James Madison Constitution

Lesson 8 Creating the Constitution Introduction

What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention?

When the American war for independence ended, no one was happier, or more worried, about the future of the United States than a serious Virginia Patriot named James Madison.  While serving in Congress during the war, Madison had tried and failed to get the states to work easily together, and he doubted that things would improve now that the war was over.

Multiple Choice

Which founding father tried (and failed) to get the states to work easily together during the Revolutionary War?

• Benjamin Franklin

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

• James Madison

After declaring independence in 1776, Congress tried to unite the states under one national government.  However, most members were nervous about creating a strong central government and feared that it would trample the very rights they were fighting to preserve.

Multiple Select

Why did Congress not want a strong, central government?

• Congress wanted to protect states rights

• Congress wanted to avoid a tyrannical government

• Congress wanted to protect parliament

• Congress intended a strong central government

Their solution was a plan of government known as the Articles of Confederation.  The Articles created “a firm league of friendship” in 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. It was run by Congress, in which each state had one vote.

Multiple Choice

The first written plan of government for the United States was called _______________________.

• Articles of Confederation

• The Constitutional Convention

• The Federalist Papers

• The Great Compromise

On paper, the Articles of Confederation gave Congress several important powers.  It could declare war, raise an army and a navy, print money, and set up a postal system.

Multiple Select

Which of the following were powers of Congress under the Articles of Confederations?

• Raising an army and navy

• Set up a postal system

• Issuing taxes

• Printing money

• Declare War

In reality, however, these powers were limited by the inability of Congress to impose taxes.  Congress had to ask the states for funds to do anything, and all too often, the states ignored Congress's “humble requests. ”  The result, said Madison, was that the Articles were no more effective at binding the states into a nation than “a rope of sand.”

Multiple Choice

What was a major flaw of the Articles of Confederation?

• The Articles of Confederation could not declare war.

• The Articles of Confederation did not have a representative government.

• The Articles of Confederation did not allow Congress to tax people.

• The Articles of Confederation did not have the enforce trade legislations.

In this lesson, you will read about the new nation's shaky start under the Articles of Confederation.  You will also learn how Madison and other leaders met in 1787 to revise the Articles and ended up compromising to form “a more perfect Union. ”