CH 9: THE CONFEDERATION AND THE CONSTITUTION

The Pursuit of Equality• Reduced property-holding

requirements for voting• “Mr. and Mrs.” Irrespective of

class status• Primogeniture laws repealed • Institute of slavery challenged

• Quakers: first antislavery society 1775

• Importation of slaves abolished by 1803

• Emancipation in northern states• Freed by Masters• Going strong in South!

• Discrimination laws free or slaved• Barred from purchasing property,

educating children, and interracial marriages

• So why not get rid of slavery?• South would never agree

to it!

• Women• Allowed voting in some

states and then said “sike!”

• Supported by Abigail Adams

The“VirtuousRepublic”

Classical view of

a model republic

“City on a hill”

[John W

inthrop]Ideal citizen

[Cincinnatus]

1. Govt. gets its authority from the citizens.

2. A selfless, educated citizenry.

3. Elections should be frequent.

4. Govt. should guarantee individual rights & freedoms.

5. Govt.’s power should be limited [checks & balances].

6. The need for a written Constitution.

7. “E Pluribus Unum.” [“Out of many, one”]

8. An important role for women raise good, virtuous citizens.[“Republican Womanhood”].

Enlightenment

Thinking

Republican Motherhood

Constitution Making in the States

• Sovereignty of states rests on authority of the people

• Each states draws their own constitution via constitutional convention• Many were similar in context• Contracts that defined power

of govt with consent of the people

• Annual election of legislators• Weak executive and judicial

branches

• Legislatures given absolute power; not a good idea!

• Capitals moved to interior of states = less pretentious

Economic Crosscurrents

• Economic democracy = land ownership

• Manufacturing in U.S helps economy

• Some hardships due to British cutting off exports

• Higher trading with foreign nations

• East Asian markets opening

• Extravagance, speculation, and profiteering only for the elite

• Avg. citizen worse off

A Shaky Start Toward Union

• “natural rights?” Huh?• Experimentation and innovation w/gov’t

• Economically speaking• British goods at rock

bottom prices = trouble for American industries

• What’s working so far?• Similar constitutions and

gov’t• Political activism• Great political leaders:

• GW, JA, TJ, JM, AH

Creating a Confederation

• What can we do?• Coin money• Raise armies/navies• Erected tariff barriers

• Articles of Confederation• Completely ratified only 8

months prior to victory• Why? Fighting over

western lands; some had it, others didn’t = $$$$ or not!

• Only after states w/land agreed to give it over to central gov’t was it ratified

• Central gov’t sells lands = seen as more powerful

Articles of Confederation: America’s First Constitution; Weak!

• Congress strongest• No executive branch

• Judicial branch at state level only

• Each state has a single vote, irrespective of population; no bueno!

• 100% ratification on amendments; not going to happen!

• ¾ approval on other important issues

• Problems:• Couldn’t regulate commerce• Couldn’t enforce tax-collection;

voluntary = no $ to pay the bills

• Some liked the idea of having a “loose gov’t”

• What could Fed. gov’t do?• Make treaties• Est. postal service

Landmarks in Land Laws• Land Ordinance of 1785 • Northwest Ordinance 1787

• How to govern• 60,000 people = application

for statehood• No slavery

The World’s Ugly Duckling• Britain

• felt it would regain U.S. empire

• Control through commerce

• Smuggling increases by Americans

• Still on US territory• Trading posts• Fur trade w/Natives• Friendly w/Natives• Barrier against Canada

• Spain• Controlled Mississippi R.• Commerce decreased• Claimed parts of Florida• Befriended Natives

against U.S.

• French• Wants repayment of

money from Rev. war

• U.S. needs respect from abroad

The Horrid Specter of Anarchy

• Raising money failed• States don’t want to pay

taxes• Nat’l credit not good

abroad• States are placing tariffs

on each other

Shay’s Rebellion

Annapolis Convention(It was in Maryland! 1786)

1. Meeting to call a meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation

2. Need for a stronger federal government was apparent

3. Shay’s Rebellion (8/1786)

The Constitutional Convention (1787)

The Constitutional Convention (1787)

1. Va Plan:

a. Bicameral legislature

b. Rep. based on pop.Who doesn’t like this plan?

c. Senators elected by

house

d. House elected by popular vote

The Constitutional Convention (1787)

2. NJ Plan:

All states represented equally

Who doesn’t like this plan?

A. The Constitutional Convention (1787)

3. Great Compromisea. Equal rep. in Senate; elected by House

b. House rep. based on population; elected by the people

c. Regional interest: north – commerce and trade regulation south – slavery; 3/5 rule for

representation

d. Electoral College: delegates vote based on the number of representatives in Congress

Father of the Constitution

James Madison

B. Ratifying the New Constitution

1. Federalistsa. Support the constitution

b. Strong federal gov’t.

c. Think GW and wealthy

d. Merchants, manufactures, large land owners

e. Republic ideals can work in a big country, contrary to philosopher Montesquieu

f. Wanted three branches of gov’t to represent the people

- Many interest groups = no one interest group in holding power

Ratifying the New Constitution

2. Anti-federalistsa. Favored strong

local/state govt; small fed. Gov’t.

b. Think TJ and farmers

c. Explicit interpretation of constitution

d. Legislative branch should represent the people

e. Wanted Bill of Rights:

i. James Madison

ii. What did it stand for?

• TJ

J. Madison