Shaping A New Nation Chapter 5 1781-1789

1. Shaping A New NationChapter 51781-1789

2. Experimenting with Confederation • Americans adopted the Articles of Confederation but the new government found it too weak to solve the nation’s problems • The reaction to the weak Articles of Confederation led to a stronger central government that has continued to expand its power.

3. After the American Revolution why was it so hard to draw up a plan for the new government? • Make sure the government did not have too much power. • What did the founding fathers do to developing a government with limited powers? • Balance between state and federal and dividing the government into the three branches. • To win the approval of the Constitution what was added? • Bill of Rights

4. What is so important about the Constitution? • Central to American life and our ideals. • Continually defines the rights of citizens and limits of governmental power. • Remains the model for representative government.

5. Colonies Become States • The Revolutionary War gave colonies a common goal but as these colonies became states they remained reluctant to unite under a strong central government. • Some of the relics of the colonial period survived in the new system of government. • This relics were what? • System of self-governing states. • Eighteenth-century Americans believed that a democracy or government directly by the people placed too much power in the hands of the uneducated masses.

6. The founders favored a republic a government in which citizens rule through their elected representatives. • Republicanism the idea that governments should be based on the consent of the people meant differ things to different Americans. • Many Americans were influenced by the writings of the philosopher and economist Adam Smith believed that a republic would benefit from self interest. • They asserted that if a government allowed independent citizens to pursue their own economic and political interests the whole nation would benefit.

7. As states created their own constitutions they wrestled with how to put republican ideals into practice. • The constitutions of many states shared similarities like- limited the powers of government leaders. They guaranteed specific rights for citizens, including freedom of speech, religion, and press. • In general states constitutions emphasized liberty rather than equality and reflected a fear of centralized authority. 2 3

8. "Fourteenth Amendment's concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action" includes "a right of personal privacy, or a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy" and that "[t]his right of privacy . . . is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.“ • Same sex marriage • Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Due Process/Right to Privacy The due process clause of the 14th Amendment states "nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law . . . " This means that a state has to use fair procedures whenever it is going to take away a person’s life, freedom, or possessions. The Court has also interpreted the due process clause to mean that some “liberty rights” are so fundamental they may not be taken away by states or the federal government, no matter how fair the process.

9. Some states had different constitutions differed widely granting the right to vote. • The new states were more democratic than any western nation at this time it was still only a vey limited democracy by modern standards. • African American were not allowed to vote. • Some states granted voting rights to all white males other continued to make property ownership a requirement for voting. • Despite the more active political role women had played in the Revolution they were still denied the right to vote. Some women got the vote in New Jersey and it lasted until 1807.

10. In the world most of the nations were stilled ruled by who? • A monarchy • There were few political systems that could serve as models for the new republic. • While the states developed their individual constitutions, the Continental Congress tried to draft one for the states as a whole. • Although states were equal as political entities they were unequal in size and wealth and population.

11. Three questions the Continental Congress had to answer about a Constitution. • Representation by population or state? • Supreme Power: Can it be divided? • Western Lands: Who gets them?

12. The differences between states caused problems of representation in the new government. • People couldn’t decide whether delegates to a new government should represent a state’s population or each state should send the same number of representatives. • Congress would propose a new type government in a set of laws called the Articles of Confederation on in which two levels of government shared fundamental powers. • State governments were supreme in some matters and national government was supreme in other matters.

13. The delegates called the new form of government a confederation or alliance. • The Articles of Confederation gave the new national government power to declare war, make peace, and sign treaties. • By 1779 12 states had agreed to accept new government but conflict over western lands delayed final approval for two more years.

14. The principal author of the Articles of Confederation was John Dickinson who actually opposed breaking with Great Britain. • Finally the Articles of Confederation would be approved in March 1781. • Confederation Congress faced the question of how to govern the land west of the Appalachians.

15. Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 -established a method for surveying and dividing the land. • What was the method for dividing the land? • The land was arranged into townships6 square miles. • Each township divided into 36 sections, one square mile

16. Land Ordinance of 1785 reserved the 16th section for support of public schools. This helped promote education early in the nations history. 16

17. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • What was the Northwest Ordinance? • Provided the basis for governing much of the western territory. • What would be the result of the new territory? • Three to five new states

18. What did the ordinance guarantee? • Certain rights- What were the rights? • Freedom of Religion • Property Rights • And rights to trial by a jury • Also stated that “there would be neither slavery nor servitude in the territory.

19. Three stages for becoming a state. • Congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges. • When a territory had 5,000 voting residents the settlers could write a temporary constitution and elect their own government. • When the total population of a territory reached 60,000 free inhabitants the settlers could write a state constitution which had to be approved by Congress before it granted statehood. 2/3

20. After its success in dealing with the Northwest territory the Confederation encountered overwhelming problems in dealing with more immediate issues. • These problems ranged from economic issues such as taxation and national debt to political issues such as the nature of Congressional representation. • In addition to these domestic issues there were also many foreign relations problem that the Confederation was powerless to solve.

21. The most serious problem was that the country under the Confederation lacked national unity. • Each state functioned independently by pursing its own interests rather than those of the nation as a whole. • The most serious economic problem was the huge debt that the Congress had amassed during the Revolutionary War. • The Continental Congress had borrowed $190 million a huge amount of money. • The Congress had borrowed money from other countries and printed its own money which was worthless.

