American Government: Roots and Reform Federalism

United States
Government

6th Grade US History - Understand the foundations and the roles of the United States Republic.

Draw

Try Your Best!

Draw the Flag of the USA!

Multiple Choice

What form of government does the United States have?

• Abolitionist

• Democracy

• Monarchy

• Autocracy

Word Cloud

Previous Knowledge Check:

When you think of the United States and it's government, what comes to mind?

(Names, places, things...Anything besides for the word Democracy)

Open Ended

Previous Knowledge Check:

What document gave the United States freedom from Britain?

• 1776 - Declaration of Independence

  • Officially declared the USA was free from Britain

• The Articles of Confederation were the original plan for government in the United States.

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Roots of the US Government

Multiple Choice

What was the original plan for government in the United States?

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Constitution

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Preamble

• Confederation: A group of individuals united together for a common purpose.

• Created a weak national government. (that was their goal!)

  • Couldn't Tax

  • No President (Why?)

• States:

  • Independent and have their own government.

  • Send representatives to the Congress of the Confederation to make laws.

  • Congress is the only branch of government.

  • One vote per state.

Articles of Confederation

Multiple Choice

True or False:

The Articles of Confederation created a strong national government.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is a Confederation?

• The Senate of the Mozambique Government

• A group of individuals united together for a common purpose

• The document that gave the United States freedom from Britain

• The Founding Fathers

Open Ended

Infer!

What are some weaknesses you could see in the Articles of Confederation?

• The 4 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation were:

  • Needed 9/13 states to approve laws.

  • Amending the Articles required all 13 states to agree to change them.

  • Congress had no power to tax.

  • Congress had no power to enforce laws.

​

Weaknesses:

• ​Daniel Shays led farmers to revolt against the Massachusetts State Government because of the loss of farmland to pay off debts.

• No national army.

• Result: Taxes were cut and farmers/soldiers had more time to pay debts.

• Exposed the weaknesses of the government created by the Articles.

Shay's Rebellion

• ​States debated over how each one would be represented...

• Small States: New Jersey Plan

  • Each state has equal representation.

  • Only one house of Congress.

• Large States: Virginia Plan

  • Representation based on population.

  • 2 houses of Congress.
    
    

We Need a Plan!

​New Jersey Plan vs. Virginia Plan

Poll

Opinion:

Which plan do you prefer?

• New Jersey Plan

• Virginia Plan

• 1787 - Constitution - A plan for government. (Rules, Regulations)

• Created 3 Branches of Government.

  • Judicial, Legislative, Executive

• Bicameral Legislature - How many voters each state gets!

  • House of Representatives and the Senate

    • House: based on population!

    • Senate: Every state gets two!

• National government can tax!

• National Currency $$$!

​

The Constitution

Multiple Choice

Which of these are true about the Articles of Confederation?

• No National Army

• People liked it

• It created communism

• National government CAN tax the states

Multiple Choice

What are the 3 branches of the US government created by the Constitution?

• Executive, Legislative, Judicial
• Science, Technology, Engineering
• Agricultural, Industrial, Commercial
• North, South, East

Multiple Choice

What does bicameral mean?

• The Constitution

• A government with 2 chambers

• There are no laws

• A government with 1 chamber

Multiple Choice

A rebellion of farmers against the Massachusetts State Government over taxes and loss of farmland…

• Adams' Uprising
• Jefferson's Revolt
• Washington's Insurrection
• Shays' Rebellion

Multiple Choice

Which plan was focused on smaller states’ representation? The number of representatives were equal for all states…

• Pennsylvania Plan
• Connecticut Plan
• Virginia Plan
• New Jersey Plan

Multiple Choice

What is a Confederation?

• A combination of two different countries’ governments.

• The leader of a country

• A group of individuals who unite for a common purpose.

• A plan for government.

Multiple Choice

What was the original plan for government in the United States?

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Preamble

• MSNBC News

• The Constitution

Multiple Choice

Which plan gave states a number of representatives based on their population?

• Massachusetts Plan
• New Jersey Plan
• Virginia Plan
• Pennsylvania Plan

Multiple Choice

True or False:

States were independent and had their own government in the Articles of Confederation.

• True

• False

The Bill of Rights

• 1st Amendment: Freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion.

• 2nd Amendment: Right to keep and bear arms. (Well-Regulated Militia)

• 3rd Amendment: Government cannot quarter soldiers. (Live in your home)

• 4th Amendment: Government cannot unreasonably search or seize. (take)

• 5th Amendment: People have the right to not self-incriminate. (Due Process)

• 6th Amendment: Speedy and public trial for crimes.

• 7th Amendment: Jury trial in federal cases.

• 8th Amendment: Government cannot give cruel and unusual punishments.

• 9th Amendment: People have more rights than what are specifically stated.

• 10th Amendment: Separation of Powers - Federal Gov. has only the powers in the constitution. The rest goes to the states or people.