American Revolution

American Revolution FRE1. To what extent did the American Revolution fundamentally

change American society? In your answer, be sure to address the political, social, and economic effects of the Revolution in the period from 1775 to 1800.

2. Analyze the impact of the American Revolution on both slavery and the status of women in the period from 1775-1800.

3. Discuss the changing ideals of American womanhood between the American Revolution (1770’s) and the outbreak of the Civil War. What factors fostered the emergence of “republican motherhood” and the “cult of domesticity”? Assess the extent to which these ideals influenced the lives of women during this period. In your answer be sure to consider issues of race and class.

Revolution Essay 1• AOC – lacks Executive, no new King George, Federal gov’t weak;

lots of state power.• Constitution – centralized government = representation based on

pop. (House) and 2 senators/state (Senate – not yet an elected body).

• Bill of Rights – first 10 Amendments which guarantee popular sovereignty to keep the government limited.

• Greater suffrage rights• Economically – independent, manufacturing own products; move

from mercantilism to capitalism.• Still had safe guards against the masses: electoral college, no direct

election of Senators, and Federal supremacy of law. • Some slavery banned (northeast) while other states retained it…

going against revolutionary tides.

Analyze the impact of the American Revolution on both slavery and the status of women in the period from 1775-1800

• Women could serve as nurses (ex. disguised themselves as soldiers – Molly Pitcher “Angel of the Battlefield.”)

• Women were messengers during the Revolution• Took on farm and household responsibilities• Slaves fought for “freedom” but it was not guaranteed, esp. in the South. • Slavery was a necessary part of the Southern economy which suffers as a

result of expectations of trade with Great Britain.• Abigail Adams aids John Adams in revolutionary ideas about equality and

representation.• Women boycotted British goods (ex. clothing – make on own and styles

become American)• Continental Congress votes to abolish the importation of slaves…yet South

does not agree (end up with the 20 years slave trade ends compromise which is wrapped up in the commerce compromise).

Discuss the changing ideals of American womanhood between the American Revolution (1770’s) and the

outbreak of the Civil War. What factors fostered the emergence of “republican motherhood” and the “cult of domesticity”? Assess the extent to which these ideals influenced the lives of women during this period. In your answer be sure to consider issues of race and class.

• Hierarchy in plantation life was extremely conservative – so “republican motherhood” to preserve class distinctions and role of women as homemaker.

• The “cult of domesticity” was the establishment that the role of women was to be in the home dealing with domestic affairs and not in the public sphere, therefore women did not gain voting rights (even with the black male right to vote in the 15th Amendment after the Civil War)

• Women that move west during the Civil War era/manifest destiny gain some autonomy and even suffrage rights as a result of the conditions of frontier life.

• Limited numbers of women were working in industrial jobs in the Northern states in the pre-Civil War era.

• Black women were still held in bondage in the South prior to the Civil War and often had domestic jobs in the North.

Ratification

A Massachusetts farmer (adapted)“I have lived in a part of the country where I have known the worth of good government by the want of it. There was a black cloud [Shay’s Rebellion] that rose in the east last winter, and spread over the west…It brought on a state of anarchy (lawlessness) and that led to tyranny. I say, it brought anarchy. People that used to live peaceably, and were before good neighbors, got distracted and took up arms against the government…Now when I saw this Constitution, I found it was a cure for these problems. It was just what we wanted!”

Alexander Hamilton (adapted)“The principal purposes to be answered by a union are these: The common defense of the members of the union. The authorities essential to the care of the common defense are these: To raise armies; to build fleets of ships; to lay out the rules for the government of both; to direct the operation of the military; to provide for their support. These powers must exist without limitations, because it is impossible to know or define the future national emergencies.”

Elbridge Gerry [of MA] (adapted)“My principal objections to the plan are that some of the powers of the legislature are ambiguous, and others indefinite and dangerous, that the executive is blended with, and will have an undue influence over the legislature, that the judicial department will be oppressive, and that the system is without the security of a bill of rights.”

Thomas Jefferson“I greatly dislike the abandonment in every instance of the necessity of rotation of office and most particularly in the case of the President. Experience agrees with reason in concluding that the first magistrate (President) will always be re-elected if the constitution permits it. He is then an officer for life…The power of removing him every fourth year by the vote of the people is a power which will not be exercised.”

