CHAPTER 2 SECTION 3

Problems Facing the New United States, 1783-1787

◦How to govern with a weak government with huge debt and a chaotic economic system

◦The issue of the Western Lands•States, spurred by Virginia example, had begun ceding their claims to western territories to national government. •How to include westerners, now, in the national community?

EARLY STATE GOVERNMENTS

◦After the Revolution, the Patriots feared another totalitarian or abusive parliament, so therefore they refused to entrust the new central government with much power.

◦Most colonists wanted a weak central government with strong state governments

◦Republic-government where citizens rule through their elected representatives•Expanded power of the common people•Two major types of state governments created

◦Type 1: Strong Legislatures (weak governors/no governors)◦Sought greater rights for the people◦Unicameral Legislatures: one single house, members elected by the people.

◦Considered more democratic◦Less common

◦Type 2: Power divided ◦Bicameral Legislature: lawmaking body with two houses, a Senate and a House of Representatives

2-houseBicameral=2 house

legislatureBicycle=2 wheels

◦Type 1: Strong Legislatures (weak governors/no governors)◦Sought greater rights for the people◦Unicameral Legislatures: one single house, members elected by the people.

◦Considered more democratic◦Less common

◦Type 2: Power divided ◦Bicameral Legislature: lawmaking body with two houses, a Senate and a House of Representatives◦Senate: made up of well educated, wealthy, gentlemen◦House: Common voters

◦Governors more common-elected though◦Considered more traditional◦Why do you think well educated gentlemen would like this?

Who should vote?◦All people?◦All free men?◦Property owning men?◦Most states: white males who owned property were the individuals voting in the new United States

◦What do you think they were scared of?

Articles of Confederation: the first constitution/form of government of the United States◦Confederation: alliance among states and the individual states have the power

◦Consisted of a congress of delegates-chosen by state legislatures rather than by voters

◦Go to page 67 in your textbook and complete the chart about the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of the Confederation

Powers Granted

◦Make Laws◦Implement Laws◦Enforce Laws◦Each state can send 7 delegates, only one vote per colony though

◦Regulate foreign affairs

◦Administer relations with Indian nations

Weaknesses ◦No way to tax or make money

◦No way to regulate business between states

◦Each state only has one vote (regardless of population)

◦2/3 majority needed to pass laws

◦Articles could only be amended with 100% state support

◦No president/executive branch to enforce acts of Congress

◦No federal court system

◦Each state made their own currency

Why didn’t the Articles establish a stronger central

government?Because they had just

gotten out of a revolution where they were fighting an

totalitarian central government with King

George III!

Western Territories

◦Even though the Articles were lacking in many ways, they did create rules for developing western territories

◦Northwest Territory: north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania to the Mississippi

◦By selling land to farmers and speculators-hoped to raise money

Important Accomplishment of Articles

◦Jefferson: “Government for the Western Territory,” 1784.

◦A plan to carve up the western public domain into states in an orderly, democratic fashion, with each new state assuming full equality with the original 13.

Shays Rebellion

Constitutional Convention◦Weaknesses of the Articles (and Shay’s Rebellion) inspire delegates to meet at Independence Hall in Philadelphia◦Power to tax, regulate commerce

◦Convention opened May 25, 1787

“for the sole and express purpose of revising the

Articles of Confederation”

What did it look like?◦Secret meetings, very hot, no windows—not what you’d

imagine

◦Thomas Jefferson/John Adams in Europe—not part of convention but still write to delegates often

Alexander Hamilton-N.Y.◦“bold in action, conservative in principles”

◦Disliked how democratic the United States had become

◦Advocate of a STRONG central government

◦Viewed British system of government as ideal

◦aristocracy, monarchy, and representative body

James Madison-Virginia◦Favored republican system, yet

dissatisfied with how the United States were functioning at the time

◦Wanted strong government while maintaining republican principles◦ Believed a large republic with diverse

interests would preserve the common good

◦Thought “learned” men should be political leaders

◦Kept detailed notes of the Constitutional Convention◦ brought a blueprint for the Constitution

James Madison

Virginia Plan◦Proposed by James Madison

◦Most preferred

◦Secured power for national congress to tax/regulate commerce

◦3 branches

◦Congress would have power to veto state laws

◦Called for strong president◦1 term of 7yrs◦Command armed forces, appoint all exec./judicial officers

Proposed a Congress composed of: 2 Houses

Proposed that representation in Congress be based on: Population, or financial support state offers to gov.

