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American Revolution and the United States Constitution
UNIT 2
Causes and Effects of the AM Rev
• British tighten control over the colonies
• Colonies protest British policies and taxes
• Colonies create civilian militias
• Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776
• British lose colonies• US borders extend to
FL in South, and Mississippi River in the West
• First US gov’t =Articles of Confederation
• Inherent weaknesses of AOC lead to the creation of US Constitution
Albany Plan of Union
• When:
• Where:
• Why:
• Who came:
• What happened:
Who created this political cartoon? Was it successful? Why or why not?
Influence of the Enlightenment• The “Enlightenment”
era in Europe during the 17th -18th centuries saw the development of new ideas about the rights of people and their relationship to their rulers.
• John Locke was political philosopher whose ideas, more than any other’s, influenced the American belief in self-government.
The Ideas of John Locke Locke wrote about NATURAL RIGHTS ex: “life, liberty, and
property” • that rulers cannot take
these away AND must protect them as well
Power comes from “the people”
• A “social contract” exists between people and gov’t:– Gov’ts exist to protect
people and their natural rights
– In return, the people promise to obey the laws and rules
– This creates “ordered liberty.”
“Revolutionary” Ideas of John Locke
A government that fails to protect the people’s natural rights, it breaks the social contract
• Then the people have the right to change it or overthrow it
• Locke’s ideas about the sovereignty and rights of the people were radical for the times
• Most of the world was used to absolute rule by kings, emperors, and tribal chieftains.
“NO MORE KINGS!”
Pre-Revolutionary thinking • Thomas Paine was an
English immigrant to America who produced a pamphlet that challenged the rule of the American colonies by the King of England.
• Common Sense made more colonists support the idea of independence from England
• Message: “Thinking people want Independence”
Only Morons want to stay colonists!!
The Revolutionary Period • Anglo-French rivalry
leading to conflict with the colonies
• The rivalry in North America between England and France led to the French and Indian War
• Ie: The French & Indians vs “The British”…(that’s US as colonies)
Treaty of Paris ends war 1763
• French were driven out of Canada and their territories west of the Appalachian Mountains
• Treaty of Paris ends French power in North America
The Road to Revolution
• The Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains
• New taxes on legal documents (the “Stamp Act”), tea and sugar, to pay costs incurred during the French and Indian War and for British troops to protect colonists.
British Acts & Colonial Opposition• Proclamation 1763• Sugar Act• Currency Act• Stamp Act• Quartering Act• Townshend Acts• Tea Act 1773• “Intolerable Acts”
(Coercive and Quebec Acts)
• ISSUE /Cause for each?
• Effect or Reaction from Colonists for each?
Sons of Liberty…Modern
“Daughters of Liberty”
HOMESPUN
Stamp Act Congress 1765
9 colonies sent representatives to say, (basically):
“ONLY our colonial political representatives can TAX us…not British
Parliament!!”
Began NONIMPORTATION/BOYCOTT
Of all British goods
The Road to Revolution Resistance to British rule in the
colonies mounted, leading to war:
• The Boston Tea Party was staged.
• The First Continental Congress was called, to which all of the colonies except Georgia sent representatives, the first time most of the colonies had acted together.
• The Boston Massacre took place when British troops fired on anti-British demonstrators.
• War began when the “Minutemen” in Massachusetts fought a brief skirmish with British troops at Lexington and Concord.
Differences among the ColonistsThe colonists were divided
into three main camps during the Revolution:
Patriots:• Believed in complete
independence from England
• Inspired by the ideas of Locke and Paine and the words of Virginian Patrick Henry
• Provided the troops for the American Army, led by George Washington, also of Virginia
“Give me liberty, or give me death!”
The Declaration of IndependenceThe eventual draft of the Declaration of Independence, authored by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, reflected the ideas of Locke and Paine
Road to Independence• Colonies as part of the MERCANTILIST
economic system
• Salutary Neglect
• French and Indian War
• Proclamation of 1763
• ACTS, ACTS, and more ACTS
• Colonial Boycotts
• Boston “Massacre”
• Lexington & Concord, Bunker/Breed’s Hill
The Declaration of IndependenceIn Congress, July 4, 1776
“When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political
bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the
separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the
separation.”