Compromises

•The Great Compromise – create a bicameral legislature that has one house based on population (House of Representatives) and the other with equal representation (Senate), 2 Senators for each state. •3/5ths Compromise – slaves counted as part of a person for purposes or representation in Congress. •Slave trade would end in 20 years; slaves could be taxed (as could property); government could collect and regulate taxes on the federal level (interstate commerce). •9th Amendment – powers not enumerated (listed) in Constitution belong to states/individuals.•Federalism – (confirmed by the 10th Amendment) powers were split between the state and federal government. Delegated powers the people gave to Federal Gov’t and reserved powers we kept for ourselves. creates a theoretical clash b/w strict (Anti-Federalists) and loose interpretation (Federalists) of the Constitution.•Popular sovereignty (people power/voting), term limits existed, with built in protections, such as the Senate is not elected (originally) and the Electoral College existed, executive privilege existed.

Articles of Confederation and Constitution

1. To what extent were the Articles of Confederation an inadequate form of government? In you answer include discussions on the following topics:

foreign affairs problemsdomestic affairs problemsfeatures of the government under the AOC

2. Analyze the differences of opinion between supporters and opponents on whether to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Constitution1. “The United States Constitution of 1787

represented an economic and ideological victory for the traditional American political elites.” Assess the validity of that statement for the period 1781-1789.

2. Analyze two reasons for the Anti-Federalists’ opposition to ratifying the Constitution.

3. To what extent was the United States Constitution (written ’87, ratified ’89, bill of rts. added ’91) a radical departure from the Articles of Confederation (1781-1787)?

FRE 1• Electoral College• Non-elected judiciary• Senate was not a direct vote initially (Amended to be a

direct vote -)• Founding Fathers were a privileged class

(colleges/lawyers/land owners)• Voting was for white, male landowners• Federal government controls interstate commerce• Provides opportunity for the Federal Bank to be created • Lacks a protection of state/individual rights (Bill of Rights)• No term limits (how many one can serve for)

FRE 3• Created an executive and a judiciary (Articles)• Federal government could control taxation

and trade. (Commerce Clause)• Delegated powers guaranteed to the Federal

government – Federal Supremacy of Law; 10th Amendment.

• Creation of a Federal military rather than state militias.

Early Presidents

1. Compare and contrast the Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian movements in regard to

Political philosophyLong-term social and economic outlookInterpretations of the Constitution Federal versus state power

2. Support or refute this statement: An accurate title for the period from the 1820s to the 1850s is Jacksonian democracy.

Basics• 3 branches (Article I Legislature (makes laws),

Article II Executive (enforces laws), Article III Judiciary (interprets laws)).

• 27 Amendments– 1st basic individual rights (Establishment Clause,

Exercise Clause, free speech, press, assembly, right to petition the government).

– 2nd Amendment – rt. to bear arms– 3rd Amendment – no quartering of soldiers– 4th Amendment – rt. To privacy, no search and seizure

without probable cause and a warrant.

• 5th, 6th, 7th Amendment – the rights of the accused…• 8th Amendment – no cruel and unusual punishment (the

punishment must fit the crime)• 9th Amendment – rts. enumerated in Constitution will not

disparage rts. of states/individuals• 10th Amendment – delegated and reserved powers• 11th laws apply to citizens only• 12th electors; no majority in electoral college then House decides• Post Civil War Amendments – 13th, 14th, 15th

– 13th end slavery– 14th equality, privileges and immunities given by the Federal government

must also be given by states (federal supremacy of law)– 15th rt. for all males to vote

• 16th income taxes• 17th – direct election of Senators• 18th Amendment – prohibition

• 19th Amendment – women’s rt. to vote• 20th Amendment – terms of the President (1933) – dates

inauguration • 21st Amendment – repeal 18th (1933)

• 22nd Amendment – Pres. no more than twice (proposed 1947, ratified 1951)

• 24th – no poll taxes• 25th – Pres. succession• 26th – 18 vote• 27th – Congressional salaries for next election cycle

Power of the Court

• INTERPRETS LAWS• Can declare laws unconstitutional• Hears cases with ambassadors• Can declare actions of Congress and the

President unconstitutional• Settles legal disputes b/w states• Settles State and Federal disputes • Settles disputes b/w States and Foreign

Countries

Supreme Court

• Marshall Court – establishes (a) role of the Court – judicial review, (b) federal supremacy of law

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) • Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)