Reviewing the Declaration and other documents

Reviewing the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution

Background Information

• Colonists were angered by the new laws

• Time for Independence

• The Congress formed a committee to write a statement declaring independence for the colonies.

• Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson credited as being Father of Document

• July 4th, 1776 Ready to sign

Famous Words

The Declaration of Independence did more than just say the colonies wanted their freedom. It explained why they wanted their freedom. It listed all the bad things that the king had done to the colonies and that the colonies had rights which they felt they should fight for.
Five Sections:
1) Introduction-declare causes, law of nature
2)Preamble-colony's philosophy and notable quote below
3)Indictment of King George- lists grievances against King
4)Denunciation-states position on British people, "enemies in war, brothers in peace."
5) Conclusion-finishing out the "break up." Breaks all ties with Britain

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

​John Locke was an early influence on the America Founding Fathers. His writings during the Enlightenment period gave the founders ideas and natural rights and democracy.

Multiple Choice

What was the date the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence?

• July 4,1776

• August 2, 1776

• April 18, 1776

• December 16, 1773

Multiple Choice

Thomas Jefferson borrowed many of his ideas from which Enlightenment Philosopher?

• John Locke

• George Washington

• Thomas Paine

• John Adams

​Strength of The Articles of Confederation

​#1 Strength was the Articles of Confederation kept the American Government together during the American Revolution. This convinced other nations like France and Spain to join the war effort.

France and Spain were waiting to get back at Great Britain

Past Conflicts and wars made getting allies easy, but they did not want to join the losing side, or the side that was not together.

Multiple Choice

What were the Articles of Confederation?

• The plan of government after The Constitution of the United States of America was written.

• The plan of government before The Constitution of the United States of America was written.

• The plan of government for any state that wanted to leave North Caldwell.

• The plan of government before Columbus.

Multiple Choice

What was the main problem with the Articles of Confederation?

• The national government was weak.

• State governments were weak.

• It was written in cursive.

• Government could not function during the war

Constitutional Convention

• Was held at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia

• Main goal was to REVISE the articles of Confederation......not create a new Constitution.

• As the delegates met and discussed changes, the Federalists wanted to make a new Constitution.

• The Great Compromise and 3/5 Compromise were made here.....as was the new Constitution we still use today!

• James Madison is credited as being the Father of the Constitution

Multiple Choice

Why did smaller states favor the New Jersey Plan?

• Smaller states would have an equal say

• It stated the President must be from New Jersey

• Small states would not have to pay taxes

• It allowed smaller states to ignore laws from Congress

Multiple Choice

The Virginia Plan favored which kind of states and gave them the most representatives?

• Larger states with bigger populations

• Smaller states with smaller populations

• This plan said all states had equal representation

• This plan said that states would be ruled by the King

Multiple Choice

The Great Compromise did what?

• Took parts from both the NJ and VA Plans

• Gave States most of the power

• Made the Federal Government extremely weak

• Gave slaves the right to vote

Federalists

• Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, John Adams

• All ideas contained in a series of documents called the Federalist Papers

• Considered themselves the ruling 'elite' meaning that they were fit to rule and not the "poor" people--->Electoral College

• NO BILL OF RIGHTS!.......until they compromised

• Believed in a powerful central/national government

• Believed the Constitution protected states & individuals enough

Anti-Federalists

• Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Patrick Henry

• Thought a president could turn into a King

• Believed in direct democracy (no electoral college) & frequent elections so that people didn't get too corrupt

• Needed explicit protections for States & Individual Rights

• YES BILL OF RIGHTS!

Multiple Choice

The Federalist and Anti-Federalists groups are known as _______________.

• Governing Groups.

• Political Parties.

• Militia's.

• Delegates.

Multiple Choice

Federalists believed that the Articles of Confederation were a ________ and wanted to instead set up a ________ National Government.

• Success, Strong.

• Success, Weak.

• Failure, Weak.

• Failure, Strong.

Multiple Choice

The "Federalist Papers" were written to:

• Explain and convince the people into supporting the new U.S Constitution.

• spark a new revolution among the American people against their government.

• oppose a strong centralized government.

• create a new monarchy.

The Great Compromise

•

Was a plan worked out by Rodger
Sherman of Connecticut

•

Called for a two-house representatives

1.

A lower house known as the House of
representatives

2.

An upper house known as the Senate

House of Representatives

• Also known as the lower house of Congress
• Members would be elected by popular vote
• Seats would be awarded to each state based on population

Senate

• Also known as the upper house of Congress
• Members would be chosen by the state legislature
• Each state would have two senators
• Senator is the name given to the elected members of
the senate.

Counting the slaves

• Southerners wanted to include slaves in the

population count

• If slaves were counted, southern states

would have more representative in the
House of Representatives

• Northerners argued that since slaves could

not vote they should not be counted

Three-fifths Compromise

• Delegates agreed that three-fifths of the

slaves in any state would be counted

• For example, if a state had 5,000 slaves,

3,000 of them would be counted in the
state’s population.

• Because the delegates did not want to use

the word "slave" in the document, they
stated that "free persons" would count as
one and "non-free persons" would count as
three-fifths of a person.

Signing of the Constitution

• The Constitution was ready to be signed

on September 17, 1787

• Of the 42 delegates remaining in

Philadelphia, 39 signed the document

Multiple Choice

What is a constitution?

• A Written Plan of Government.

• A Declaration

• Document that criticized Britain

• A Written Plan to fight the American Revolution

Multiple Choice

Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Adams

• John Hancock

Multiple Choice

Which president was also called the Father of the Constitution?

• George Washington
• Thomas Jefferson
• Alexander Hamilton
• James Madison

Multiple Choice

Congress is made up of two Houses called what?

• House of Representatives and Senate

• Judicial and Legislative

• Executive and Senate

Multiple Choice

What was America's first constitution called?

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Constitution of the United States

• The Founding Principles of the United States

• The Articles of American Constitution

Multiple Choice

What was the major problem with the Articles of Confederation?

• The central government was too powerful and controlling

• The state governments were too weak to solve problems

• The central government was too weak to solve issues facing the country

• The president was given too much power.

Multiple Choice

How many states had to agree before an Article could be amended or changed?

• 9 out of 13 states had to agree

• All 13 states had to agree

• A majority of states had to agree

• 10 out of 13 states had to agree