Constitution Foldable

The Constitutional Convention Notes (page 37)

2. The Constitutional Convention
a. how to count votes
i. Virginia Plan – give more votes to states with more people
ii. New Jersey Plan – give all states equal votes
iii. Great Compromise – made Congress with two parts (House of Representatives based on population and Senate with two from each)
b. slavery
i. South wanted slaves and North didn’t
ii. three fifths compromise allowed every five slaves to be counted as three people for votes in Congress
c. federalism – states shared power with national government
d. ratification – debate about accepting the Constitution
i. antifederalists – argued against a powerful government
ii. federalists – wanted a strong government

Articles of Confederation Notes (page 33)

1. Articles of Confederation (the first government)
a. only success - Northwest Ordinance – law
about western land
b. each state wanted its own freedom and was
afraid of another strong central government
c. Continental Congress made the Articles as
rules for government
d. Articles were made weak (could not raise
taxes, settle arguments between states, had
no power, no president to enforce laws)
e. the Shays Rebellion (in Massachusetts)
showed that Articles were too weak to govern
f. after the Shays Rebellion, representatives
met in Philadelphia to revise (update and
strengthen) the Articles