Government After the American Revolution

1. 8-2.6 Explain the role of South Carolinians in the establishment of their new state government and the national government after the American Revolution. Government After the American Revolution

2. Elected a Committee of 99 that became the de facto government • Royal governor was still in Charleston, but most South Carolinians obeyed the Committee of 99 • November 1774, the General Committee called for elections of delegates to a Provincial Congress • Representation was disproportionally from the Lowcountry General Meeting

3. Provincial Congress • Raised an army • Issued currency • Created a committee to enforce non-importation and commissioned the writing of a constitution that was eventually approved as the Article of Confederation • Not everyone in SC agreed with the Provincial Congress, especially people in the backcountry

4. Provincial government sent a delegation to the backcountry to try and make peace • The Treaty of Ninety Six- the backcountry people agreed they would remain neutral in the fight with Great Britain • Later, the Provincial sent forces to the backcountry to defeat the Loyalist militia and silence the opposition from the backcountry Provincial Congress

5. SC adopted its first state constitution making it an independent state before the Declaration of Independence was signed • Written by the provincial government to serve as a foundation for government until the disagreements with England could be resolved SC’s First Constitution

6. SC’s First Constitution • Two house legislative (lower house elected by the people, upper house elected by the lower house) • President elected by the legislature (power to veto laws) • Lowcountry had more representation than the backcountry • A second constitution was created after the signing of the Declaration of Independence (minor changes) • President was now the state Governor, slightly more equal representation, & the Church of England was no longer the official, state supported church SC Government Set-up

7. Continental Congress acted as the first national government • SC was the only colony out of the 13 who met all financial obligations to the Continental Congress • South Carolinian Henry Laurens served as President to the Continental Congress, & later on the committee that negotiated the Treaty of Paris for the government under the Article of Confederation The Muppets Reenact the Continental Congress Role in New National Goven’t

8. The Articles of Confederation were written to become the first national government • SC ratified the articles quickly, but other states waited till a deal of western land ownership had been reached • Articles of Confederation were modeled on the Continental Congress, giving each state one vote • With war over & state agreement wavering led to an unsuccessful national government After the signing of the Declaration

9. Debt was a major problem for the national government • Disagreements over interstate trade, currency, & taxes made the Confederation government too weak to meet the needs of the new nation Problems with the early govn’t

10. Early advocate for a strong national government • Served as chair on the committee of the Confederation Congress that recommended amendments to strengthen the government under the Articles of Confederation • Tried to encourage other states to pay their obligation to the national government • Shay’s Rebellion caused other states to call for a meeting in Philadelphia to amend the Article of Confederation & strengthen the national government Shays' Rebellion (6:17) Charles Pinckney