A New Type of Government

CHAPTER 5 , SECTION 1

A Virtuous Republic

Republican Virtues

George Mason’s VA Declaration of Rights (1776) argued that a virtuous citizenry could only operate a government of liberty Public education in states began to

spread for both primary and higher Women were included

Churches began to lose state supportWashington foreswore a dictatorship after victory

Resigned after the war and pledged to go back to farming

Changing Society

By the 1777 VA, ML, NJ, DE and PA had constitutions PA abolished property as a qualification for voting and

office GA, PA, DE, SC, VT abolished religious tests

Primary education systems were created along with protections from debtor’s prison 1790s MA gave young girls access to education

Loyalists fled en mass—some property confiscated

Cities saw great change as patriots took power from tories

A New Western Nation

The end of the war brought recession (economic slump) Trade disrupted, ships destroyed, flood of low-priced

goods State governments in debt Representatives from western lands less affluent and

wealthy Inflation soared—colonial paper worth 150th its original

valueFarmers pressed against back taxesFarm conventions protested taxes, land seizures

and debtor’s prison

Martial Challenges

New nation had to handle a string of conflicts: Piracy, impressment and the seizure of goods/vessels

in the Med. British troops still garrisoned in along borders Indians resisted western encroachment Creeks named Georgians as “Ecunnaunuxulgee” or

“people greedily grasping after the lands of red people”

Spanish claims to the Gulf blocked Miss. TradeRational solution to many of these problems

was a plan for western settlement

I Read the Constitution for the Articles

All 13 states ratified the Articles of Confederation 1781 Existed until Constitution adopted 1789

Limited central government: Make treaties, declare war, resolve state disputes,

borrow and print money, call for monies for defenseCentral legislature Congress, was most

powerful Each state had 1 vote New laws need 9/13 approval, changes must be

unanimous No permanent executive

Land and Money

Congress couldn’t tax and lacked fundsBank of North America was chartered to

stabilize economyCongress looked to western lands to raise

funds AL, MS created allowing slavery, north of OH river

slavery bannedNW Ordinance 1784 divided region Land Ordinance 1785 created surveyed grids

In, IL, OH, MI, WI

Expansion and Settlement

Jefferson developed several plans, finally one was approved by Congress

NW Ordinance 1787 made 13 disparate colonies a semi-cohesive republic When new terr. had enough people, could apply to be

a state Appointed Governors would rule territories Ensured orderly settlement and expansion of nation

Also ensured sharp regional division on slavery

SECTION 1

A New Constitution

Shay’s Rebellion

Former Continental officer Capt. Daniel Shays led groups resisting the authority of a distant gov’t

Shut down local courts, prevented judges from entering courts Barrington, MA dispatched militia which

even joined rebellionTowns across the state had courts shutMA passed the Riot Act outlawing

illegal assemblyShayites defeated 1787Represented the weakness of the AOC and

its decentralized gov’t

A New Government

String of problems led many Patriots to call for a stronger central gov’t. Shay’s was hard to control States asserted right to control tariffs

1786 Madison invited states to a convention on taxes and tariffs

2nd convention in Philly was called to review AOC

1787 Philadelphia Constitutional Convention hosted all colonies but RI Most delegates were propertied, slaveholders

Dueling Proposals

Many known patriots were absent: J Adams, Jefferson, S Adams, P Henry “Smelled a rat”

Madison proposed the VA Plan Central gov’t can overturn state law National electorate creates gov’t above states based

on population Multi-tier election system reducing popular influence

NJ proposed Ability to raise revenue control commerce, states maintain sovereignty Equal representation of states in legislature

Many Compromises

CT delegates proposed upper chamber of 2 reps for each state, lower house decided by population

National court created, lower courts left to states

No property qualifications for national votingPresident decided by electoral college,

Senate approved by state legislaturesAllowing slavery to continue maintain

compromise Fugitive slave clause Slavery not mentioned directly in Constitution 3/5 compromise

Road to Ratification

National government given power of taxation, defense, external commerce, supreme law, necessary and proper laws as needed

Nation must honor debt, but forbids states to print money 9 states must ratify

through special conventions

Debate on ratification broke into 2 categories: —Federalists and Anti-federalists

