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Drafting the constitution. Chapter 5 Section 2. Nationalists strengthen the government. Shay’s Rebellion: Daniel Shay; Revolutionary War vet returned to his farm in debt Summer 1786 small farmers like Shay demanded the courts be shut down so the farmers could pay off their debt
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Drafting the constitution Chapter 5 Section 2
Nationalists strengthen the government • Shay’s Rebellion: • Daniel Shay; Revolutionary War vet returned to his farm in debt • Summer 1786 small farmers like Shay demanded the courts be shut down so the farmers could pay off their debt • 1787 Shay leads 1200 men to Springfield, MA to shut the banks down themselves • Militia disperse the farmers; clearly something is wrong
Nationalists strengthen government • Effects of Shay’s Rebellion: • Panic and dismay throughout the country • All states have poor farmers… • Will rebellions spring up across the country? • George Washington speaks out: • “What a triumph for our enemies…to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves” • Obviously time to look at new kind of government
Call for convention • Major issue with country is inter-state trade • Problems with taxes states were putting on other states goods • Disagreements about navigation rights • Shay’s Rebellion provides spark needed to have states send delegates to address the issue • Convention- 1787 • All states but Rhode Island send delegates to Philadelphia • Quickly the delegates give up the idea of “fixing” the Articles of Confederation and start drafting a new government
Big States vs. small States • Madison’s Virginia Plan: • Bi-cameral legislature • Represented by states population • Small states object vigorously!!! • William Paterson’s New Jersey Plan: • Single house legislature • Each state had an equal vote
Big States vs. small states • The Great Compromise: • Roger Sherman of Connecticut • Bi-cameral legislature • Upper House (Senate) all states represented equally • Lower House (House of Reps) states represented by size of population
Slavery related issues • Should slaves be considered in the population? • South wanted to count them so they would have more representation in the House • North disagrees; without slaves being counted the North would have more representation • 3/5 Compromise • Eventually agree that 3/5 of the slave population would count for a states total population
Creating a new government • Division of Powers: • New gov’t federalism- divided power between the states and national gov’t • Enumerated powers: powers given to the national gov’t • Foreign affairs, national defense, regulating trade, coining money • Reserved Powers: powers kept by the states • Education, marriage laws, regulating trade within the state • Both can establish taxes, and establish courts
Creating a new government • Separation of Powers: • 3 Branches of Government • Legislative • Make laws • Executive • Enforce laws • Judicial • Interpret laws