New Government

The Main Idea:  After the Revolution, American leaders struggled to form a national government and eventually wrote the Constitution.

Reading Focus

•       What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

•       What did the founders discuss when drafting the Constitution?

•       What was involved in ratifying the Constitution?

The Articles of Confederation

•          The states had trouble with…

•          Americans wanted…

•          After the Revolution, the…

•          The central government had…

•          The Articles also had several weaknesses:

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The Pros and Cons of Independence

·         Struggles

1.       Economic problems in the states:

1. Trade with …
2. Currency wasn’t backed …
3. No standard system …
4. People who could not…

2.       Poverty led to many riots:  Shays’s Rebellion—

·         Important Plans

1.       1784-

1. Districts could join…
2. Later, they could…

2.       Congress had  its own plan

1. Surveyed land was…
2. Each had 36 sections, four were...

3.       1787-

The Constitutional Convention

•          Frustration with…

•          1786-George Washington and James Madison…

•          Congress called states…

•          James Madison kept…

•          James Madison is called…

•          The convention chose…

Writing the Constitution

Plans for Representation in Government

Providing Check and Balances

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The Fight for Amendments

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The Bill of Rights…

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