The Evolution of the United States Constitution
The United States Constitution underwent a transformative journey from the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. State leaders recognized the need for a stronger foundation, leading to intense debates, compromises, and the pivotal role of Gouverneur Morris in crafting the final draft. This historical process shaped the modern governance of the United States.
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Presentation Transcript
Please Do Now! Think of a time when you were doing something that just wasn t working correctly. Did you do something to fix it? Write at least three lines explaining what you did. Share with your partner.
North America after the Treaty of Paris 1783. United States Of America
The Articles of Confederation was the supreme law of the new United States of America.
Unfortunately, it was not working well. The Articles were too weak to fix problems between states, and it didn t give the U.S. government the power to tax.
So state leaders decided to meet in Philadelphia in May of 1787 to try to fix the Articles of Confederation. They soon realized they needed to start over. This meeting became known as the Constitutional Convention.
Delegates debated about how the new government should be set up. They worked on it until September. There were many compromises made.
Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania is given credit for writing most of the final draft, including the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
What Do You Think? Read pg. 205 in your social studies book. Write three lines describing why you think Gouverneur Morris s story is so special. Share what you wrote with your partner.
The delegates signed the final copy of the Constitution on September 17, 1787.
The Constitution would not become law until 9 of the 13 states ratified, or approved, it.
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the Constitution on December 12, 1787.
The Constitution became official on September 13, 1788.
Even though the Constitution was the new supreme law of the United States, many people were worried it did not guarantee people their rights.
So in 1791, lawmakers added a list of ten amendments, or changes to a law, to the Constitution.
This list of amendments is called the Bill of Rights. They list the rights that belong to all United States citizens.
Farmers in western Pennsylvania tested the power of the new federal government in 1794 by refusing to pay a high tax on whiskey. This became known as the Whiskey Rebellion.
George Washington sent 13,000 militia to western Pennsylvania to confront a group of rebels causing trouble.
This proved that the new government could enforce its laws.
Exit Activity Why was the Bill of Rights created? Explain why this was important.
