Review
Confederal vs. Federal
Vocabulary Clarification
Confederation: Alliances of states that agree to work together
Federation: Ac country formed by separate states that have given certain powers to a central government while keeping control over local matters
Federalism: When a government is divided between state and federal government
Confederate Systems of Government
State governments are more powerful than the national/central governments
Federal Government is the same as national government and central governments
Federal System of Governments
State governments have the same power as national and central governments
Articles of Confederation
What
- Created weak central government
- States have full control of their own militia, currency, etc.
Accomplishments
- Land Ordinance of 1785
- Congress couldn’t tax, so they created this method of selling land to western settlers
- Northwest Ordinance of 1787
- Established government methods for settlers in the northwest territory
Who
- Written 1777 (after the battle of Saratoga)
- Ratified: 1781 (before Treaty of Paris 1783)
When
Why
What
- New national constitution
- 3 parts of constitution
- Preamble
- 7 Articles
- 27 Amendments
Separation of Power
Legislative
- Make laws
- Levy taxes and coin money
- Declare war
- Must approval all execute appointments
- Must approve all budgets and treaties
- Can override President’s veto with 2/3 majority
- Can impeach members of the judiciary
Executive
- Enforce laws
- Negotiate treaties
- Can veto bills passed by the legislature
Judicial
- Interpret the constitution
- Can declare laws unconstitutional
- Can declare presidential acts unconstitutional
- Can stop presidential action by issuing a injunction
Compromises of the Constitution
Representation
How will each state be represented fairly? (Big States v. Small States)
Virginia Plan: Bicameral, state representative based on population
New Jersey Plan: Each state would have equal number of reps
Slavery
How will slaves be counted for representation and taxation (Northern States vs. Southern States)
Three-Fifths Compromise:
Each slave counts as 3/5 as a person in population, and cannot vote
Democracy
Who will vote in the election of the President? (Popular election vs. representative election)
Electoral College: Indirect way of voting for president using state electors
Protection form Tyranny
How will the president be prevented from being a tyrant?
Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Bill of Rights