The Confederation & The Constitution

1. The Confederation & The Constitution

2. Church and State • Congregational Church… • Anglican Church became the Episcopalian Church • Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom…

3. The Slavery Issue • 1st Continental Congress… • Discrimination… • The fight over slavery would have to be postponed…

4. Republican Motherhood • Elevated women to the prestigious role of special keepers of the nation’s conscience.

5. State Constitutions • Had many common features • Were fundamental laws that couldn’t easily be changed • The average citizen was worse off than they were before the war

6. Articles of Confederation • The first constitution that governed America. • Confederation = loose union of states • Created a “League of Friendship” • Drafted by John Dickinson • Took effect in March 1781

7. 9/13 Majority required to pass laws… • All states must consent to Amendments… • One vote per state … • No executive, no court system

8. Land Ordinance of 1785 • System to survey and sell land to help pay national debt • Each township was 6 miles square and split into 36 sections of 1 square mile each • Section 16 was for building a public school for the area

9. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Temporary tutelage – permanent equality • Territories that had 60,000 residents…. • Would eventually create 5 states: MI, WI, IL IN, & OH • Forbade slavery in old Northwest (exempted those already there)

10. The World’s Ugly Duckling • British controlled trading posts on U.S. soil • Spain controlled the Mississippi River and closed it to American Commerce • France wanted repayment of war debt • Barbary Coast pirates were attacking American commerce in the Mediterranean

11. Anarchy at Home – Shay’s Rebellion - 1786 • Poor backcountry MA farmers couldn’t pay taxes or mortgages… • Led by Daniel Shays… • Many begin to feel that the Articles of Confederation needed strength

12. Annapolis Convention 1786 • Only 5 states showed up… • Alexander Hamilton asked for a convention to meet in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation

13. A Convention of “Demigods” – May 25, 1787 • 55 Delegates representing 12 states…(No RI) • Sessions held in complete secrecy… • Most were conservative, young, wealthy & well educated… • 19/55 owned slaves

14. Notable Delegates • George Washington • Unanimously elected chairman • His prestige could quiet the overheated tempers • Benjamin Franklin • Oldest delegate – 81 • Had chaperones…

15. Gouverneur Morris • “Penman of the Constitution” • Author of the Preamble • Rephrased the original 23 articles to 7 giving the Constitution its style and form

16. James Madison • Copious Notes • “Father of the Constitution” • Alexander Hamilton • Advocated a super powerful central government

17. Notably Absent • Thomas Jefferson… • John Adams… • Samuel Adams… • John Hancock… • Patrick Henry…

18. Virginia Plan(Large State Plan) • Submitted by Madison • Bicameral Congress with representation based on population… • One executive chosen by Congress…

19. New Jersey Plan(Small State Plan) • Submitted by William Patterson • Unicameral Congress with each state represented equally • More than one executive, chosen by Congress

20. The Connecticut Plan(Great Compromise) • Proposed by Roger Sherman • Bicameral Legislature • Senate – Equal Representation • House-Representation based on population • Every revenue bill originates in the House • Presidential Elections • Larger states…. • Smaller states….

21. Electoral College • Elects the President and the Vice President, not the people. • The people actually vote for the electorswho elect the President.

22. Three-fifths Compromise • Proposed by James Wilson (PA) • A slave would count as 3/5 of a person to determine a state’s level of tax and representation • Leading Slave Population • VA: 42.29% • SC: 43.01% • MD: 32% • Result: Southerners dominate Presidency, Speaker of the House, & Supreme Court until the Civil War

23. Commerce & Slave Trade Compromises • Southerners feared…. • Congress was allowed to place tariffs on foreign products and regulate interstate and foreign trade but forbidden to tax the export of goods from any state • Congress was forbidden to interfere with the slave trade for 20 years (1807)

24. Safeguards Against “Mob” Rule • Federal Judges … • President … • Senators … • House of Representatives … • Checks & Balances • Suffrage was not universal …

25. Ben Franklin …” it is a rising and not a setting sun…”

26. Ratifying the Constitution • Only 9 of 13 colonies had to ratify for it to take effect… • Each state had a convention – delegates elected by property owners

27. The Great Debate

28. The Great Debate Anti-Federalists Federalists Led by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, & Alexander Hamilton Followers were Supportive of a strong central government Generally wealthier and more educated Concentrated on the Atlantic coast & cities • Led by Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock & Thomas Jefferson • Followers were • Devoted to State’s Rights • Yeomen Farmers • Debtors • Frontiersmen

29. The Great Debate Anti-Federalists Federalists Emphasized the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Controlled the press Were well organized and persuasive Promised to add a Bill of Rights Loose Construction – What is not written may be implied • Wanted a Bill of Rights • Felt this was a ploy by the aristocrats to steal powers won by the common people in the revolution • Appealed to popular distrust of government • Strict Construction – Everything must be explicitly stated

31. The Federalist Papers Help Sway NY • 85 Essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison • Argued for ratification of the Constitution, promised to add Bill of Rights later • #10 and #51 are the most quoted

33. A Conservative Triumph? • A radical minority engineered the Revolution… • A conservative minority engineered the Constitution…. • (Only about ¼ of the adult, white property owners voted for delegates to the state conventions)