Unit 3: Building a New Nation Chapter 7: Competing Visions of the Virtuous Republic

1. Unit 3: Building a New NationChapter 7: Competing Visions of the Virtuous Republic

2. State Constitutions • 1776, the 2nd C.C. asked all of the colonies to draft new constitutions & become new states • Reflected the variety of opinion on the matter of democracy within a republic • Penn. was the most democratic • In contrast, Maryland gave more rights to the elite

3. State Constitutions • Most shared common features • Defined the powers of govt. • Drew their authority from the people • Had a bill of rights • Had an annual election of legislators • Deliberately created weak executive & judicial branches

4. State Constitutions • MA constitution became a model for many revisions • Created a system of checks & balances • Process for ratifying the constitution • Called a special convention to draft their constitution • Submitted the final draft to the people for ratification

5. Articles of Confederation • Adopted by Congress in 1777, but not ratified by all 13 states until 1781 • Disagreement over whether the NW Territory should be designated as a national domain • Maryland’s ultimatum – no national domain = no ratification • States gave in and agreed to carve new states from the new public domain

6. Articles of Confederation • Weaknesses • Congress didn’t have the power to tax • Congress couldn’t regulate foreign & interstate commerce • No court system; no executive to enforce acts of Congress • Although they could make war & peace, they didn’t have power to raise troops

7. Northwest Ordinances • Most important accomplishment of the A of C • Raised money for the govt. & guaranteed that those who moved west wouldn’t be colonial dependents of the original states

8. Northwest Ordinances • 1784 Ordinance • Established 5 new states – would later be OH, IN, IL, MI, & WI • Start with an appointed governor but later could elect a representative assembly

9. Northwest Ordinances • 1785 Ordinance • Dealt with the terms of sale of the land • Each region subdivided into townships covering 36 square miles, each of which in turn was to be split into 36 sections of 1 square mile each

10. Northwest Ordinances

11. Northwest Ordinances • 1787 Ordinance • Need 60,000 white males for a territory to apply for admission as a state • Banned slavery north of the Ohio River

12. The United States in 1787

13. Shays’s Rebellion 1786-1787 • Impoverished backcountry farmers in MA looked to their state govt. for temporary relief • Angered by high taxes • Deep in debt to creditors • Faced foreclosures on their farms

14. Shays’s Rebellion 1786-1787 • Farmers rebelled, led by Daniel Shays • Closed several courts & freed fellow farmers from debtors’ prison • Not trying to overthrow the govt.

15. Shays’s Rebellion 1786-1787 • Results • MA ended the burden of debtors • Convinced leaders that the Articles were too weak; U.S. needed a stronger central govt.

16. Creating the Constitution

17. Constitutional Convention • 55 delegates from 12 states met in Philly 1787 • Most were lawyers, merchants, or planters • Hoped to create a stable, enduring political structure • Sessions were held in complete secrecy

18. Virginia Plan • Submitted by James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” • 3 branches – legislative, executive, judicial • Gave Congress the power to veto laws passed by state legislatures • Bicameral legislature with membership based on proportional representation

19. New Jersey Plan • 3 branches of govt. • Favored the small states by creating a unicameral legislature with each state equally represented in Congress

20. Great Compromise • Decided on a bicameral legislature • Senate – equal representation • House of Representatives – representation based on population • State legislatures would select senators but voters would directly elect their state reps to the House

21. Three-Fifths Compromise • Should slaves be counted in the populations of the southern states? • Decided that “free persons” should be counted, along with 3/5 of the slave population • Slave trade would continue for 20 more years

22. Principle of Checks & Balances • President • Commander in chief of the armed forces • Responsible for foreign affairs • Can veto congressional legislation • Name federal court judges • Congress • Power to tax & spend revenues raised by taxes • Power to declare war & raise an army • Can override a presidential veto with vote of 2/3 majority • Senate approves court judges • Supreme Court • Interpret the laws

23. Electoral College • Group of special electors are chosen by the state to vote for presidential candidates • Number of electors is equal to the number of state’s senators & representatives in Congress • If two candidates receive the same number of electoral votes, the House would choose the President • Happened in 1800 & 1824

25. The Ratification Controversy • Those who favored the Constitution were called the Federalists • G. Washington, B. Franklin, J. Madison • Drew their support from coastal cities • Strategy was to portray America in crisis • Used the Federalist Papers to show how the Constitution was designed to prevent the abuse of power

26. The Ratification Controversy • Those who were against the Constitution were labeled the Antifederalists • P. Henry, S. Adams, T. Jefferson, J. Hancock • Feared a strong central govt. • Drew support from backcountry farmers & debtors • Portrayed the Federalists as a privileged, sophisticated minority – the elite • Most concerned about the lack of a bill of rights

27. The Ratification Controversy • Ratification required 9/13 states • Small states were quick to ratify • Federalists promised to add a bill of rights to win over more support • New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify in June 1788

28. The New Executive • Washington was unanimously elected President by the Electoral College • John Adams became Vice President • Both were inaugurated in New York City on April 30, 1789

29. Bill of Rights • Ratified by the states in 1791 • The first 8 amendments guarantee personal freedoms • 9th Amendment – people have rights that aren’t listed • 10th Amendment – All powers not specifically withheld or granted to the federal govt. were reserved to the states

30. Judiciary Act of 1789 • Established the Supreme Court, 13 district courts, & 3 circuit courts • Gave the S.C. the power to rule on the constitutional validity of state laws • John Jay was appointed to serve as the first chief justice

31. Hamilton & Jefferson’s Differences • Treasury Sec. A. Hamilton wanted to transform America into a manufacturing society that rivaled Britain • Wanted tariffs to protect industry • Wanted subsidies for new enterprises & incentives to support new industries

32. Hamilton & Jefferson’s Differences • T. Jefferson & J. Madison wanted the nation to become a prosperous, agrarian society • Hamilton & those like him were known as true Federalists • Those who agreed with Jefferson & Madison were labeled Republicans • The founding fathers considered political parties a detrimental force b/c they contributed to the rise of factions

33. Hamilton’s Economic Plan • In his report on Public Credit, Hamilton argued that all debt (foreign, state, & national) must be paid for by the federal govt. • Knew that creditors, who were America’s wealthiest citizens, would take interest in the welfare of the govt. so they could be repaid • Knew that a large debt would provide a good reason to raise revenue • Madison & Jefferson disagreed with him, but were willing to compromise when Hamilton proposed to move the capital to VA

34. Hamilton’s Economic Plan • Wanted to establish a national bank • Would be funded by both the govt. & private sector • Madison & Jefferson opposed it – they were strict constructionists • Hamilton, a broad constructionist, believed in a loose interpretation of the Constitution, claiming it granted Congress “implied powers” • Washington signed the bank into law in 1791

35. Hamilton’s Economic Plan • In his Report on Manufactures, he promoted the industrialization of the U.S. • Money needed to fund this would come from an excise tax on distillers & from tariffs on imports • Whiskey Rebellion