The Declaration of Independence
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
The Declaration of Independence
“That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed…”
..That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right
of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government…
The Declaration of Independence“…laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and
Happiness.”
John Locke’s ideas:
Thomas Paine’s ideas:
The Declaration of Independence
• Jefferson then went on to detail many of the grievances against King George III
• Paine had earlier described many of these “offenses”in Common Sense.
Differences among the ColonistsLoyalists (Tories)• Remained loyal to
Britain, based on cultural and economic ties
• Believed that taxation of the colonies was justified to pay for British troops to protect American settlers from Indian attacks
Neutrals• The many colonists who
tried to stay as uninvolved in the war as possible
Factors leading to colonial victoryDiplomatic• Benjamin Franklin negotiated
a Treaty of Alliance with France (SARATOGA= turning point)
Military• George Washington, general
of the American army, avoided any situation that threatened the destruction of his army, and his leadership kept the army together when defeat seemed inevitable.
• Americans benefited from the presence of the French army and navy at the Battle of Yorktown, which ended the war with an American victory.
The Articles of Confederation• Provided for a weak national
government• Gave Congress no power to
tax • No power to regulate
commerce among the states• Provided for no common
currency• Gave each state one vote
regardless of size• Provided for no chief
executive • Nor a judicial branch • **No power to ENFORCE
laws in the states!!
The Articles of ConfederationThings that the Articles DID manage to do:1. Call the country “The United States of
America” (has a nice ring to it)2. Northwest Ordinance:
• Provided method for adopting new states and settling NW Territory
• Outlawed slavery in the new territory
3. Land Ordinance of 1785• Area west of Appalachian Mtns was divided into 6 x 6 miles
squares called townships and subdivided again into 1 sq. mile plots *1 set aside for education
Shay’s Rebellion, 1786-7
SHAYS’ REBELLION(Left) Rebellious Massachusetts
farmers close the courts to prevent confiscation of their lands for unpaid back taxes.
(Below) The insurrection caused George Washington to question
if Americans were capable of governing themselves.
Key leaders of the Constitutional Convention• George Washington,
Chairman of the Convention, seldom participated in the debates, but lent his prestige to the proceedings
• James Madison, “Father of the Constitution,” (Virginian) led the debate and kept records of what transpired at the Constitutional Convention.
VA Plan: Favors BIG pop. states
• The Virginia Plan• 3 Branches – with the legislature that would chose
people to serve in the executive and judicial branches.• Legislature: Two houses (bicameral)
– House of Reps elected by “the people” – Senate was elected by the state legislatures
• Both houses to be represented proportionally by state population.
• Other Powers– legislature would regulate interstate trade, strike down
laws deemed unconstitutional and use armed forces to enforce laws.
NJ PLAN: Favors small pop.states
• 3 Branches – (leg, exec, and jud) – legislature appoints people to serve in the executive
branch and would have only one house (unicameral) and States would have EQUAL REPRESENTATION, (all states would have the same power)
– executive branch selects the justices of the Supreme Court
– Other Powers:• The national government could levy taxes and import duties,
regulate trade, and state laws would be subordinate to laws passed by the national legislature.
Compromises Made
1. Connecticut Compromise (aka, “The Great Compromise”…..took parts of both the VA and NJ Plans– 3 branches of gov’t (Thank you Montesquieu)– Bicameral legislature; 1 house based on state
population, the other house based on equal representation
Key issues of the Constitution
1. federal law is supreme law of the land
2. Balanced power between large and small states
Senate (equal rep as in NJ plan)
House of Reps (based on
population as in
VA plan)
Senate
House
House of Representatives
• Representation was to be based on a state’s population– How to “count” slaves?– North wants slaves in South counted for
taxation ….South would pay more– South wants slaves counted for more members
in the House (Southern influence would be stronger in federal gov’t)
House of Representatives
• Compromise: for every 5 slaves in the South, the gov’t would count “3” for both taxation purposes AND representation in the House
• Known as “the 3/5 Compromise”– (The issue of slavery itself was not debated at
this time….too touchy)
3 branches = Divided Gov’t Power
LEGISLATIVE
JUDICIAL EXECUTIVE
• Each branch gets to “check” the other 2 branches….which “balances” political power – Balance between the
branches– Balance between populated
and less populated states– Balance between “people”
and “government”
Legislative “Bicameral” Balance
• Outlined in Article I
• Senate (where each state gets two senators)
• House of Representatives (with membership based on population)
• Override VETO by executive with ¾ vote
Executive Balance of Power
• Outlined in Article II
• President appoints justices to Supreme Court for lifetime terms
• VETO power over legislative branch
Judicial Balance of Power
• Outlined in Article III
• Lifetime appointments
• Can declare Laws passed by Congress UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Final draft done….but will it “pass” the public approval test for ratification?
