The document discusses the creation of the US Constitution and early national government structures. It describes debates around executive power and representation in legislatures. Early state governments were republics with one vote each in Congress. The Articles of Confederation established a federal government but it had no taxing power and required unanimous state approval to pass legislation. The Northwest Ordinance established a process for settling and governing the Northwest Territory through territorial governments and statehood.

1. Creating the
Constitution

2. • Republic- a government where people elect
their representatives.
• Some patriots wanted people to have more
power over government.
• More conservative patriots did not want
common people having that much power.

3. Rejecting executive power
• Unicameral legislature- a single house,
whose members were elected by the people.
• Pennsylvania and Georgia adopted this style.

4. Colonial Traditions
• Bicameral legislature- law making body with
two houses, a Senate, and a House of
Representatives.
• House of Reps- For the common voters
• Senate- For the wealthy and well educated
gentleman.

6. Who could vote?
• democratic patriots wanted equal rights for
ALMOST all free men.
• little or no property.
• must be 21.

7. • Conservative Patriots wanted property
requirements.
• allowing poor men to vote will “ confound and
destroy all distinctions, and prostrate all ranks to
the common level.” - John Adams

8. **Articles of Confederation
• In 1777, the Continental Congress drafted the
original constitution for the Union of the
states.
• no strong and centralized nation.
• reflected the principles of the Declaration of
Independence.

9. Structure of the New
National Government
• Federal- a government consisted of a
congress of delegates, chosen by state
legislatures rather than voters.
• states could send 7 delegates but every state
had 1 vote.

10. The Power
• declare and conduct war!!!
• foreign affairs.
• Indian relations.

11. Problems
• no taxes.
• minor issues 7 out of 13 states.
• major issues 9 out of 13 states.
• amending Articles 13 out of 13.
• Ratifying the Articles in 1781

12. Early State
Government
Early National
Government
All states were a
REPUBLIC
Each state had one
vote.
No taxes.

13. The Westside

14. The Westside
• Northwest Territory- north of the Ohio River
and west of the Penn. to the Mississippi
River.
• Land Ordinance of 1785- Congress designed
a system for distributing the public lands.

16. • divide the land into hundreds of townships. (6
square miles)
• subdivided each township into 36 sections of 1
square mile.
• *square mile is 640 acres. **1 acre is about a
block

18. • This ORDINANCE favored the wealthy.
• Sometimes Congress broke the rules to benefit
wealthy speculators.

20. Governing the Western
lands.
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787- provided a
government for the western territory based
on Jefferson’s ideas.
• a governor, a secretary, and three judges.
• 5,000 citizens= elected assembly
• 60,000= admission into the Union.

21. The Northwest Territory
• Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and
part of Minnesota.
• Northwest Ordinance says no to slavery.