By 1786, political and economic turmoil convinced many Americans of the  

Delegates to the Second Continental Congress had no trouble voting to declare their independence from Great Britain.

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress would NOT have the power to 

At the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, delegates from 12 states came together to revise the Declaration of Independence.

Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, the ____________________ constituted a series of essays to explain the Constitution and promote its ratification.

Anti-Federalists were opponents of the Constitution who wanted strong state governments and a weaker federal government.

The Articles of Confederation provided for a strong central government and weak state governments.

Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense urged American colonists to

James Madison is considered to be the father of the Constitution.  

As the first president, George Washington