In this Grade 8 lesson from History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism, students examine the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the early disputes among states that made effective national governance difficult. The lesson covers the Land Ordinance of 1785, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and how Congress addressed the governance of western territories in the Northwest Territory. Students also explore James Madison's role in pushing for a stronger national government, setting the stage for the Constitutional Convention and the compromises that shaped the U.S. Constitution.
Section 1
Shays's Rebellion Exposes Government Weakness
After the Revolutionary War, a severe economic depression left many farmers deep in debt. When courts in Massachusetts began seizing their farms because they couldn't pay, the farmers decided to fight back.
In 1786, a former army captain named Daniel Shays led an armed uprising that became known as Shays's Rebellion. The rebels shut down courts and attempted to seize a federal arsenal for weapons.
Section 2
Setting the Stage for a New Constitution
In the summer of 1787, delegates from the states gathered in Philadelphia. To encourage honest debate and make it easier to find solutions, they agreed to keep their discussions secret from the public.
One delegate, James Madison, arrived with a detailed proposal called the Virginia Plan. His plan outlined a powerful new national government divided into three distinct branches.
Section 3
The Great Compromise: Balancing State Power
At the Constitutional Convention, a major argument broke out over how states should be represented in the new government. Large states supported the Virginia Plan, which based representation on population. Small states feared being overpowered and backed the New Jersey Plan, which gave every state an equal vote.
The debate grew so intense that the convention nearly failed. To save it, delegates agreed to the Great Compromise. This plan created a two-house Congress. The House of Representatives satisfied large states by basing representation on population. The Senate satisfied small states by giving every state two equal votes.
Section 4
The Three-Fifths Compromise: An Unsettling Agreement on Slavery
A major debate at the Convention was over how to count enslaved people. Southern states wanted to count them to gain more representatives and power in Congress. Northern states objected, arguing that if enslaved people were considered property, they shouldn't be counted for representation.
The delegates reached the Three-Fifths Compromise. This agreement counted every five enslaved individuals as three free persons for determining a state's population. This count was used for both setting taxes and deciding the number of representatives for each state.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
Shays's Rebellion Exposes Government Weakness
After the Revolutionary War, a severe economic depression left many farmers deep in debt. When courts in Massachusetts began seizing their farms because they couldn't pay, the farmers decided to fight back.
In 1786, a former army captain named Daniel Shays led an armed uprising that became known as Shays's Rebellion. The rebels shut down courts and attempted to seize a federal arsenal for weapons.
Section 2
Setting the Stage for a New Constitution
In the summer of 1787, delegates from the states gathered in Philadelphia. To encourage honest debate and make it easier to find solutions, they agreed to keep their discussions secret from the public.
One delegate, James Madison, arrived with a detailed proposal called the Virginia Plan. His plan outlined a powerful new national government divided into three distinct branches.
Section 3
The Great Compromise: Balancing State Power
At the Constitutional Convention, a major argument broke out over how states should be represented in the new government. Large states supported the Virginia Plan, which based representation on population. Small states feared being overpowered and backed the New Jersey Plan, which gave every state an equal vote.
The debate grew so intense that the convention nearly failed. To save it, delegates agreed to the Great Compromise. This plan created a two-house Congress. The House of Representatives satisfied large states by basing representation on population. The Senate satisfied small states by giving every state two equal votes.
Section 4
The Three-Fifths Compromise: An Unsettling Agreement on Slavery
A major debate at the Convention was over how to count enslaved people. Southern states wanted to count them to gain more representatives and power in Congress. Northern states objected, arguing that if enslaved people were considered property, they shouldn't be counted for representation.
The delegates reached the Three-Fifths Compromise. This agreement counted every five enslaved individuals as three free persons for determining a state's population. This count was used for both setting taxes and deciding the number of representatives for each state.