“Federal” Stuff to keep Straight• Federalism = division of power between
national and state gov’t
• A Federalist = – Before ratification, a Federalist was a supporter of
the constitution as it was written at the convention (without a bill of rights)
– AFTER ratification, a Federalist was a member of the political party of the same name
• An ANTI-Federalist = person who thought the constitution gave too much power to the central gov’t and not enough protection to the people
“Federal” Stuff to keep Straight
• Finally, The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison explaining the benefits of the stronger central government created in the constitution.– written public relations campaign to get public
support for ratification– 9 states were needed to ratify it
Federalist Position (pro-ratification)
• strong national government (sharing some power with the states) – to facilitate interstate commerce
– to manage foreign trade and relations
– national defense
• checks and balances already exist
Federalist position (pro-ratification)
• They argued that a national Bill of Rights would be redundant– Constitution itself
protected basic rights
– most states already had bills of rights that clearly defined basic rights that the governments could not abolish
Anti-Federalist Position (anti-ratification)
• Thought the consitution as written had WAY too much power and would take power away from states
• Rich people will abuse power
• national Bill of Rights was necessary
• *Anti-Feds had no alternative document to offer public
States and Ratification
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/ratification/map/
•Which states ratified first?
•Why would VA and NY have to “be on board” even if 9 states ratified without them?
States and Ratification
• First:
– DE
– PA
– NJ
– GA
– CT
• Then…– MA takes some
convincing….(promise the Bill of Rights)
– MD– SC– NH– VA– NY
Finally: “all the pillars in place”!
• NC and …..
• ….eventually and by a narrow margin,
• Rhode Island comes on board
• After Ratification, the payoff (The Bill of Rights) needs writing, revising, editing, and amending
Principles of the Bill of Right
• Virginia Declaration of Rights (George Mason…VA)
• Reiterated the notion that basic human rights should not be violated by governments
Principles of the Bill of Rights
• Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (Thomas Jefferson…VA)
• Outlawed the established church —that is, the practice of government support for one favored church
Principles of the Bill of Rights
• James Madison…VA used TJ’s Va Declaration of Rights and the VA Statute for Religious Freedom when drafting the amendments that eventually became the United States Bill of Rights.
“The Bill of Rights”
1. Freedom of speech, press, religion, petition, assembly
2. Right to bear arms
3. No troops in homes
4. Unreasonable search & seizure of property
5. No self-incrimination, no double jeopardy, etc.
6. Speedy trial by unbiased jury, legal counsel, witnesses must attend in presence of the accused
7. Jury trials for civil cases over $20.00
8. No excessive bail/cruel unusual punishments
9. “more rights than listed in constitution”
10. Powers not given to federal gov’t go to states/people
Nice “layered” slides on the Bill of Rights? Extra Credit anyone???
The Legacy of the founding fathers lives on in Virginia….
Washington’s Administration• 1789-1797• Sought advice from
trusted, talented men who became his “CABINET”– T. Jefferson to
Dept. of State
– A. Hamilton to Dept. of Treasury
– H. Knox as Postmaster Gen.
• Hamilton’s Financial Program…led to…..
• Emergence of first political parties began with “vision differences” between Jefferson and Hamilton
Hamilton’s Financial Program• PROS
• Fund national debt at FACE value
• Federal Gov’t assume the debts of ALL the states
• Establish a national bank (Bank of the United States)
• Spark economy with subsidies and tax incentives
• Raise revenue with higher tariffs on imports and….
