Chapter 7 Learning Objectives

What is the character of the first state constitution and in what ways did they reflect postwar view of republicanism

• View of republicanism• Too big, people too diverse to unify• Colonists loyal to states not nation• Fears of strong central government

• State Constitutions• Change balance of power between branches• Governors almost no power• Worried threaten popular liberty

• Legislature- powerful

• Believed constitutions were apart from and above government

What are the Articles of Confederation and why the formation of the first national government roused little interest. • Articles of Confederation-1781• Created loose confederation of sovereign states- weak

central government• Continuation of 2nd cont. congress

• Little interest• No executive branch• No policies on finance, foreign policy and war, could not

levy taxes or regulate trade• States make and execute laws• *Afraid of arousing opposition (colonists tend to rebel

against centralized authority)

How did the West give way to diplomatic and domestic conflicts

• British influence in Canada- forts kept (can’t force out)• No enforcement of territories

• Spanish encourage secession of southwesterners• Cumberland Gap to reach KY and TN• Spanish close Mississippi River• Disputed land claims and territories• Landed vs. landless states

• Legislatures no longer bourgeoisie- poor men has more representation but focus on area not common good.

Northwest Territory• Land ceded by states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,

Michigan, Wisconsin)• Congress held territory• Until occupied by 5,000 residents then legislature est. • When 60,000 apply for statehood (3-5 states)

• Northwest Ordinance• Fears of democratic excess • withheld full self-government from these new territories until

statehood.• Ordinance established an orderly way of incorporating the

frontier into the federal system Guaranteed basic rights• Freedom of religion, trial by jury, support for public education• Outlawed slavery

Social Equality• South depended on slavery• Condemned Parliamentary taxation as political slavery- all

men created equal• Human property a right of Republicanism• Af. Am. Status unchanged- slavery grew and expanded