Forming a New Government

Forming a New Government

US 1781-1815

In 1781, the war with Britain was coming to an end.

• The colonies were independent.

• The colonies were now called states.

• The states needed to set up their own government.

The Second Continental Congress voted for the Articles of Confederation.

This said that the Continental Congress would be the main governing body in the states.

The Articles also said that:

• there would be no president

• there would be no courts

• the Continental Congress could not tax citizens

• the Continental Congress could not pass laws

Multiple Choice

What did the Articles of Confederation say?

• Congress could not tax citizens

• Congress could not print money

Money Trouble

The Continental Congress borrowed millions of dollars to fight the British. They borrowed from France and the Netherlands. Now they had to pay back their debts. But where would they get the money? They were not allowed to tax the people.

The Constitutional Convention

• In 1787, 55 delegates met in Philadelphia.

• A delegate is a representative of a state.

• They met to come up with a plan to replace the Articles of Confederation.

Multiple Choice

Which word means a representative of a state?

• debutante

• delegate

• delaware

The Great Compromise

• The Congress came up with an idea to combine all of the suggestions made by the delegates.

• The plan divided the Congress into 2 parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Open Ended

What are the names of the two parts of Congress?