Part 1: The Articles of Confederation



Name: ____________________ Block: _________Part 1: The Articles of ConfederationWhat type of government did the Articles of Confederation set up? Define this government.A Confederation, or a loose friendship of states in which each state keeps its sovereignty, freedom, and independenceAccording to this source, what was the major problem with this type of government? Give several examples and explain those examples.The Articles of Confederation had no power to enforce laws also known as no Executive Branch.The Articles of Confederation had no power to interpret national laws through a court systemThe Articles of Confederation had no power to enforce treaties with other nations.The Articles of Confederation had no power to raise an army and militias were developed for each individual state.The Articles of Confederation had no power to collect taxes.Part 2: The ConstitutionLegislativeWhat is the power of the Legislative Branch?Makes the LawsWhat makes up the Legislative Branch (body)?Congress: Upper House (Senate) & Lower House (House of Representatives)According to this document, why does this body need to be separated between a lower and upper house?The Upper House (Senate), has equal representation among the states (2 votes). Allowing for a balance of power among the states in the law making body.The Lower House (House of Representatives), has representation based upon population. In 1787, Rhode Island had 1 vote, Massachusetts had 8 votes, and New Hampshire had 3. These votes would change every ten years based upon the census in which the National Government would count how many people are in each state. This balances power based upon population and allows for individuals to have equal representation no matter what state they live.ExecutiveWhat is the power of the Executive Branch?Enforces the LawWhat makes up the Executive Branch?The President, Vice President, and CabinetAccording to this document, why did the Founding Fathers believe that an Executive was necessary?“Energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks…to the steady administration of the laws, to the protection of property…to justice; [and] to the security of liberty….” - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers 70According to this document, leadership in the Executive (One key leader) allows for the government to function. Without an executive, the administration and enforcement of laws is unsteady and unclear. According to this document, an Executive leader (President) allows for greater equality and the security of freedom to be present throughout the country. A leader, an executive (President), with power is the definition of a good government that will last.JudicialWhat is the power of the Judicial Branch?Interprets the LawWhat body makes up the Judicial Branch? How many people are on the Supreme Court?Supreme Court. 9 justices on the Supreme Court that serve for life.According to this document, why did the Founding Fathers believe that the Judicial Branch was necessary?“It equally proves, that though individual oppression may now and then proceed from the courts of justice, the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from that quarter; I mean so long as the judiciary remains truly distinct from both the legislature and the Executive. For I agree, that "there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers.” -Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers 78According to this document, a Judicial Branch is necessary in order to judge and uphold that the legislative and executive branch are not becoming too powerful. As well, the esstablishment of liberty or freedom, cannot happen unless there is a judicial branch overseeing and correcting the actions of the legislative and executive branches.Bill of RightsWhat does the Bill of Rights protect? Who is the Bill of Rights protecting?The rights or freedoms of all citizens of the United States. The Bill of Rights protects every person from a government that could take away their individual and natural rights.Additionally, the Bill of Rights is protecting the people not in power from the people in power. The Bill of Rights was established in order to keep democracy from taking away the natural rights of man.The Bill of Rights essentially protects the people not in power from the people in power in government.According to this document, why is it important to have a Bill of Rights?"The whole of the Bill (of Rights) is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals .... It establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of."-- Albert Gallatin, New York Historical Society, October 7, 1789According to this document, The Bill of Rights makes it illegal and unlawful to take away individual rights and freedoms. It protects every person from their government. It keeps government and people in power from taking away the rights and freedoms of any individual.V. Interpret SourcesDue to the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, what did the Founding Fathers do?Called a Constitutional Convention, in order to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, the Founding Fathers ended up getting rid of the Articles of Confederation and created the Constitution as the new framework of Government.According to this source, how many states need to ratify the Constitution in order for it to become the law of the land?Nine States. However, this document accurately represents that if it was not for Virginia and New York (the two largest and most powerful states) ratifying the Constitution, than the Constitution would never have been accepted by all the states. Virginia and New York were the most important states to accept the Constitution. The United States would not have been created if it was not for Virginia and New York ratifying the Constitution.Virginia and New York were the tenth and eleventh state to ratify the Constitution. How does this source represent that fact?According to this source, Virginia and New York were the next pillars to stand upright after New Hampshire. Thus, New Hampshire was the ninth state and Virginia and New York would soon have to follow, or else the whole entire Constitution would fail.Remember, at the time, New York and Virginia were the largest and most powerful states. If either of those states, or any other state did not accept the Constitution, then eventually the United States as a whole would fail. United we stand, yet divided we fall. We see this clearly represented in this document through the arch at the top of each of the pillars.If the all of the columns in the picture are upright and unified, what is the artist trying to inform us about columns that are not upright (Think about how they are not connected- divided)?According to this document, the columns that are upright are united, working together and standing tall. This is represented in the arch that clearly connects all the columns together when they are upright. The columns that are not upright, Virginia and New York, are not united. These columns are divided from the united upright columns. The document is informing us, that if the states do not unite and work together under the Constitution, than each state will fall and fail to work together. As well, the document is representing that Virginia is becoming upright and is uniting with the nine other states that have ratified the Constitution. With Virginia's ratification of the Constitution, that will force New york to be upright and unified with the other states through their acceptance of the Constitution. We see this in the rays that are coming from Virginia pulling New York to an upright and unified position.Could the Constitution survive without the ratification of the two most populated states Virginia and New York? Why?According to this document, it is highly unlikely for the Constitution and United States to survive without the ratification of Virginia and New York. These two states are essential to the establishment of the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. VI. Interpret Sources (Part 2)Who is the man standing behind the desk? What is his job in the Constitutional Convention?George Washington. Presiding leader over the Constitutional Convention. Benjamin Franklin is seen sitting in the center of this painting. As one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence, he believed that people should be the source of power in a government and that a government that didn’t protect people’s rights could be overthrown. How does the Constitution protect people’s rights? The Constitution protects people’s rights by establishing a government by the people. The Constitution protects government from itself and establishes the people as the driving force behind the government. This is clearly represented in the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Judicial Branch. The balance of power of these three branches and the people’s freedom to vote and elect leaders represents that the Constitution derives all power from the people and is set up to have people control the government and not have the government control the people.Additionally, we see the creation of the Bill of Rights which protects the individual freedoms of all citizens.How do people give the Constitution it’s power?The people give the Constitution it’s power by choosing to accept and follow the established government the Constitution sets up. ................
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