The New The New GovernmentGovernment

1776-18001776-1800

Confederation to ConstitutionConfederation to Constitution• With the loss of thousands of loyalist

conservatives the colonies were run by more extreme patriots

• The Continental Congress (1774) had called for an end to slavery

• In 1775 Philadelphia Quakers founded the first anti-slavery movement – all men were not equal

• The Continental Congress asked the states to write new constitutions

• All constitutions created a weak executive and judicial branch

The New NationThe New Nation• Main question was addressing the rights of the

people

• Republic – meant public good

• Monarchies had lasted – republics had all failed

• John Adams Thoughts on Government (1777) power should be divided among 3 different branches – executive, legislative, and judicial- legislative has two houses neither based on social standing - but the people should not have authority over officials and justices should be appointed

• Between 1776 and 1787 the states created a variety of documents with many different ideas

• Most agreed on a written constitution based on popular sovereignty

• In 1779 Massachusetts called a special convention for the purpose of making a constitution

• Most constitutions did have a separation of powers and a bill of rights to protect the basic freedoms

• Most limited the power of the governor and expanded the power of the legislatures

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation• The Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid

a centralized government• In 1776 John Dickinson created a draft called

the “Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union”

• Adopted in 1777 as America’s first constitution• Each state would be like an independent

country• Each state had one vote in a national assembly

which would have one house and all 13 colonists had to approve the Articles

• Once they had been approved states could send 3-5 representatives to Congress and decisions would be settled by a simple majority

• Important issues needed at least nine states to agree

• Congress (unicameral) could:a) declare war and make peaceb) print moneyc) raise loans for public used) organize a postal systeme) regulate Indian tradef) establish weights and measuresg) settle disputes between states

• Could not:a) directly tax individuals but had to request money from the 13 statesb) regulate tradec) draft soldiers

• There was no executive branch – so no leader and no court system

RatificationRatification• In 1777 the Articles were ready for ratification• 1778, 8 of the 13 had ratified• 1779, 4 more ratified – Maryland held out• The power to control the western lands

remained with the states – Maryland wanted Congress to have the power. The large states would take the land and increase their power

• Eventually New York and Virginia ceded part of their western land to Congress for public good

• In 1781 the Articles were ratified

Peace of Paris 1783Peace of Paris 1783

• Franklin, Adams, and Jay met in Paris

• The British were sick of fighting and wanted peace with America

• Jay believed the French had ulterior motives for the land east of the Alleghenies so quickly settled with the British

• Britain formally recognized the USABorders included: Mississippi in the west, Great Lakes in the North, Spanish Florida in the South

• Recommended that land be returned to the Loyalists

• Britain was trying to get America away from France

• The American-friendly Whigs in Parliament wanted a favorable peace

• France approved the treaty but was cautious

Problems with EuropeProblems with Europe

• Britain still refused to repeal the Navigation Laws and wanted to annex Vermont with help from the Allen brothers

• Britain also maintained forts along the frontier which angered the Americans

• In 1784 Spain closed the Mississippi River to American commerce

• Spain also claimed part of the Gulf Coast

• France demanded payment of American debts

• Pirates attacked American ships all the time

The Land Ordinance - 1785The Land Ordinance - 1785

• Land in the Old Northwest to be sold and the money used to pay off the national debt

• The area would be surveyed and divided into units 6 square miles in area – then into 36 square sections

• One area was for public schools

Northwest Ordinance - 1787Northwest Ordinance - 1787

• Created the Northwest Territory which would be divided into 3-5 territories

• Establish procedure for statehood through:Admission to the Union would be in two stages:a) territory open to settlersb) upon 60,000 inhabitants might be admitted by Congress

• All states would be equal and without slavery

• Very successful system, created the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan

Problems under the ArticlesProblems under the Articles

• The lost quickly lost its value because it was not backed by gold or silver

• Congress still could not raise money through taxation

• Congress could not pay off war debts

• British soldiers still on American soil

• Spain closed the Mississippi River to American ship is 1784

• Exports were declining and farmers were falling into serious debt

ShayShay’’s Rebellion 1786s Rebellion 1786

• Massachusetts' farmers could not pay their mortgages or taxes so the authorities started to seize property

