New Nation

Why did the Articles of Confederation need to be revised?

• The people no longer had power.

• The country was overwhelmed with being a United States vs. being separate states.

• The federal government was collecting too many taxes

• The federal government had no power to raise an army.

What was one of the biggest problems caused by the weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• America did not have any allies in the American Revolution because Congress could not sign treaties.

• America could not pay its debts from the American Revolution because Congress could not coin money.

• America did not have any allies in the American Revolution because Congress could not declare war.

• America could not pay its debts from the American Revolution because Congress could not collect taxes.

What would you title the following list?

- No federal courts to settle disputes between states

-To pass laws, each state had one vote, and all had to agree on it

• Strengths of the U.S. Constitution

• Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• Strengths from the Articles of Confederation

• Weaknesses in the Declaration of Independence

What is a statement we can make about George Washington?

• He was one of the authors of the Articles of Confederation.

• He was strongly opposed to slavery in the United States.

• He was good friends with the leaders of many countries.

• He was trusted and respected by the American people.

Why did large states support James Madison's Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention?

• Virginia Plan called for a weak national government

• Virginia Plan called for representation in congress to be based off population

• Virginia Plan called for the federal and state governments to come to a compromise

• Virginia Plan called for representation in congress to be equal.

The Great Compromise is named for the compromise between the Virginia Plan and the ___________ Plan?

• New Jersey Plan

• Philadelphia Plan

• Washington Plan

• Three-Fifths Plan

How was the issue of state representation solved in the new government?

• Two houses were created, one just for the big states and another just for the smaller states.

• Two houses were created, one based on population and another with two people from each state.

• Checks and balances were put in place to stop the big states from using their power on the small states.

• Three branches of government were created to include two representatives in each branch from each state.

What is the point of separating the government into three separate branches?

• to limit the powers of the bigger states

• to ensure a truly democratic system of government

• to limit the power of any one branch of government

• to allow the American people to directly elect their legislators

Why was the Three-Fifths Compromise adopted during the Constitutional Convention?

• The Framers of the Constitution were afraid of creating state governments that were too strong.

• Representation in Congress was based on land area, causing a conflict between large and small states.

• The Framers of the Constitution were afraid of creating a national government that was too strong.

• Representation in Congress was based on population, causing a conflict between large and small states.

Why did the southern states want slaves counted in the states' population?

• Including slaves would give states more money in their state budgets.

• Including slaves would give states more delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

• Including slaves would give states more representation in congress.

• Including slaves would help push the United States towards ending slavery for good.