The Birth of a Nation

1. The Birth of a Nation Settling the new world Religious separatist – seeking religious freedoms New land, new beginnings No intention of changing the world, but they did. Early settlements: Roanoke Island, NC – Failed Colony Jamestown, VA - Almost failed, but brought w/ them the idea of a representative assembly. Plymouth, MA – Mayflower Compact – Social contract that bound the colony to obey the authority of whatever government was established on land. Set precedent that governing authority requires consent of the people.

2. Colonies By 1732, 13 Colonies were established and developed: • Limited government and local rule – Minimal involvement • Autonomy – self governance • Popular Elected Legislature • Passed laws, levied taxes, set policies – formal governing document resembling constitution. (CT: Fundamental Orders (Idea of three branches of government); PA: Frame of Gov’t: MA: Body of Liberties) • British crown comfortable with idea of flourishing commerce and Home Rule (self-governing).

3. Prelude to a Revolution Cost of Colonies getting expensive: 1688 – 1763 – 85 years of costly wars with France, left the British Crown almost bankrupt. Replenish treasury through taxation: Sugar Act, Townshend Act, and Stamp Act – “No Taxation without Representation.” Colonist’s reaction: 1. Boycott British goods – No cash flow. Brit crown forced to repeal Stamp Act. Colonies acted in unison to stop British will. 2. Boston Tea Party - Forced Great Britain to put their foot down – Coercive Acts. Completely shut down the colony in Boston, MA.

4. Struggle for Independence Colonists’ response to Coercive Acts: Have a Meeting! • First Continental Congress (9/4/1774) – Philly, PA • Not about Independence and Revolution • More about the adoption of Rights and Grievances: • Taxes imposed w/o rep were unconstitutional. • Reassert their right to home rule/colonial autonomy. • Boycott goods and raise an army. • Second Continental Congress (1775) • Geo. Washington appointed CIC of Continental Army. • No official War, yet. • Colonial division – Revolution or Loyalty • Thomas Paine – Common Sense (1776) – pamphlet that articulated the revolutionary cause (independence), suggestion to stop recognizing the British Crown, and form a constitution.

5. Declaration of Independence Written by Thomas Jefferson – commissioned, revised and adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress • New governing principal – We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. • Unalienable: incapable of being alienated, that is, sold and transferred." • You can not surrender, sell or transfer unalienable rights, they are a gift from the creator to the individual and can not under any circumstances be surrendered or taken. All individual's have unalienable rights.

6. Declaration of Independence • Inalienable rights: Rights which are not capable of being surrendered or transferred without the consent of the one possessing such rights. • You can surrender, sell or transfer inalienable rights if you consent either actually or constructively. Inalienable rights are not inherent in man and can be alienated by government. Persons have inalienable rights. Most state constitutions recognize only inalienable rights. • Governments derive their power from the consent of the governed. • Set forth a specific list of grievances against King George II • Declaration of War

7. Articles of Confederation • Declaring Independence was one thing; creating a new government was quite another. • Sixteen months to complete the Articles of confederation July 1776 to November 1777. • It took the former colonies longer to ratify (approve); South Carolina was the first in Feb. 1778; Maryland was the last in March 1781. • Wary of a strong central government – British oppression. • Most preferred a loose confederation of states, with the national government subordinate to them. Establish a form of local gov’t. • Organizing Principle: Unicameral (single-body) legislature w/ limited authority: Each state had one vote in this congress, no executive or judicial branch, and major legislative or amendments to the A of C required an unanimous vote. Gave each state the power to veto (reject legislation).

8. A Flawed Document • The Articles of Confederation: Where it failed. • Lacked the power of to perform basic tasks • Regulating commerce, est. national currency, taxiing people directly, enforcing treaties, raising money, or compelling states to ante up some money. • There was an economic mess, and had trouble keeping the peace between states. • The national government existed at the mercy of the states = Recipe for disaster. • Achievements:Articles served as transition government between war and Republic during “cooling off period” – revolutionary zeal to tempered reason. • Learned from shortcomings , and used lessons leaned to create the Constitution.

9. Achievements • Milestone in Western Democracies – Citizens used reason and logic to create a new form of government. Radically different from anything that previously existed. • A bold dramatic first step that did not succeed, but proved that a government of consent could be achieved through peaceful means, • Gave our country its name: The United States of America. • Drafting the Constitution: • Young Nation still in doubt: • Economy in shambles • Civil unrest • States arguing with each other • No national defense

10. Virginia Plan Virginia Plan – Virginians James Madison and Edmund Randolph submitted a constitutional proposal. • Bicameral (Two- camber) legislature, with a lower house chosen by the people and an upper house chosen by the lower house. • National executive and judiciary branch, selected by the legislature/ • Attempted to create a strong central government. • Supported by the large states. • Smaller states saw plan to make the larger states dominant in the national legislature • State representatives based on state population. • Fear of a strong central gov’t that would snuff out states’ rights and restrict individual liberty.

11. New Jersey Plan New Jersey Plan - William Patterson of New Jersey • Modification of the Articles of Confederation • Called for unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state regardless of population • A weak two-person executive branch • Single judiciary body • Small states delegates and weak-gov’t proponents supported NJ Plan. Big-State members opposed. The Great Compromise - Roger Sherman of CT Proposed the Connecticut Plan. A patchwork of both proposals that adopted: • Bicameral legislature (VA Plan) with a population based lower chamber, and a independent upper-chamber with equal representation (NJ Plan). • Selecting a Chief Executive –Chosen by the people or not? Was the population educated enough to chose? • Created an Electoral College – separate body of “electors”, chosen by state legislators to ultimately vote for the president.

12. Process of Ratification On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed by remaining convention delegates. Would it be ratified? • Document granted too much power to the federal government • Would lead to aristocratic tyranny. • 9 out of 13 states would have to approve through a special elective convention • Without this provision, The constitution would not have been ratified at all. • Federalists and Anti-Federalists: Opinions regarding the Constitution: Federalist and the Anti-Federalists Federalists: Strong Central Government • Shared power with states, supported the Constitution • James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote The Federalists Papers. Federalist No. 10 and Federalist no. 51 by James Madison, were the most persuasive in the support of the Constitution. Anti-Federalists: Preferred direct democracy and local rule. • Patrick Henry, John Hancock, George Mason, James Monroe, Sam Adams. • Thomas Jefferson – Constitution did not include a Bill of Rights.

13. Ratification Constitution ratified on June 21, 1788 when New Hampshire adopted the Constitution. Order of Ratification: (Listed on Page 12 of your text) • Delaware (12/07/1787) 10. Virginia (06/25/1788) • Pennsylvania (12/12/1787) 11. New York (7/26/1788) • New Jersey (12/18/1787) 12. N. Carolina (11/21/1789) • Georgia (01/02/1788) 13. Rhode Island (5/29/1790) • Connecticut (1/9/1788) • Massachusetts (02/06/1788) • Maryland (04/28/1788) • South Carolina (05/23/1788) • New Hampshire (6/21/1788)