How are reps chosen? Members of the house are elected by popular vote; senate nominated by state legislature then chosen by house

New Jersey Plan◦Moderate in changes

◦Favored by small states

◦Gave commerce power to tax and regulate commerce

◦Retained unicameral legislature◦states all represented

equally regardless of population

◦No president

◦States remained sovereign expect for few powers that were reserved for national government

Proposed a Congress composed of: 1 House

Proposed that representation in Congress be based on: Equal representation for each state

How are reps chosen? Elected by state legislatures

Great Compromise/U.S. Constitution as we know it

◦Melding together of Virginia Plans and New Jersey Plans

◦Senate would equally represent each state◦2 per state

◦House of Representative would be based on population

◦Federal Power vs. States power◦Madison abandons

veto power of the national gov.

◦States wouldn’t violate any law made by federal government

Number of houses in Legislature: 2

How is rep. determined? Equal representation in the Senate; representation for House determined by state’s population

How are reps chosen? Members of the house are elected by popular vote; senate nominated by state legislature (later changes w/17th amendment)

Three Fifths Compromise◦Southerners had feared convention/new constitution

◦ Worried slavery would be outlawed, hurting their economy and making them inferior to Northern states and industries

◦ North Carolina and Georgia threatened to leave convention unless new constitution protected slavery

◦Northern states felt that representation in Congress should be based on the number of: people, not including the slave population in each state

◦Southern states felt that representation in Congress should be based on the number of: people, including the slave population

Conditions of the compromise:

1.Importation of slaves would not be blocked by congress for at least 20 years

2.3/5 of slave population in southern states would count towards their total free population—increased # of reps in House

3.Committed all states (even free states) to return fugitive slaves to their owners

◦Settles issue of counting slaves as population

Turn to page 82 and start your Constitution

work

RATIFICATION AND THE BILL

OF RIGHTS

Turn to page 69-70 and fill in the two boxes

marked “Federalists” and Anti-Federalists”

The DebateAnti-Federalists

◦Fear strong government and a more elitist system

◦Said new constitution “retreated” from principles of Revolution

◦Thought it was dangerous not having a Bill of Rights

◦Said constitution would not accurately represent the people

◦Sam Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry

Federalists◦Want to ratify proposed constitution

◦Favor strong central government

◦George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton support

◦Stressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

◦Wrote a collection of essays

What do they both want? A working government for our country.◦Concession Made◦Federalists promise a Bill of Rights (James Madison eventually drafts)

◦New Constitution ratified—new government formed 1789

◦If the Federalists deserve credit for the Constitution, then the Antifederalists deserve credit for the Bill of Rights.

Principles of the New Constitution

◦Popular Sovereignty:◦All government powers come from the people

◦Limited Government:◦Government has only the powers that the Constitution gives it

◦Rule of law that even the government leaders aren’t above

◦Separation of Powers◦Different responsibilities w/ 3 branches—Legislative, Executive, Judicial

◦Federalism◦Divides powers between states and national government

◦Some rights reserved for national and some for state government

Principles of the New Constitution◦Checks and Balances: Each branch of the government has the power to limit the actions of the other two ◦President can veto laws

◦But 2/3 majority vote in HOR and Senate can override them

◦President nominates judges, Senate approves◦Supreme Court determines acts Constitutional/Unconstitutional

◦Indirect Democracy-elect representative to govern

◦Electoral College:◦Group of people chosen from each state to indirectly elect the President

Now complete the Venn Diagram dealing with the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution

Both

◦World's oldest written constitution still in effect

◦200 + years!

◦7,000 words

◦Worded to permit flexibility and future use

◦Outlined process for its own amending

◦Still difficult though