Steps Leading to Creating the Constitution

In a Google Document, create a heading for each section and take notes. Translate on each the section so that a 3rd grader can understand what the main points.

Key Words:

federal: national

sovereignty: the authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

union: the joining of individuals or groups

impose: forcing or demanding attention or commitment

taxes: a set payment to a government for goods, services, or transactions

currency: money

authority: the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

After the Revolutionary War ended the new country needed to create a plan for how to govern themselves.

A New Country A New Government

After declaring independence in 1776, Congress had tried to unite the states under one federal or national government. Most members of Congress were nervous to create a strong central government. After witnessing how a king could rule and take away the rights of individuals that the Congress wanted to preserve.

Their solution was a plan of government known as the "Articles of Confederation."

The Articles of Confederation

The Articles created "a firm league of friendship" in the which "each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence." This "league of friendship" was a loose union in which the 13 states cooperated for common purposes. The Articles stated that the government would be run by Congress. In Congress each state had 1 vote.

In theory, the Articles of Confederation gave Congress several important powers. Congress could make war and peace. Congress could raise an army and navy, print money, and set up a postal system for communication.

In reality, the powers given to the Congress were limited by the inability of Congress to impose taxes. Instead, Congress had to ask the states to fund any idea or program.

James Madison described the Articles as no more effective at binding the states into a nation than "a rope of sand."

Questions Congress Faced

A key question facing Congress was how to govern the western lands the United States had acquired in the Treaty of Paris. There were no rules or laws in these new lands. People would walk and claim land as they liked and disputes were flooding the courts.

Congress passed the Land of Ordinance of 1785 to end this confusion. Under this law, western lands were divided into six mile squares called townships. Each township was then divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each. One section of each square was set aside to support the township's public schools. Other sections were sold to settlers.

The creation of these townships sparked the question of how these areas should be governed. Were they to be colonies of the United States or new states?

Congress answered this question in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The Ordinance divided the territory into smaller sections who would be governed by a governor. After the territory's population reached 5,000 free males the population could elect their own legislature.

When the population reached 60,000 a territory could apply to Congress to become a state.

Slavery was banned in the Northwest Territory.

The Value of Money

The paper mone

y printed by Congress during the Revolutionary War was worthless. Congress had the power to make coins that would hold their value, however, Congress did not have the gold or silver to mint these coins.

The states reacted to the money shortage by printing their own paper currency (money). Before long money of different sizes and colors were being used in all the states and no one knew exactly how much any of the pieces of paper were worth - but most people assumed not much.

Shay's Rebellion

The money shortage was very hard on farmers. Many farmers went into debt. In Massachusetts, judges ordered farmers to sell their land and livestock to pay their debts.

Led by Daniel Shays, a hero of the Revolutionary War, the farmers rebelled.

The rebellion was ended by the Massachusetts militia. But the rebellion indicated a larger problem - the federal government had no authority.

Call for a Convention

In response to Shay's Rebellion Congress called for a convention to fix the situation.

Each state was invited to send delegates to Philadelphia in May, 1787, "for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation."

Fun tid bit:

The states did not respect the federal governments authority.