• Led by Daniel Shay a Revolutionary War officer, 1,500 protestors surrounded the county courthouse

• They attacked the arsenal at Springfield

• The governor called out the militia

• Three protestors were killed before the riot ended

• Shay was convicted but later pardoned

• The rebellion cause many Americans to fear mobocracy and a break down of law and order

• That fear led to others calling for strong control by government and more importantly – a strong document than the Articles

• Nine states called for a meeting in Annapolis to discuss the] need to change the article, but only five states sent representatives – the New England states did not attend

• Alexander Hamilton called for a second meeting in Philadelphia the following year

Constitutional Convention Constitutional Convention 17871787

• In Philadelphia to revise the Articles

• All the states were invited but Rhode Island refused to meet

• 73 men were selected but only 55 delegates – all wealthy and white, mostly young, attended

• 8 had signed the Declaration of Independence

• Franklin was the oldest

• Jefferson and John Adams were not present, they were abroad working. Patrick Henry refused to attend. Hamilton left the conference.

• Most of the Founding Fathers shared the same political philosophy – mainly government gained its power from the people

• The people had to be protected from tyranny and there had to be checks and balances

• A strong central authority was necessary

• They elected Washington the president of the Convention

• The meetings were held behind locked doors to keep the people out and discourage outside pressure

CompromiseCompromise

• Virginia Plan (large state plan) – proposed by Madison but presented by Edmund Randolph called for:a) Representation based on population of the stateb) Executive chosen by the legislaturec) Judiciary system with a Supreme Court

CompromiseCompromise

New Jersey Plan (small state plan) – proposed by William Patterson:a) equal representation for all states regardless of sizeb) Congressional power to tax and regulate trade

Great Compromise – Great Compromise – Connecticut PlanConnecticut Plan

• Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut - Congress would have two houses (bicameral)

• House of Representatives – based on population• Senate – with two senators from each state• All tax bills start in the House• There would be a strong executive branch with a

president who had veto power and would be commander-in-chief

• President would be elected by the Electoral College

• Slaves would count as 3/5

• The convention created a system of checks and balances with safeguards against mobocracy

• Federal chief justices would be appointed for life

• The people had the power and government was based on the people

• Also made provision to stop the slave trade in 1807

• Thirty-nine delegates signed the document

• The people had expected a new Articles – they were shocked at the Constitution – the convention had been a secret to protect the framers

Federalists vs. AntifederalistsFederalists vs. Antifederalists

• Federalists were mostly wealthy and educated who wanted strong central government

• Antifederalists were mostly poor, illiterate farmers who supported states’ rights“government is best which governs least”

• They believed the constitution was undemocratic since it was written by aristocrats

• Also complained about the dropping of annual elections for congress and the creation of a standing army

RatificationRatification

• Four small states quickly ratified

• Pennsylvania was the first large state

• Massachusetts did with a promise of adding a Bill of Rights

• The Constitution was officially ratified when 9 states finally agreed in June 1788

• But – Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island all resisted

• Virginia realized that it was useless to resist once the nine states had agreed and ratified

The FederalistsThe Federalists• New York was swayed by the Federalist Papers –

a series of articles in New York newspapers published under the name “Publius” but written by Hamilton, Jay, and Madison

• The most famous article was No. 10 which said the size and diversity of the new nation would prevent any group from gaining too much power

• North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified after intense pressure from the government

• Only about ¼ of the adult males were eligible to vote at the conventions

• America had achieved a peaceful transition

The New StateThe New State1789 – Washington is selected by unanimously by

the Electoral College as the first president

• Washington selected a cabinet, despite the constitution

• In 1790 the country was overwhelmingly rural and the first census took place – almost one-fifth of the population were African-Americans

• In 1791 the Bill of Rights, which had been the major objection to the Constitution by the antifederalists, was adopted, but it did not help Indians or African-Americans

Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

• He wanted the federal govt. to assume its debt ($54 m) plus the states’ debt ($21m)

• Massachusetts - huge debt, Virginia didn’t so problems

• District of Columbia to be built in VA as compensation

• Hamilton believed the more people were owed money the more they would care about the country

• 1791 he also passed an excise tax on whiskey

National BankNational Bank• Hamilton was the Secretary of the Treasury and

he designed a plan to make the country an industrial power and create a uniform paper currency

