The Republican Experiment: A New Political Morality

1. 6 The Republican Experiment: A New Political Morality

2. Defining Republican Culture • Republicanism—new core ideology • Uncompromising commitment to liberty and equality – A government without monarchy or aristocracy – political authority vested in the people • Post-Revolutionary divisions • Balancing individual liberty with social order • Balancing property rights with equality • Varying answers resulted in variety of republican governments

3. Social and Political Reform • Changes in laws of inheritance – end of primogeniture • Property qualifications for voting reduced • Capitols moved to enable better representation for frontier settlers • Separation of church and state • Continued uneven distribution of wealth

4. African Americans in the New Republic • Abolitionist sentiment spread in wake of the Revolution • African Americans embraced Declaration’s stress on natural rights and equality • Slavery – biggest contradiction to founding principles • Americans fight for freedom but enslave others

5. African Americans in the New Republic: Emancipation • Northern states • By 1800, slavery was legally dying in North • Vermont already prohibited slavery • Racism and segregation remained • Southerners debated abolition • Some individuals freed slaves • Economic motives overcame republican • Cotton gin breathed new life into slavery

6. The States: Experimentsin Republicanism • Revolutionary state constitutions served as experiments in republican government • Insights gleaned from state experiences later applied to constructing central government • Two states already had Republican government • Most state constitutions included a Declaration of Rights to restrict limits of government authority

7. Blueprints for State Government • State constitution writers insisted on preparing written documents • Precedents in colonial charters, church covenants • Major break with England’s unwritten constitution

8. Natural Rights and theState Constitutions • Most new state constitutions included Declaration of Rights: • Freedom of religion • Freedom of speech • Freedom of the press • Private property • Trial by jury

9. Natural Rights and theState Constitutions • Governors weakened • Elected legislatures given most power

10. Stumbling Toward a New National Government • War for independence required coordination among states • Central government under the Articles of Confederation first created to meet wartime need for coordination

11. Articles of Confederation: Central Government Structure and Power • Articles of Confederation severely limited central government’s authority over states • Each state had one vote • Could send two to seven representatives • No executive • No taxing power • Amendments required unanimity

12. Articles of Confederation: Central Government Structure and Power • In charge of foreign and Native American relations, military, and disputes between states • No control over western lands • Delegates believed that powerful central government could be dangerous – especially after experience with England

13. Western Land: Key to the First Constitution • Native Americans lost out when British left • The controversy over disposition of western lands delayed the Articles of Confederation • 1781—Virginia took lead in ceding western claims to Congress • Other states ceded claims to Congress • Congress gained ownership of all land west of Appalachians

14. Western Land ClaimsCeded by the States

15. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement • Land Ordinance • Orderly division of land into sections and townships • One section set aside to finance school system • Land to sell for minimum of $1 gold per acre • Speculation

16. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement • Northwest Ordinance, 1787 • Created three to five new territories in Northwest • Population of 5,000 may elect Assembly • Population of 60,000 may petition for statehood • Slavery outlawed South of the Ohio River settlement more chaotic

17. Northwest Territory

18. Land Ordinance of 1785

19. Strengthening Federal Authority • Dissatisfaction with Confederation • Economic recovery after the Revolution slow – did not deal with economy and it was not stable • People thought stronger central government would restore economic growth

20. The Nationalist Critique • Restoration of trade with Britain caused trade deficit and hard currency shortage • Congress unable to address trade, inflation, and debt • Congress had no power to tax • Nationalists versus localists

21. The Nationalist Critique • Failure to pay soldiers sparked “Newburgh Conspiracy” (squelched by Washington) • Failure of reform prompted nationalists to consider Articles hopelessly defective

22. Diplomatic Humiliation • Congress failed to get states to collect debts owed British merchants • In retaliation, British refused to evacuate Ohio River Valley • Spain closed New Orleans to American commerce in 1784 • John Jay to negotiate re-opening Mississippi • Instead, signed treaty favoring Northeast • West and South denounced, Congress rejected Jay-Gardoqui Treaty

23. “Have We Fought for This?” • By 1785, the country seemed adrift • Washington: “Was it with these expectations that we launched into a sea of trouble?”

24. The Genius of James Madison • James Madison persuaded Americans that large republics could be free and democratic • Competing factions would neutralize each other • Federalist #10 • Madison best political theorist of time

25. Constitutional Reform • May 1786—Annapolis Convention agreed to meet again, revise/write a new constitution • Shay’s Rebellion, 1787 • Tax revolt of discontented farmers • Symbolized breakdown in law and order as perceived by propertied classes • Crisis strengthened support for new central government – “nationalists” want reform

26. The Philadelphia Convention • Convened May 1787 • Fifty-five delegates from all states except Rhode Island • Delegates possessed wide practical experience • Important secrecy rule imposed to try and stop erroneous and mischievous rumors • James Madison gave intellectual guidance to form new Constitution

27. Inventing a Federal Republic: The Virginia Plan • Central government may veto all state acts • Bicameral legislature of state representatives • One house elected, the other appointed • Larger states would have more representatives • Chief executive appointed by Congress • Small states objected to large-state dominance

28. Inventing a Federal Republic: The New Jersey Plan • Congress given greater taxing and trade regulation powers • Each state would have one vote in a unicameral legislature • Articles of Confederation otherwise untouched

29. Compromise Savesthe Convention • Each state given two delegates in the Senate—a victory for the small states • House of Representatives based on population—a victory for the large states • All money bills must originate in the House • Three-fifths of the slave population counted toward representation in the House

30. Compromising with Slavery • Issue of slavery threatened Convention’s unity • Northerners tended to be opposed • Southerners threatened to bolt if slavery weakened • Slave trade permitted to continue to 1808 “Great as the evil is, a dismemberment of the Union would be worse.” —James Madison

32. The Last Details • Revisions to executive • Electoral College selects president – not Congress • Executive given a veto over legislation • Executive may appoint judges

33. “We, the People” • Convention sought to bypass vested interests of state legislatures • Power of ratification to special state conventions • Constitution to go into effect on approval by nine state conventions • Phrase “We, the People” made Constitution a government of the people, not the states • Federalists want a confederation of the states

34. Federalists vs Anti-Federalists • Federalists supported the Constitution • The Federalist Papers written by Jay, Madison, and Hamilton • Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution • Distrusted any government removed from direct control of the people • Americans disagree over liberty vs. order • After British tyranny, Americans want both but argue over how to get both

35. Progress of Ratification • No clear correlation between social status and support for Constitution • Succeeded in winning ratification in eleven states by June 1788 • Constitution ratified by close vote in major states • Americans closed ranks behind the Constitution

36. Adding the Bill of Rights • The fruit of anti-Federalist activism • Adding Bill of Rights forestalled Second Constitutional Convention • Purpose was to protect individual rights from government interference • James Madison wrote Bill of Rights

37. Adding the Bill of Rights • Rights included: • Freedom of assembly, speech, religion, the press, and bearing arms • Speedy trial by a jury of peers • No unreasonable searches • First ten amendments added by December 1791

38. Success Depends on the People • Some Americans complained that the new government had a great potential for despotism • Others were more optimistic and saw it as a great beginning for the new nation