APUSH Lecture 2B (covers Ch. 5 & 6)

1. From Confederation to Constitution, 1783-1800 APUSH Lecture 2B(covers Ch. 5 & 6) Ms. Kray Some slides taken from Susan Pojer

2. Check for Understanding • Describe the types of governments created by the new states and the important features in their governments. • Which groups advocated a stronger national government and how were they able to achieve their goal? • What events led to the Constitutional Convention and how were delegates able to achieve consensus on controversial issues? • Analyze the historical debate concerning the motives of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

3. United States of America, 1787

4. The Creation of State Governments At the same time Americans were struggling to win independence on the battlefield, they were also struggling to create new institutions of gov’t to replace the British system they had repudiated

5. Common Elements of State Governments • Property ownership was the backbone of republican government • Ideal citizen = small farmer • Importance of equality (revolutionary) • Equality of opportunity • Inequalities persist (women, blacks, Indians) • State governments were the first political creations of the Revolution • New national government would be modeled on them • Limited Republicangovernments • Popular sovereignty

6. Common Features of State Constitutions • Bill of Rights • Separation of Powers • Property requirements for voting/office holding • Tug of war: conservative vs. liberal values • Conservatives favored law & order above personal freedom, liberals the opposite. • Power of the executive limited • Shift to stronger executives in 1780s

7. The Search for a National Government, 1781-1788 Articles of ConfederationDrafted by John Dickenson in 1777

8. Our First Constitution: The Articles of Confederation • Structure of the Government • Each state gets one vote in unicameral legislature • 9 votes needed to pass laws • Unanimous vote required to amend Articles • Representatives frequently absent • Weak Central Government • Liberal viewpoint wins – “We overthrew one tyrant, we don’t want another” • This government had little authority and no executive • It could not regulate trade, tax, raise an army, or directly control the states

9. Ratification Dispute, Settled 1781 • Western lands gained from Treaty of Paris would not go to individual states but would be held by the national government

10. The Confederation’s Mixed Record: Successes • Won the Revolutionary War • Land Ordinance, 1785 • More and more people moving westward, needed a system to include these new settlements in the political structure • created a system for surveying and selling western land (the grid) • Required land set aside for public school • Northwest Ordinance, 1787 • Est. guidelines for statehood • Prohibited slavery in Ohio Valley

11. The Confederation’s Mixed Record: Failures • Diplomatic Problems • Inability to enforce Treaty of Paris • British forts, loyalist property • Other nation’s don’t respect us • southern states block treaty w/Spain • Financial Problems • Post war depression (b/c loss of British markets) • Inability to pay war debts • National gov’t pay national debt b/c can’t tax • States raising taxes rapidly to pay state war debts • Tradei, State Taxes h, Inflationh • Tensions between the states

12. Shays’ Rebellion, 1786-87 • Led by Daniel Shays • Massachusetts farmer & Rev. War vet • Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes • Stopped tax collection & forced debtors courts to close • Demanded paper money, tax relief, moratorium on debts, relocation of state capital to the interior, & abolition of debtors’ prisons • Not an attempt to overthrow the gov’t • Tried to seize an armory in Springfield, MA

13. Impact of Shays' Rebellion “There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders.” -- George Washington

14. Annapolis Convention, 1786 • 12 representatives from 5 states[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA] • GOAL  address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states. • Talk quickly shifted to ineffectiveness of the Articles • Despite opposition to a strong central authority, the Articles of Confederation had proven ineffective in key areas: funding veterans’ pensions, promoting trade, the Indian threat, worthless state paper money, social unrest, and retiring debt • Not enough states were represented to make any real progress. • Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

15. Framing a New Government: The Constitutional Convention

16. The Philadelphia Convention • The Delegates • 55 delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island refused to attend) • Not typical Americans: most were white, college-educated, and had a legal background • George Washington chosen to preside over the Convention • Constitution mostly written by James Madison • Quickly agreed on a government with three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) • Disputes arose over representation and slavery

17. Issue #1 - Representation Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan vs. • Proposed by Madison • Favored large states • Representation based on population • Bicameral legislature • Proposed by W. Paterson • Favored small states • One vote per state • Unicameral legislature

