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Ch. 6: A More Perfect Ch. 6: A More Perfect Union 1775-1789Union 1775-1789

American History (CHA3U1)

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Introduction

state and national gov’ts are established under the Articles of Confederation, but new national gov’t weak – many Americans fear strong executive power

Strong central authority needed to keep the republic intact Constitution created

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Constitution Signing

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Sec. 1: Gov’t in Transition New state gov’ts

bicameral (two house legislatures) similar to colonial gov’t

Distrust of strong executive power made state governors weak with only 1 yr terms and no veto powers

Citizenship Restrictions only white male property owners could vote

George Washington

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Sec. 1: Gov’t in Transition

Religious Freedom Southern colonies disestablished Church Of England but New England still gave tax support to Congregational Church

States still discriminated based on gender, race, religion & economic standing, but trial by jury & freedom of the press existed

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The Articles of Confederation 1777 Congress completed

A of C – the first attempt at a central government

1781 A of C ratified after 4 yrs of dispute over western land claims by Virginia when British General Cornwallis’s army moved towards Virginia

The Albany Plan

The States were wary of a strong central government so they took Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Plan as their guide

They created what they called a “firm league of friendship” among the states

Originally Congress was a unicameral system (one house) and each state had one vote (this would later cause a problem due to population differences

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Problems with the Plan The national government proved ineffective

for a number of reasons

1. No executive branch to carry out laws

2. No federal courts to interpret laws

3. Congress did not have the power to tax or or regulate commerce

4. Congress had to depend on the generosity of the states for income but they didn’t give enough

Because the central government had no real power no one really attended session (it was difficult to even convene to ratify the treaty ending the Revolutionary war in 1783

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Foreign Relations Treaty Violations British and

Americans did not carry out the terms of the Treaty of Paris 1783 with the British not abandoning their northern forts

The Americans treated Loyalists harshly and courts heavily favoured the American side in grievance cases regarding Britain

American Trade Suffers American ships were banned from the West Indies and only allowed into English ports with the products of their home states

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Foreign Relations

Trouble with Spain Spanish unhappy with the Treaty of Paris 1783 that gave the Americans all the land to the Mississippi R

Spain controlled New Orleans & refused to follow the Treaty of Paris boundary inciting Natives to attack American settlers in the disputed areas

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Foreign Relations

Strained Relations with France French gov’t disappointed that there wasn’t more trade with America after the high cost of helping America against the British

Barbary Pirates unprotected by the British, North African states captured American ships that didn’t pay a tribute

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Settling the West “The West” was the next area of settlement Late 1700s area of settlement just west of the

Appalachian Mts Congress (National Gov’t) could not meet the needs of

settlers (protection from Natives, Spanish control of Miss. R.)

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Talk of Secession G. Washington made trip to

Tennessee & Kentucky and observed that the region was barely hanging on to Confederation

The areas were unable to obtain statehood from Congress so they were considering seceding from the Union

As a result two laws were established that set a precedent for the future growth of the nation

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Land Ordinance of 1785 more orderly method for settling public land north of the Ohio River Land would be surveyed and divided into townships six miles square Land would be sold for $1 per acre in 640 acre packages which could then be sold

for a profit

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 region bounded by the Ohio R., Great Lakes, Miss. R. divided into 3 territories whenever 5000 adult male citizens settled in a territory they could set up a

territorial gov’t like a British colony The national government would appoint and pay judges and a territorial governor Same rights as original 13 colonies – freedom of religion, speech, and assembly Prohibited slavery north Territory 60,000 people statehood

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State Disputes

The eastern states engaged in disputes with one another as a result of suspicion and rivalry from the postwar depression that occurred following the Revolution

Boundary and Tax Disputes Vermont claimed by New York, New Hampshire, Massachussetts

Pennsylvania & Connecticut almost went to war States taxed each others products Each state had their own currency

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Shay’s Rebellion

Daniel Shay led a farmers rebellion in Mass against the state government because farmers were losing their farms to debt

Rebellion caused great alarm among those who believed in orderly government

Showed need for strong central government

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Toward a New Constitution A meeting was called in the states of

Philadelphia, “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”

The Philadelphia Convention was set for May 24, 1787

12 of the 13 states were represented (Rhode Island was not present)

55 delegates attended the convention – many of the most able political leaders (e.g. Washington, Franklin, Madison)

Their goal was to work out a plan for a stronger central government

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The Virginia Plan James Madison from

Virginia was the first delegate to arrive with a draft of a new framework of government

The document became the basis for discussion in the convention

Constitution of the United States would be based on Madison’s Virginia Plan

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Conflicting Plans Almost all the delegates agreed that the Articles were

hopelessly weak but there were two large stumbling blocks

1. Representation – dispute between large and small states

2. Northern and Southern States disagreed over economics issues and slavery

Representation The small states wanted the

same number of votes as the larger states in Congress but the larger states felt it wasn’t fair

Large states favoured a national government with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches

The Great Compromise – the lower house of Congress would see representation based on population & in the upper house of Congress everyone would have one vote

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Economic Issues & Slavery Dispute arose between the

commercial North and the plantation interests of the South

Southerners wanted to count slaves to determine representation to Congress but not for direct taxation

The North wanted to count slaves for taxation but not for representation

“three-fifths compromise” – established that five slaves would be equal to three free persons for the purposes of representation and taxation

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The Issue of Slavery

South Carolina and Georgia were afraid that the national government might act against slavery

They insisted that the Constitution forbid interference with the slave trade

The delegates agreed that for 20 years the national government would not prevent the importation of slaves

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The New Government

The new government had more power It could levy and collect taxes – the taxes had to be

uniform throughout the states It could regulate commerce with foreign nations and

between the states It could write and enforce commercial treaties that would

increase foreign trade It could keep the trade states free of barriers It could coin money and regulate its value – states would

no longer make their own money

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Ratification Struggle

September 17, 1787 39 of the original 55 delegates signed new Constitution

11 of the 13 states would ratify the Constitution (July 1788) – they needed 9 states to ratify

Votes were close as many Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution fearing it gave too much power to the Federal government

Federalism

Strong central government States would not print their own

money but use the national currency

The Principle of shared power is called FEDERALISM

States deal with their own issues but work together with the federal government

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Levels of Government

Executive Branch – President of the United States

Legislative Branch – Congress – Bicameral (two houses)

Judicial Branch – Supreme Courts – evaluates validity of laws

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