1. WANTEDWANTED::
A “Just Right”A “Just Right”
GovernmentGovernment

2. Wanted: A government that…Wanted: A government that…
muchmuch
• Has enough ________ to do its jobHas enough ________ to do its job
• Doesn’t give anyone too ______Doesn’t give anyone too ______
powerpower
• Considers the needs of all _________Considers the needs of all _________
• Lets people have a ________Lets people have a ________
• Protects individual __________Protects individual __________
saysay
statestate
sspowerpower
rightsrights

3. In 1777, the
Americans wrote their
first plan for
government in adocument called the
Articles of
Articles of
Confederation
Confederation

4. TheThe Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation??
What’s aWhat’s a confederationconfederation????
AA confederationconfederation is a _________ ofis a _________ of
individuals _______ togetherindividuals _______ together
for a _________.for a _________.
The First Attempt:The First Attempt:
The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation
groupgroup
unitedunited
purposepurpose

5. The First Attempt:The First Attempt:
The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation
• Each state was _________________ and had its ownEach state was _________________ and had its own
________________.________________.
• Each state would send _______________ to theEach state would send _______________ to the
“Congress of the Confederation.”“Congress of the Confederation.”
• The Congress was the only ____________The Congress was the only ____________
government. There was no ___________.government. There was no ___________.
• In Congress, each state got _______ vote.In Congress, each state got _______ vote.
independentindependent
governmentgovernment
representativesrepresentatives
centralcentral
PresidentPresident
oneone

6. • Congress had no way toCongress had no way to
__________ its _______!__________ its _______!
• Congress had no power toCongress had no power to
collect _________ to pay forcollect _________ to pay for
the military!the military!
• The Articles could only beThe Articles could only be
_________ if ______ the_________ if ______ the
states agreed!states agreed!
• States get to keep theirStates get to keep their
______ and __________________ and ____________
• No _____________ tellingNo _____________ telling
the states what to dothe states what to do
• Congress had the power toCongress had the power to
create a _________ tocreate a _________ to
________all the states________all the states
The First Attempt:The First Attempt:
The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation
Hey, this sounds
great!
Wait! Not so
fast…
independencindependenc
ee
powerpower
governmentgovernment
militarymilitary
protectprotect
enforceenforce lawslaws
taxetaxe
ss
changechange
dd
ALAL
LL

7. Under the Articles ofUnder the Articles of
Confederation, a PresidentConfederation, a President
would lead the country.would lead the country.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse

8. States would be independentStates would be independent
under the Articles ofunder the Articles of
Confederation.Confederation.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse


9.  TrueTrue
 FalseFalse
The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation
were easy to change.were easy to change.


10.  TrueTrue
 FalseFalse
The more people a state had,The more people a state had,
the more votes it got inthe more votes it got in
Congress.Congress.


11. Congress did not have theCongress did not have the
power to collect taxes.power to collect taxes.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse


12. Congress could pass laws andCongress could pass laws and
force states to follow them.force states to follow them.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse

13. The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation
created the first Americancreated the first American
government.government.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse


14. There were some
good things and
some bad things
about the Articles of
Confederation. In
general, people felt
like the government
rking!
Congress is too weak to endCongress is too weak to end
the conflicts between ourthe conflicts between our
states!states!

15. States Had DifferencesStates Had Differences
Some states depended on ,Some states depended on ,
while others mostly grew .while others mostly grew .
fishingfishing
cropscrops

16. States Had DifferentStates Had Different SizesSizes
Some states had people,Some states had people,
while others had .while others had .
manymany
fewfew

17. People Had DifferentPeople Had Different OpinionsOpinions
Some peopleSome people
Others thought a central government was .Others thought a central government was .
fearedfeared
necessarnecessar
yy
a central government.a central government.
A central government will have too
much power! We’ll lose our
freedom!
But we’ll never get anything
done if no one is in charge!!

18. Everybody thought the centralEverybody thought the central
government should have moregovernment should have more
power.power.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse

19. Some people were afraid statesSome people were afraid states
might lose their independence.might lose their independence.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse


20. Different states had differentDifferent states had different
needs for government to meet.needs for government to meet.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse


21. The states all got along withThe states all got along with
each other.each other.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse

22. The government created byThe government created by
the Articles of Confederationthe Articles of Confederation
had everything under controlhad everything under control
among the states.among the states.
 TrueTrue
 FalseFalse

23. Something needed to
change, but people
didn’t want a central
government to have
too much power!

24. The states decided to
put aside some of
their differences and
come together to try
to solve the problem
of forming a new
government…

25. Articles of
Confederation
New Idea
A New Idea!A New Idea!
1 Branch1 Branch
Legislative—makes laws 3 Branches3 Branches

26. A New Idea!A New Idea!
Legislative:
Makes laws
Judicial:Interprets laws
Executive:
Carries out laws
ButBut
Wait!
Wait!
How manyHow many
should each state getshould each state get
in the legislature?in the legislature?
votesvotes

27. Each state gets to send representativesEach state gets to send representatives
to the legislature. Which states wouldto the legislature. Which states would
have the most power if…have the most power if…
• The more people a state had, the moreThe more people a state had, the more
representatives it got?representatives it got?
Answer: The more people, the moreAnswer: The more people, the more
power!power!