22. Lacking the power to tax the Congress requested the states, approval to impose taxes on imported goods. • Unable to impose taxes the Confederation Congress also had no control over interstate of foreign trade. • How many states did it take to approve changes to the Articles of Confederations? • Nine of the Thirteen

23. What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Provision Problem Created Weak currency and growing debt Inability to pay army leads to threats of mutiny Foreign countries angry when treaties are not honored Populous states not equally represented Trade hindered by states imposing high tariffs on each other Difficult to adapt articles to changing needs Congress has no power to tax Congress has no power to enforce treaties Every state, despite size has one vote Congress has no power to regulate commerce Amendment requires unanimous vote of states

24. What did the Articles of Confederation do? • Established a weak central government. • How often did the Congress meet? • Once a year. • What powers did the Congress have? • Declare war, raise armies, and sign treaties. • What powers did Congress not have? • Impose taxes or regulate trade.

25. Why it is so important? • Without money or real power over the states, the Confederation Congress got little respect. • Many times its members often did not bother to attend the called sessions.

26. So how did the Congress raise money? Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

27. Sold the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. • Congress sold and divided the land into townships- this made it easier to divide, sell, and govern.

28. What other things did the Confederation Congress do? • Promote trade with other countries • Why was this important? Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

29. So without the Confederation Congress being able to control commerce what did states do? • Taxed each other. • Why was this a problem? • Threatened the Union • So one of the biggest problems our nation faced was the trade issue between states.

30. Other problems facing the new nation • Confederation had no powers over states, so it could not force a state to pay their debts or return the property to Loyalists, this was a violation of the Treaty of Paris. • Congress had no means to raise money to pay debts. • So what did the British do? • Did not have to leave the U.S.

31. So with the slowdown of economic activity with Britain and coming out of a war what would occur? • RECESSION • What is a recession? • Economic slow down • Who was most affected by the recession? • Farmers • To pay for the war debts many states started issuing what? • Bonds

32. Shays’s Rebellion • Daniel Shays was a veteran of the American Revolution. • After he returned to his farmer he faced numerous debts and debtors’ prison. • Shays felt that he was a victim of too much taxation. • During the summer and fall of 1786 he led an army to close courts.

33. Shay’s Rebellion • In January 1787, Shay and some 1,200 farmers headed to a state arsenal at Springfield. • In response the governor sent some 4,000 militia under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln to defend the arsenal. • Four farmers would die in the fight with rest scattering thus ended the rebellion. • Why is this so important? • 1st time to use soldiers against own people.

34. What would be the significance of the rebellion? • Would rebellion spread to other states. • This would cause the leaders to clearly push for a stronger national government. • Why do you think Shays’s rebellion made states decide to participate in the Philadelphia convention? • The states feared other uprisings would occur and show the weakness of the national government in dealing with economic problems.

35. At the Philadelphia convention in 1787 delegates rejected the Articles of Confederation and created a new Constitution. • One of the nation’s biggest problems was trade between the states. • On September 1786 leaders such as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton called a meeting of state delegates to discuss issues of interstate trade. • One big issue the delegates faced was giving fair representation to both large and small states. 1

36. Madison’s Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature with membership on each state’s population. • Smaller states’ would vigorously object Madison's Plan. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

37. Constitutional Convention • Most of the 55 delegates had experience in government. • Who did the members chose as the presiding officer? • George Washington • James Madison kept the records of the meeting. • What was unique about the Convention? • Closed to the public. • Why? • To ensure honesty and no outside pressure. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

38. Who were the supporters of a stronger central government? Supporters were George Washington Benjamin Franklin James Madison Alexander Hamilton • What were they called? Nationalist Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

39. Hamilton Suggestion • That a convention of states be called for the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. • Every state attended except which state? • Rhode Island Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

40. Two Plans • What two plans would be introduced at the convention? • Virginia • New Jersey Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

41. Virginia Plan • Who introduced this plan? • Edmund Randolph • What did it propose? • Throwing out the Articles of Confederation and creating a new national government. • With what powers? • Making laws binding upon the states and to raise its money through taxes. • Also three branches of government to be established Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

42. New Jersey Plan • Who proposed this plan? • William Paterson • What did he propose? • Revise the Articles of Confederation to make a stronger central government. • Congress to have a single house in which each state would be equally represented. • Congress would have power to raise taxes and regulate trade. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

43. Which plan did Congress proceed with? • Virginia Plan-with the purpose of working on a new constitution for the United States. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

44. What was in the Virginia Plan? • On May 29, 1787, Virginia delegate Edmund Randolph proposed what became known as "The Virginia Plan." • Written primarily by fellow Virginian James Madison, the plan traced the broad outlines of what would become the U.S. Constitution: a national government consisting of three branches with checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

45. What was in the Virginia Plan? • In its amended form, this page of Madison's plan shows his ideas for a legislature. • It describes 2 houses: one with members elected by the people for 3-year terms and the other composed of older leaders elected by the state legislatures for 7-year terms. • Both would use population as a basis for dividing seats among the states. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

46. What would be needed from the Confederation Congress to make our nation successful? A Constitution Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

47. A Union Built on Compromise • The delegates of the Constitutional Convention were divided geographically. • Smaller states wanted change why? • Protect them from the voting power of the larger states. • What was another issue between regions of the new nation? • Slavery • How would they resolve these issues? • Compromise Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

48. So what compromise would be the turning point? • The Connecticut Compromise • What was another name given for this compromise? • Great Compromise • Whose ideas was this compromise base on? • Roger Sherman Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

49. So how did they compromise? • Appointed a special committee to workout differences. • What was the outcome? • Great Compromise- • What did this compromise do? • House of Representatives- states represented according to size of their population. • How would some one become a representative? • Senate all states would have equal number of senators. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006

50. How would one become a senator? • The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. • Clause 2: • No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. Free Template from www.brainybetty.com 2006