• Placed high protective tariffs on imports• Created a National Bank to assist in tax

collection and the sale of bonds• The Bank would remain under control of

Congress but private funds would make up four-fifths of the $10 million capital

• Opposed by Jefferson and Madison who argued it was not in the Constitution

Whiskey Rebellion 1794Whiskey Rebellion 1794• Farmers in Western Pennsylvania claimed the

Hamilton’s whiskey tax was unconstitutional and used force to stop the collection

• Washington ordered the “Whiskey Boys” to go home and end their protest

• Eventually Washington sent 15,000 troops to suppress the rebellion - the first time federal troops had been used to make states comply

• Twenty “Whiskey Boys” were eventually rounded up and and thrown in prison. Two were found guilty of treason but pardoned by Washington

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

• There were no political parties only factions

• Hamilton alienated more and more people

• Those against Washington’s policies were called Democratic-Republicans - Jefferson

• Supporters were called Federalists - Hamilton

Neutrality ProclamationNeutrality Proclamation• When France and Britain went to war the

Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans wanted America to help France since they had signed the treaty in 1778 which promised to be perpetual allies

• Washington knew that was a stupid move and wanted to benefit from trade with both powers

• In 1793 he issued his famous Neutrality Proclamation

• America would be officially neutral – which pleased no one

Citizen GenCitizen Genêêtt• Jefferson advised Washington to recognize the

new French government and accept a French ambassador

• In 1793 Citizen Charles Genêt arrived in America

• Once in America Genêt became an embarrassment by telling privateers to attack British shipping

• When Genêt was advised to keep quiet but threatened to go straight to the people

• He was recalled to France but refused to go and married an American

JayJay’’s Treatys Treaty• Treaty of Greenville 1795 forced the Indians to

give their land in the Northwest to Congress and the Americans believed the British had supplied the Indians with weapons

• British navy seized American ships and men despite the fact the US was neutral

• The Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans called for war with Britain – Washington refused

• Jay was sent to Britain to avert war• British would repay lost shipping – America

would pay pre-war debt

Pinckney Treaty - 1795Pinckney Treaty - 1795

• Granted the states the right to freely navigate the Mississippi and deposit goods at New Orleans for three years – to be re-negotiated later

• A commission would settle the issue of compensation with Spain later

• Both sides promised to stop using Indians to attack the other

• The treaty was easily ratified and strongly supported by the western states who needed the Mississippi River

Farewell AddressFarewell Address• The Democratic-Republicans were very upset

about not going to war and having to repay pre-war debts because southern farmers would have to pay

• After two terms Washington stepped down• His Farewell Address warned of the dangers of

signing permanent alliances • Hamilton was the logical successor but he was

unpopular• Adams won (71-68) with Jefferson as vice-

president

John AdamsJohn Adams• Adams was hated by Hamilton and Jefferson

• France was very upset at Jay’s Treaty which violated the Franco-American Treaty (1778)

• The French started seizing American ships

XYZ AffairXYZ Affair• Adams sent 3 envoys to France

• 3 French agents (X, Y, Z) approached the Americans and asked for a huge bribe - $250,000 just to make sure the Americans talked to Talleyrand

• The envoys refused and returned to America as heroes

• Many Americans called for war, but Adams remained neutral

• Congress did authorize the capture of armed French vessels, and the end of the 1778 alliance

Alien and Sedition ActsAlien and Sedition Acts• Federalists changed national policy to prevent

aliens entering the country

• The president could deport people he deemed dangerous during peacetime and throw them in jail during war

• The Sedition Act – aimed at the JDR – enabled the government to fine or imprison people for criticizing the government

• It was unconstitutional but passed with a Federal majority in Congress and supported by a Federal Supreme Court

Virginia and Kentucky Virginia and Kentucky ResolutionsResolutions

• Virginia – MadisonKentucky – Jefferson

• Fearful of the Federalists the Democratic-Republicans wrote letters to the Virginia and Kentucky legislatures

• They said the nation was formed by a compact theory – the states should be the final say over laws passed in Congress

• Both states nullified the Alien and Sedition Acts• Federalists said it was people that made the

states and the Supreme Court had the power to annul