The First U.S. Government

After the war, the national government was very weak. The first government plan was called  the Article  of the Confederation . The new government could only make laws .

It had no President to enforce the Laws , no courts to explain laws , no one to collect  taxes , no money , and no power. This was a dangerous situation because without the strong government  the United States would fall apart. The people were also afraid that England  and Spain could take their land away.

In 1787 , George Washington met with the leaders from the original thirteen states. They wrote a new plan of government and called it the Constitution of the United States. The principles of the Constitution were liberty , equality justice for all.

  The Constitution was the highest law which everyone had to follow. Power was balanced between the national government and the states . 

The government  had three parts

*  one that made of laws , 

* one that explained the laws

* and one that enforced the laws.  

Each part had special powers to check the other parts. This was called  checks and balances.

The leaders decided that America needed a president , not a king. The people elected George Washington as the first President of the United States. He served for eight years. He is still considered the father of our country. 

Washington's birthday became a legal holiday in America.