Shaping a New Nation

Americans adopt the Articles of Confederation. A new constitution is ratified after Federalists agree to include a Bill of Rights.

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SECTION 2

SECTION 3

Experimenting with Confederation

Drafting the Constitution

Ratifying the Constitution

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Shaping a New Nation

Section 1

Experimenting with ConfederationAmericans adopt the Articles of Confederation but find the new government too weak to solve the nation’s problems.

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Americans Debate RepublicanismColonies Become States• People consider self-governing colonies the basic

political unit - colonists give their allegiance to colony- idea persists when colonies become states

Unity Through a Republic• Colonists believe democracy gives too much power

to uneducated• Prefer republic—citizens rule through elected

representatives• Views of republicanism, government based on

consent of people:- John Dickinson: put nation’s good above self, only way a republic will work- Economist Adam Smith and followers: pursue own interests politically and economically

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State Constitutions• Many states limit powers of governors, make strong

legislatures; fear of executive authority • Most guarantee specific bill of rights to citizens (ie:

freedom of religion) • Stress liberty, not equality: only white males can vote; in

most states must own property

continued Americans Debate Republicanism1

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Political Precedents• The founding fathers searched history for political

precedents for a representative government, free of monarchy.

• Previous republican governments cannot be adapted to U.S. needs:- none balanced concerns of state and national governments

• Ancient Greece, Rome, Italian city-states did not last

Females vote in New Jersey: 1776-1807The New Jersey State Constitution inadvertently gave women the right to vote. The 1776 New Jersey Constitution had vaguely stated that “all inhabitants” of the state could vote. As New Jersey’s constitution made no reference to sex, adult women who were worth fifty pounds and had resided in the county they wished to vote in for one year were granted suffrage. Women voted in large numbers until 1807, when the Assembly passed a law limiting suffrage to free white males. The 1807 law was not seen as specifically hostile to women; instead, it was intended to clarify the Constitution’s guarantee of the franchise to “all inhabitants.” Because some objected that “all inhabitants” could allow slaves and aliens to vote, the Assembly acted to clarify the state’s voting requirements.

Articles of Confederation1

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Supreme Power: Can It Be Divided?• Confederation or alliance: national government, states

share powers (superiority over each other in different matters)

• Articles of Confederation—laws assigning national, state powers --Goes into effect 1781

• National government handles war, treaties, weights, measures, mail

• No executive or court system established to enforce, interpret laws

Western Lands: Who Gets Them?• Vague western boundaries of colonial charters• Claims of different states conflicted• States without claims tend to be small (MD, DE, RI)• Maryland approves Articles when western land claims

given to federal, not state powerContinued . . .

continued Articles of Confederation

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Governing the Western Lands• Land Ordinance of 1785 creates plan for surveying

western lands• Northwest Ordinance of 1787—plan for creating

territories, statehood--Congress would appoint a territorial governor

--When a territory reached 5,000 voting residents, they can write a temp constitution & elect their own gov’t

--When a territory reached 60,000 free people, they could write a state constitution to be approved by Congress before granted statehood

• Decided that new states would be equal to the 13• 5 states were formed: OH, IN, IL, MI, WI• Articles of Confederation’s greatest achievements

The Confederation Encounters ProblemsEconomic Problems• Congress has no authority to regulate trade; each

state looks out for itself• Congress amasses huge debt during

Revolutionary War• Foreign debts cannot be paid

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Borrowers Versus Lenders• Depression hits farmers the worst• Creditors favor high taxes so they will be paid back• Taxes put farmers in debt; many lose land and

livestock• Debtors want large supply paper money; creditors

want small supply

continued The Confederation Encounters Problems

Foreign-Relations Problems• U.S. does not pay debts to British merchants or

compensate Loyalists • In retaliation, Britain refuses to evacuate forts on

Great Lakes• In 1784, Spain closes Mississippi River to

American navigation• Westerners unable to ship crops east through New

Orleans• Congress unable to resolve problems with foreign

nations

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continued The Confederation Encounters Problems

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation• Congress can’t enact and collect taxes• Can’t regulate interstate or foreign trade --Each state issued its own currency• Each state has one vote, regardless of population• 2/3 majority needed to pass laws• Articles can be amended only if all states approve• No executive branch to enforce laws• No national court system• No national army, navy

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Section 2

Drafting the ConstitutionAt the Philadelphia convention in 1787, delegates reject the Articles of Confederation and create a new constitution.

