Articles of Confederation & Constitution

1. Articles of Confederation VS Constitution Chart Articles of Confederation One unicameral legislature There is no executive branch There is no federal judiciary court system, just state courts Congress did not have the power to levy taxes Trade was only regulated within the states, federal government had no authority to regulate insterstate trade Each state has ONE vote in congress The U.S. Constitution Two houses: Senate and House of Reps President is in charge of the executive branch and carrying out laws The Supreme Court and federal courts are created Congress has the power to levy (collect) taxes Federal government can regulate interstate trade Each state has 2 votes per senator and other votes proportional to population 2. Federalists vs Anti-Federalists Anti- Federalists Favored protection of individual liberties Today: Conservatives George Mason Believed a Bill of Rights was NECESSARY to protect civil rights Patrick Henry Favored more power residing with the states Federalists Believed the government SHOULD promote econmoic development George Washington Today: Liberals Believed defense of personal liberties was IMPLIED in the constitution; no need for a Bill of Rights Government should solve national problems James Madison Favored a strong central government 3. Important Leaders in the Creation and Ratification of the Constitution George Mason Author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and a representative to the Convention from VA, he REFUSED to sign the Constitution because it did not include a Bill of Rights and he later became a leading Anti-Federalist. Thomas Jefferson Author of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedoms (later adopted into the Bill of Rights). He was away as Minister to France during the Convention and would become the 1st Sec. of State James Madison Author of the Virginia Plan, which created three co-equal branches. Often called the "Father of the Constitution." Patrick Henry Former governer of VA, he was the leading opponent of the Constiution and best known Anti-Federalist. He did not attend the convention, reportedly saying that he, "smelt a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward the monarchy." Geroge Washington Elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention, his presence as a popular general gave the proceedings legitimacy. Unanimously elected 1st president of the U.S. 5. Video on Three-Fifths Compromise 1. Why did southerners want their slaves to be counted in the census for each state?2. Why were Northern states against the counting of slaves?“There was never a moment, when the slavery issue was not a sleeping serpent. That issue lay coiled up under the table during the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention. ... Thereafter, slavery was always on everyone’s mind, though not always on his tongue.”3. Why do you think the founders failed in addressing the issue of slavery outright at the Constitutional Convention?