• Taxes on Whiskey
• CONS• $ Benefit would only go to
speculators who bought debts at low prices
• (Original buyers should get something from the deal
• Taxes would fall heaviest on small farmers
• “The whole program is designed to make a small group of already rich men RICHER…and it ain’t fair!”
Political and Philosophical Differences lead to Political Parties
Hamilton Jefferson
Federalist Party “platform”
•Strong central gov’t
•Only wealthy, educated men should vote
•LOOSE/ broad interpretation USCon.
•National Bank
•High tariffs & whiskey tax
•Alien & Sedition Acts necessary
•Opposed Fr. Rev
•Support base: manufacturers, business, coastal ports
Alexander Hamilton
Democratic-Republican Party “platform”
Thomas Thomas JeffersonJefferson
•Stronger State/Indiv powers
•All landowners should vote
•STRICT/narrow interpretion of USCons.
•National Bank idea stinks!
•No or LOW tariffs
•Alien & Sedition Acts are WRONG!
•Fr. Rev is GREAT!
•Support base: rural small farmers, big planters, French
Alexander Hamilton is on
our 10 dollar bill!
Thomas Jefferson is on
still on our money…….
Foreign Affairs under Washington
• French Revolution & War in Europe: USA is officially neutral– American ships traded with
both sides
– **French West Indies were big $$$$
– British retaliated with impressment and ship seizures
Foreign Affairs under Washington
• “Jay’s Treaty” (prevents war with England)
• Issues: – England won’t leave frontier posts (NW
Terr) as per Paris Peace ending Rev War – Practice of Impressment (making
sailors serve in British navy)
• Terms: – 2 yrs to get lost
– Pay for ship seizures
– Some trade with West Indies
Foreign Affairs under Washington
• Pickney’s Treaty (aka: Treaty of Friendship, Limits, and Navigation Between Spain and the
United States) • Settled our boundaries
with Spanish territory
• (“we get to navigate the Miss. River”)
• Later, we buy FL from Spain in Adams-Onis Treaty
Washington Leaves Office• Farewell Address: letter written to
Americans refusing a 3rd term in office
• Warnings:– Political Parties and “party politics”
stink
– Sectionalism (N,S,E,W) is
– BAD NEWS
– Foreign Alliances should be avoided
– (we can’t have a moral country devoid of religion)
1796 Election
• Federalist John Adams
becomes 2nd POTUS– X,Y,Z Affair with French
diplomats over bribes
“A million for Defense,
not one cent for tribute”– Presides over a “Quasi-
War” with France
Alien and Sedition Acts 1798
• Designed to make criticism (by Dem-Republicans)
of the government and getting citizenship TOUGHER
• “Alien”: – Naturalization Act, passed by Congress on June 18. This
act required that aliens be residents for 14 years instead of 5 years before they became eligible for U.S. citizenship.
– Alien Act on June 25, authorizing the President to deport aliens "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States" during peacetime.
– Alien Enemies Act, was enacted by Congress on July 6. This act allowed the wartime arrest, imprisonment and deportation of any alien subject to an enemy power.
Gov’t sux!Dude, watch your mouth!
Alien and Sedition Acts 1798
• Sedition: declared that any treasonable activity, including the publication of "any false, scandalous and malicious writing," was a high misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment
Is this Freedom of Speech?!!