28. Each state gets to send representativesEach state gets to send representatives
to the legislature. Which states wouldto the legislature. Which states would
have the most power if…have the most power if…
• Each state got one vote, no matter howEach state got one vote, no matter how
small?small?
Answer: People in the small statesAnswer: People in the small states
would have more power.would have more power.

29. The Virginia PlanThe Virginia Plan The New Jersey PlanThe New Jersey Plan
Battle of the PlansBattle of the Plans
• Legislative branch has ___Legislative branch has ___
“chambers”“chambers”
• Number of votes for eachNumber of votes for each
state depends on thestate depends on the
state’s ___________state’s ___________
• ________ states would________ states would
have more powerhave more power
populationpopulation
22
LargerLarger
• Legislative branch has ___Legislative branch has ___
“chamber”“chamber”
• Each state gets ___ voteEach state gets ___ vote
• ________ states would________ states would
have more powerhave more power
11
SmallerSmaller
11
(Virginia was a large state, and New Jersey was a small state.(Virginia was a large state, and New Jersey was a small state.

30.  All states should have the same powerAll states should have the same power
 Larger states should have more powerLarger states should have more power
Is it more fair for every state to have theIs it more fair for every state to have the
same amount of power no matter howsame amount of power no matter how
few people live there, or should statesfew people live there, or should states
with more people have more power?with more people have more power?
WHY?WHY?

31. There were a lot of
differences to
overcome and a lot of
compromises to
make…but finally…
The ConstitutionThe Constitution
of the Unitedof the United
States ofStates of
AmericaAmerica

32. LegislativeLegislative::
Makes lawsMakes laws
Judicial
Judicial::Interprets laws
Interprets laws
Executive
Executive::
Carries out laws
Carries out laws
Divide Congress Into TwoDivide Congress Into Two
HousesHouses
SenateSenate House ofHouse of
RepresentativesRepresentatives
Each state gets 2
votes.
The more people
the state has, the
more votes it gets!
And that’s notAnd that’s not
all…all…
The Constitution SolutionThe Constitution Solution

33. Not only did the
Constitution resolve
the problem of the
legislature, but it
solved some other
problems as well…

34. Did the Articles ofDid the Articles of
Confederation require states toConfederation require states to
treat other states the same astreat other states the same as
their own citizens?their own citizens?
 YesYes
 NoNo

35. The Constitution requires eachThe Constitution requires each
state to treat ________ of otherstate to treat ________ of other
states the ______ as it treats itsstates the ______ as it treats its
own citizens.own citizens.
citizenscitizens
samesame
The Constitution SolutionThe Constitution Solution

36. How many states had to agreeHow many states had to agree
in order for the Articles ofin order for the Articles of
Confederation to be changed?Confederation to be changed?
 All statesAll states
 A majority of statesA majority of states


37. The Constitution can be changed ifThe Constitution can be changed if
________________ of the members of________________ of the members of
Congress and ________________ ofCongress and ________________ of
the states agree.the states agree.
two-thirds (2/3)two-thirds (2/3)
three-fourths (3/4)three-fourths (3/4)
The Constitution SolutionThe Constitution Solution

38. Did the Articles ofDid the Articles of
Confederation require states toConfederation require states to
follow the laws Congressfollow the laws Congress
passed?passed?
 YesYes
 NoNo

39. The Constitution says that theThe Constitution says that the
laws passed by Congress arelaws passed by Congress are
_________ to laws passed by the_________ to laws passed by the
_______._______.
superiorsuperior
statesstates
The Constitution SolutionThe Constitution Solution

40. The new Americans
made compromises
and found solutions
for their new
government. Let’s
review the final
product of the
al

41. AA 
Laws are made by the _______Laws are made by the _______
branch.branch.
BB
executiveexecutive legislativelegislative

42. Laws passed by Congress areLaws passed by Congress are
_____ to state laws._____ to state laws.
superiorsuperior inferiorinferior
AA BB

43. Congress has ______.Congress has ______.
1 chamber1 chamber 2 chambers2 chambers
AA BB

44. Each state gets two votes inEach state gets two votes in
the __________.the __________.
House ofHouse of
RepresentativesRepresentatives
SenateSenate
AA BB

45. In the House of Representatives,In the House of Representatives,
the number of votes each statesthe number of votes each states
gets is based on its ________.gets is based on its ________.
populationpopulation taxestaxes
AA BB

46. A change to the ConstitutionA change to the Constitution
must be approved bymust be approved by
___________.___________.
All statesAll states ¾ of states¾ of states
AA BB

47. Although they
managed to solve the
problems created by
the Articles, there
were still many
decisions to be made
before everyone
acc