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Chapter 6
was a new idea. Many people thought this
kind of government would never work.
However, William Penn’s beliefs for
government showed that the people could
run the government.
While the war for freedom was being
fought, leaders of Congress had written a
plan of government to run the new nation
— just in casewewon thewar. Areyou ready
for more big words? It was called the
Articles of Confederation
. The articles
were parts of awrittenplan for government.
Confederation means the joining together
of the 13 original colonies. The plan was
approved in 1781. It was our country’s first
Constitution
, or plan for government.
The first plan hadmany weaknesses. For
example, Congress had no power to build
an army. Congress could not raise money
from the states. Each state was more like a
free country. Therewas no central power to
run the government. The chart onpage103
identifies some of the main problems with
the Articles of Confederation. After six
years of problems, the leaders decided it
was time to heal or correct the Articles.
InMay1787, leaders from12 states chose
people, called
delegates
, to meet in
Philadelphia. Rhode Island did not want to
join in strengthening the old plan for
government. When a group of people get
together for the same reason, thismeeting
is called a
convention
. George Wash-
ington was elected president of the
convention. This now famousmeeting was
called the
Constitutional Convention
.
Fifty-fivemenmet at IndependenceHall.
They met for four months during the hot
summer of 1787. As the convention went
on, the delegates found that they would
have to write a new plan of government.
There needed to be a stronger national
government.
In 1787,
Philadelphia
was the largest
city among the states. It had a population
of 40,000 people. The city had a problem
with stinky open sewer lines. Some
factories, such as the ones tanning animal
hides, added to the smells of the city.
Mosquitoes and flies were terrible. Win-
dows had to be closed at
Independence
Hall
. What do you think life was like in a
Signers of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia.