18. The Great Compromise (Also called the Connecticut Plan) Bicameral Legislature House of Representativesrepresentation based on state’s population Large states  Senate each state gets two reps regardless of population Small States 

19. Issue #2 - Slavery • Should there be slavery? • If yes, how should slaves be counted for purposes of taxation and representation? YES

20. NORTH Slaves are property, they have no rights & can’t vote. Don’t count them for representation! Counting slaves for taxation purposes will incr. tax revenues from the South. Count them for taxation! SOUTH Counting slaves will incr. their pop. & give them more rep. power in the House. Count them for representation! If slaves are counted for taxation purposes the South will have to pay more $$$. Don’t count them for taxation! Differing Opinions

21. Three-Fifths Compromise Each slave will be counted as three-fifthsof a person for the purpose of determining a state’s level of taxation and representation.

22. Issue #3 – Control of Trade vs. NORTH SOUTH wants central gov’t to regulate interstate commerce and foreign trade. was afraid export taxes would be placed on their cash crops (tobacco & rice) Commercial Compromise: Congress can regulate interstate commerce but cannot tax exports.

23. Issue #4 – Presidential Power 4 years but no limit on re-election. • How long should he serve? • How much power should he have? Considerable, including veto power Delegates don’t trust “the people” so used an Electoral College System • How should he be elected?

24. The Constitution of 1787 • The Sovereignty Question • Who has ultimate power - state governments or national national? • Constitution’s solution: neither • Ultimate power rests with the people (popular sovereignty) • Federalism developed • State and national gov’t share power • Powers of Federal Government: tax, regulate commerce, control the currency, pass “necessary and proper” laws • Problem of concentrated authority • Many believed a republic could only work if most power w/the states • Solution: separation of powers & checks and balances James Madison

25. Separation of Powers

27. “Fear the Mob” Tyranny of the People • Our Founding Fathers did not trust “the people” • Deliberately set up Constitution to limit power of the people. Electoral College System Senators not directly elected People directly elect members in the House of Representatives (reps only serve 2 yrs)

28. Ratification Debate:Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

29. The United States Constitution • Sept. 17, 1787 a draft was approved • Ratification was fiercely debated for almost a year: Sept. 1787 until June 1788. • Ratification required approval from 9 of the 13 states.

30. Major Leaders NOT at Convention • John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Thomas Paine were on diplomatic business • Samuel Adams and John Hancock were not chosen as delegates • Patrick Henry refused to participate

31. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

32. Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist Strongholds • Federalists: East coast & large cities • Anti-Federalists : western frontier & small farmers Heart of the Debate: • Federalists feared disorder, anarchy chaos, the unchecked power of the masses • Anti-Federalists were concerned about concentration of power

33. Ratification Difficulties • Early federalist victories in DE, NJ, PA • Touch Campaigns in NY and Virginia • The Federalist Papers • Series of articles written in NY newspapers to help win ratification debate • Written by Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay • Explained the meaning and virtues of the Constitution • Federalist Paper #10 – argued a large Republic would actual protect minority rights better than a small one • Federalists promise to add Bill of Rights • Take away Anti-Federalists most powerful argument

34. The Federalist Papers • A series of articles written in New York newspapers to help win the ratification debate there. • Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay • Explained the meaning and virtues of the Constitution • Federalist Paper #10 • Among the greatest American contribution to political theory

35. Ratification of Constitution

36. Legacy of the Constitution: A Conservative Triumph? • Had the majority spoken or had a minority group of well to do, conservative, white, property-owners won the debate? • Safeguards set up against mob-rule excesses and direct democracy • Restored the economic and political stability of the colonial years. • Set the drifting ship of state on a more promising course • Saved the principle of democratic government by redefining popular sovereignty.

37. By ingeniously embedding the doctrine of self-rule in a self-limiting system of checks and balances the Constitution reconciled the potential conflicting principles of liberty and law & order Genius of the Constitution

38. Check for Understanding • Describe the types of governments created by the new states and the important features in their governments. • Which groups advocated a stronger national government and how were they able to achieve their goal? • What events led to the Constitutional Convention and how were delegates able to achieve consensus on controversial issues? • Analyze the historical debate concerning the motives of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.