VA and KY Resolutions
• Said that the Alien and Sedition Acts were garbage and “unconstitutional”– Said, “states and NULLIFY” bogus gov’t laws– Authored by:
Election of 1800
• Dem-Republican Thomas Jefferson becomes 3rd POTUS
• **Important election because America showed the world political power could transfer peacefully from one party to another…”our democracy works”
Jefferson as President
• Dem-Rep Party takes over from the Federalists
• Shows the world a peaceful transfer of political power (his election is also called “The Revolution of 1800”)
• Jefferson’s style in office is less formal than that of Washington and Adams
Jefferson as President
• Jefferson's vision for government is:– Small federal gov’t– Limits on federal power– STRICT CONSTRUCTIVISM (rigid
interpretation of Article I of the US Constitution) ie: follow the rules as they are written, (ENUMERATED)
Jefferson as President
• Limits on Federal power:– Attempted to IMPEACH Federalist judges – Repealed Act that gave the “Midnight Judges”
offices• Lead to est. that IMPEACHMENT is to be used for
CRIMINAL ACTS only! (not politics)
• Lead John Marshall to use JUDICIAL REVIEW with the MARBURY v. MADISON case
Jefferson as President
• Territorial Expansion: Louisiana Purchase– 1803 US buys LA and French debts for $15
million• DOUBLES the size of the United States
• Gives US control of the Mississippi River
• Shows that Jefferson can use IMPLIED Federal Powers to make a purchase……
Jefferson as President
• Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery explore the new territory– Sacagewa was the female Shoshone guide
who went with them
Jefferson as President
– Politically: The LA Purchase spooks the Federalists…some want to take New England OUT of the United States
– Political fight turns deadly:• Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton get into a
serious argument, challenge each other to a duel and Hamilton Dies…Burr leaves the country
Jefferson as President
• Economic Policies – EMBARGO ACT OF 1807
• Attempt to deal with shipping attacks and IMPRESSMENT of American soldiers by the British
• Cuts off trade with Europe
• Embargo hurts USA more than Britain or France (North: killed shipping profits, even though some still had business…passed the cost on to customers…; South : hurt farmers)
Jefferson as President
• EMBARGO: people hate it, it hurts their MONEY$$$$....Jefferson’s approval ratings go waaaaaaaaaaay down
WAR of 1812
• Also called “Mr. Madison’s War”
• James Madison (Father of the Constitution, author of some Federalist Papers, is a Democratic-Republican elected to be 4th POTUS)
• Madison declares war on British
WAR of 1812
• Support in Congress comes from – WAR HAWKS:
1. South and Western regions wanted war because trade restrictions hurt their people who relied on shipping farm products (Eastern coastal and Northern merchants could stay in business by passing increased costs on to farmers)
2. Westerners also blamed British for selling weapons to Indians (to discourage further Westward expansion)
Native Americans on the frontier
Tecumseh“The Prophet”
Tenskwatawa
WAR of 1812
• Battle of Tippecanoe: future president Wm. Henry Harrison is a hero of this bloody battle with Tecumseh’s brother
• Invasion of Canada failed (lack of soldiers)
• Commodore Perry on Lake Erie
WAR of 1812
• Washington, DC is burned (Ft. McHenry is where Francis Scott Key writes “Star Spangled Banner”)
• US win battle on Lake Champlain
WAR of 1812
• Hartford Convention: Federalists don’t like the war and meet to discuss seceding New England from the USA…..
• Treaty of Ghent ends the war in 1814– (Federalists are seen as traitors, fall from grace, and end
as a political party)
WAR of 1812
• Treaty of Ghent:– Restores pre-war boundaries– Gave the USA “prestige” as a country that
battled the British twice and won both– Gave the USA “self-esteem” and “sense of
growing patriotism….book calls it “nationalism” but beware of this definition compared to the nationalism that tears up Europe and continues to haunt the world
WAR of 1812
• Treaty of Ghent does NOT– Address the issue of attacks on shipping– Address the issue of impressment– Address the issue of selling weapons to the
Indians
WAR of 1812
– Last Battle of the War of 1812, happened after the Treaty was signed……news traveled much slower to New Orleans
– Battle of New Orleans: Great victory for the USA over the British…..makes Andrew Jackson a war hero
• Inspired a fun song by Johnny Horton…..”In 1814 we took a little trip, along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip,..we took a little bacon and we took a little beans and we beat the bloody British at the town of New Orleans….”
WAR of 1812
• End of the war brings relief
• National Pride
• International …..”OK…you are the “USA”
• Thus begins the so-called
»“ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS”
End Unit 2
• Complete Unit Comps….use concrete evidence for your support
• Review and memorize Vocabulary
• Review homework in the order it was assigned
• Review Bellwork Journal entries!!
• Read previously NOT Read sections
