Our New Government

This document set up our government after the end of the Revolutionary War. It had a lot of weaknesses.

• Articles of Confederation

• U.S. Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

Choose some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• An army could not be established because they couldn't tax the states.

• There were no federal judges to settle problems between the states.

• They didn't have a national currency (money)

• The states had too much power

• George Washington led the country as president.

Match the following

• George Washington

• He is known as the "Father of Constitution" because he was the main writer.

• Benjamin Franklin

• He was voted President of the Constitutional Convention and kept the delegates on task.

• James Madison

• He was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention and helped the delegates reach the Great Compromise.

The yellow dot on the map represents the location of the Constitutional Convention (where the Constitution was written).

• Philadelphia

• New York

• Washington D.C.

The United States government is a representative democracy. This means that:

• Citizens vote on representatives who speak or act for them when making laws.

• Citizens vote for a president, and the president makes all of the decisions for the government.

The ___________________ replaced the Articles of Confederation.

• U.S. Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

• Preamble

This is a written plan for our government. It tells us how our government is organized. It gives powers to the government and it limits the powers of the government as well.

• U.S. Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

• Preamble

• Articles of Confederation

This is the first paragraph of the U.S. Constitution.

• U.S. Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

• Preamble

• Articles of Confederation

The Preamble starts with the words, "we the people." Why are these three words so important? (choose more than 1 answer)

• It shows that the power belongs to the people through the representatives they elect.

• It shows the idea of popular sovereignty.

• It shows that the power belongs to the government.

This word means that the power comes from the people. The government will only work as long as the people agree to be governed.

• Popular Sovereignty

• Representative Democracy