Bell Ringer

• What year did the American Colonies declare their independence from Great Britain?

• What was an indentured servant?

• Where was the institution of slavery prevalent in the USA? Why?

Bell Ringer

• What was chattel slavery?

• What were the Articles of Confederation?

• Why would it be difficult to deal with slavery in the newly formed USA? Explain.

Bell Ringer

• What are the three branches of government?

• What is the Bill of Rights?

• Why would it be important to have a Bill of Rights?

CH 6-8: Early America: The Origins of Slavery & Early Government

Origins of Slavery

• Chattel slavery (Traditional slavery: where a person can be treated as personal property) did not originally exist in the American Colonies.

• The main source of labor was indentured servants.– Under indentured servitude an

individual agreed (through a contract) to work for an individual for a number of years (normally 7) in exchange for food, clothing, shelter, and possibly learning some trade.

– Because disease was so prevalent in the early colonies many of these indentured servants died before their 7 years were up

• Chattel slavery was extremely prevalent in the Caribbean• In 1619 a Dutch ship brought 20 African slaves ashore at

Jamestown, VA. These slaves were “left over” from the Caribbean

• These original Africans were bought, but entered into Indentured Servitude contracts much the same way Europeans would have

• In the early years of the colony, many Africans and poor whites -- most of the laborers came from the English working class -- stood on the same ground. Black and white women worked side-by-side in the fields.

• Traditionally, Englishmen believed they had a right to enslave a non-Christian or a captive taken in a just war.

• Ideas began to change though: What if status were determined not by (changeable) religious faith but by (unchangeable) skin color?

• Indentured servants, especially once freed, began to pose a threat to the property-owning elite by owning land, and demanding more rights.

Indentured Servants v Slaves• Pro Indentured Servants

– Legally Contracted

• Cons Indentured Servants– Contracts ended, had to be

replaced– Demanded more rights as

citizens– Took land away from the elite– If they ran away, they blended

in with the population– Threatened to take jobs/work

from others through competition

• Pro Slaves– If slavery is defined by skin color

you can not change that– Fits into the European ideal of

the “White Man’s Burden”– Slaves you owned, so therefore

you owned their offspring (1662)– If they run away they are easily

found– Steady supply available from the

Caribbean or Africa– Seemed better suited for hard

labor in hot conditions

• Cons Slaves– Morally & Ethically wrong

Legally defining slavery

• Massachusetts was the first state to legally recognize slavery in 1641

• Virginia legally defined slavery as “all children born in the colony to a slave mother,” in 1662

• In 1705 Virginia declared that "All servants imported and brought in this County... who were not Christians in their Native Country... shall be slaves. A Negro, mulatto and Indian slaves ... shall be held to be real estate.”

American Revolution

• From 1775-1783 the American Colonist fight against the British Empire for independence.

• Eventually the colonist win and attempt to create a government.

• The early US government was known as the Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation• This would be the Articles of Confederation, our first

constitution (Alliance).• Meanwhile, each State would create their own

constitution, each saying something different.• The Articles were extremely weak (as they couldn’t

get the states to do anything), and they soon needed to be replaced.

Achievements• Though the Articles were

pretty bad, Congress did achieve a few things:– Land Ordinance of 1785:

Surveyed (mapped) and divided new territory gained from the Treaty of Paris.

– Northwest Ordinance: Organized those new lands government (MI, OH, IN, IL, WI)• 5,000 men= elect a legislature• 60,000 men= could write a

constitution & form a government

Failures • The Articles were weak, which made foreign policy a nightmare.

• Foreign nations questioned the US’ financial stability.

• Britain also refused to remove troops from the US as they saw the Articles were weak, and aided Indians & Spanish in Attacking the Colonies in hopes of a collapse

• States would charge each other tariffs, which caused issues.

• States would also ignore Congress as they thought they were bothering them– The States were a mess

1787 Constitutional Convention• Alexander Hamilton (NY) & James

Madison (VA) would call for a Constitutional Convention replace the Articles. (Stronger Gov’t)

• George Washington was “in charge,” but was there to insist he would not be a king.

• Every state but RI would attend.• Though they were instructed to “fix”

the articles many believed a new system was needed.– All 55 members were, “the well-bred,

the well-fed, the well- read, and the well-wed.” (White, avg 42)

People of Note

• Ben Franklin: 81, oldest member• George Washington: Hero of the Revolution• Alexander Hamilton: Brilliant up and comer• James Madison: Political Genius• Thomas Jefferson & John Adams were out of

the country (France & England)– Samuel Adams refused to go because he didn’t

want a strong government.• Notably all were landowning, old, white, males

Making the Constitution• Madison will be hugely

influential in the forming of the Constitution (Father of Constitution).

• Delegates favor:– Separation of Powers: 3

branch government– Checks & balances: each

branch being able to limit another branches power

Plans & Compromise: Representation

What to do about Slavery?• The US Constitution begins with

the following words:

“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.”

– How did the founding fathers reconcile the idea of “all men being equal,” with the fact that people in the Americas own other people?

Compromises on Slavery

• Slavery: Northern states wanted it abolished, the south opposed. (Representation & Taxes)– 3/5s Compromise: 5 Slaves =

3 Whites• Commerce: Northern

wanted the government to have control over Trade, South opposed (Slave Trade)– Compromise: Congress could

regulate foreign & interstate trade, but couldn’t outlaw slavery until 1808

Electoral College• After deciding on having a single

President, there were debates on how to elect them.

• Electoral College: a special body of voters from each state who would elect the president. – Equal to number of members in

Congress. – These “voters” tended to vote the

way the state voted.• The Convention closes Sept 1787

Bill of Rights

• 9 of 13 states needed to ratify the Constitution

• By January 1788 DE, PA, NJ, GA, & CT have ratified the Constitution.

• MA called attention to the fact there was no Bill of Rights, and the peoples’ rights could be infringed upon.

• MA & other states ratify on the condition that a Bill of Rights is added.

• The new Congress will form the Bill, and by 1791 10 states ratified it. (10 B.R. + 17 = 27Amendments)