Federalists Anti-federalists

Better organizedPublished The

Federalist PapersStrong gov’t could

conduct foreign affairsSeparation of powers

prevents tyrannyInterests would

compete

Diverse oppositionFeared gov’t by

wealthyState politicians

feared reduction in state influence

Educated cited philosophy or small governing republics

Ratification Debate

Federalist Anti-federalist

84%

64%

46%

16%

36%

54%

CT, PA, NH Ratification by Profession

Merchants, manufacturers, doctors, lawyers, ministers, large landholders

Artisans, surveyors, innkeepers

Farmers

Federalist Anti-federalist

82%

65%

42%

18%

35%

58%

Political Alignments of State Senators by Wealth

Wealthy

Well-to-do

Moderate Means

Ratification

10 amendments offered to placate skeptics about rights, freedoms and liberties

Constitution viewed at times as a civic and secular religion

By 1788 9 states had ratified, 1790 RI was the last

New Government Emerges

1788 election federalists held sway in the House

Electoral college chose Washington as president, Adams received less votes—became VP

Judiciary Act (1789) created a federal district county in every state as Constitution only created Supreme Court

Hamilton as Treas. Sec. pushed modernization of economy for stable government 1790 “Report on Public Credit”

Hamiltonian Reforms

Congress would buy up Confederation securities to ease credit

Creation of a national debtAssume war debts of statesNew financial capital along the

PotomacBank of the United States to

stabilize economy through loans Jefferson was skeptical

The New Nation

90% of government income came from customs

New taxes proposed for revenue (whiskey)Hamilton’s controversial ideas split the

Federalists In the north led by Hamilton In the south (Democratic Republicans) led by Jefferson

and MadisonJefferson decried the progress of the new

country Lamented paper sellers, factory conditions, and social

divisions

Whiskey and Discontent

1793 Washington issued neutrality in trade agreement as Britain and the post-revolutionary French went to war

Wheat prices rose sharplySugar trade worth $20m annuallyWestern farmers attacked tax collectors and

decried distant governments (a la the Stamp Act) Whiskey rebellion proclaimed the motto of the French

Revolution Eventually dispersed by a 12,000+ man army composed of

state militias led by Washington

Jefferson Hamilton

Limited central gov’t—protect states

Agrarian republicBroad constitutional

interpretationPro-French

Additional powers for Nat’l gov’t

Commercial republic

Strict Constitutional Interpretation

Pro-British

Opposing Perspectives

New Challenges

French Revolution brought British seizure of American vessels Canadians also made war speeches to frontier Indians

1794 Jay’s Treaty reaffirmed British ability to collect debt but removed NW garrisons Conceded UK right to remove property from ships

1795 Pinckney Treaty—SPN recognized US right to Miss. Navigation, while fixing FL border

Political divisions sharpened Dem. Repub. were a loose coalition of farmers, planters, Scots &

IrishFederalists took elections 1796 with J. Adams as

president

Frontier Problems

Western settlers continued to exacerbate Indian tensions

1794 war with Ohio natives left 900 soldiers dead

2nd campaign dealt natives a blow—1795 Grenville Treaty

Ohio tribes ceded land to USRather than appear weak, combined with

suppression of Whiskey Rebellion, Washington’s administration was centrally capable

Learning & Fashion

Republican Americans read and debated more often

Books, pamphlets, magazines and libraries proliferated

Female education and rights became a hearty theme Murray, Rowson, Moore , Wollstonecraft

Americans toasted to politics, argued over other revolutions and supported foreign policy with fashion

Adam’s Presidency

Washington didn’t seek a third termElection of 1796 Adams won against JeffersonJefferson became VP

Federalists had plotted to include a VP on “the ticket” to draw votes away

Washington offered a “Farewell address” warning of: foreign entanglements, partisan rancor

and regionalism

Quasi-French War

France recalled its diplomat from America and began seizing ships

Adams dispatched officials to France who weer snubbed

Unnamed French officials X, Y and Z apparently demanded bribes to start negotiations

Americans rallied” millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute” Naval war broke out and a massive army was raised

Alien & Sedition

To handle the quasi war federalists enacted Expanded bureaucracy—Department of Navy Property taxes New legislation

Naturalization Acts—residency requirementsAlien Act—deport foreignersSedition Act—prohibited publication of

insults1st amendment violations?

Acts seemed geared to Republican sympathizers

VA and KY Resolutions

1798 Jefferson and Madison articulated a strategy to be rid of the acts

VA Resolution (Madison) & KY Resolution (Jefferson) argued that states have right to judge constitutionality of federal laws Protect citizens if necessary

Northern states weren’t interested2nd KY Resolution (1799) introduced idea of

nullification Rather than opt to take concerns to federalist controlled

Supreme Court, Republicans went to states

Election of 1800

Federalists had become split because of Hamilton’s increasing influence

Hamiltonians resented Adams’ peace treaty with Napoleon

Jefferson as VP tied Republican candidate Burr Tie-breaking done constitutionally by House

Hamilton told Federalist-controlled House to side with Jefferson Hamilton couldn’t stand Burr With VA and ML militias ready, the “revolution of 1800”

proved peaceful transition was possible