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Nationalists Strengthen the GovernmentShays’s Rebellion• 1786–87 armed farmers demand closing of courts

to avoid losing farms• Shays’s Rebellion—state militia defeats farmers

led by Daniel Shays • Many leaders fear rebellion will spread through

country • George Washington calls for stronger national

government

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Annapolis Convention• 5 states send delegates to meeting on interstate trade

and other financial problems (1786)• VA, NJ, DE, PA, NY• Present were James Madison of Virginia and

Alexander Hamilton of New York

continued Nationalists Strengthen the Government

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Convention Highlights• In 1787, 55 delegates meet at Pennsylvania State

House• Rhode Island, as a small state, was against

federalism…thought it would strip states of rights• Washington unanimously elected presiding officer

Conflict Leads to CompromiseBig States Versus Small States• Delegates recognize need to strengthen central

government- decide to form new government

• Edmund Randolph’s Virginia Plan: bicameral legislature based on population

• William Paterson’s New Jersey Plan: single house, one vote per state

• Roger Sherman, delegate from Connecticut, proposes Great Compromise:- Senate has equal representation, elected by state legislatures- House of Representatives, based on population, elected by people

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Slavery-Related Issues• South wants slaves in population count for House,

not for taxes• North wants slaves in population count for taxes,

not for House• Three-Fifths Compromise allows 3/5 of state’s

slaves to be counted• Congress given power to regulate foreign trade• Cannot interfere with slave trade for 20 years

continued Conflict Leads to Compromise

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Creating a New GovernmentDivision of Powers• Federalism—division of power between national

and state governments• National government has delegated or

enumerated powers• Nation handles foreign affairs, defense, interstate

trade, money• Powers kept by states are called reserved

powers• States handle education, marriage laws, trade

within state• Shared powers include right to tax, borrow money,

establish courts

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continued Creating a New Government

Separation of Powers• Legislative branch makes laws• Executive branch enforces laws• Judicial branch interprets laws• Checks and balances prevent one branch from

dominating the others• Electoral college—electors chosen by states to

vote for president

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Creating the Constitution• Constitution can be changed through amendment

process

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Section 3

Ratifying the ConstitutionDuring the debate on the Constitution, the Federalists promise to add a bill of rights in order to get the Constitution ratified.

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Federalists and AntifederalistsControversies over the Constitution• Ratification (official approval) requires support of

nine states• Voters elect delegates to vote on ratification at state

convention• Federalists

---favor balance between state, national ---emphasis on a stronger national government ---Leaders: James Madison, John Jay, Alexander

Hamilton• Antifederalists oppose strong central government

- may serve interests of privileged minority- unlikely to manage a large country well- Constitution does not protect individual rights

- Leaders: Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee

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The Opposing Forces• Federalists ---Urban centered--merchants, workers favor

trade/commerce regulations ---Small or weak states want protection of strong

government • Antifederalist ---Rural areas: farmers fear additional taxes

(remember Shay’s Rebellion?) ---Large or strong states fear loss of freedom to

strong government• The Federalist Papers—essays that defend,

explain, analyze Constitution• Antifederalists read Letters from the Federal Farmer:

written anonymously ---Constitution would tear down states rights and

lead to a loss of liberty ---lists rights they want protected

continued Federalists and Antifederalists

The Federal Farmer

The Federalist Papers“But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society.”

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The Bill of Rights Leads to RatificationPeople Demand a Bill of Rights• Antifederalists demand written guarantee of

people’s rights• Federalists promise bill of rights if states ratify

Constitution

Ratification of the Constitution• December 1787–June 1788, nine states ratify

Constitution; DE first state to ratify• Federalists need support of large states Virginia

and New York• After opposition and debate, Virginia and New

York ratify by 1788; RI and NC still hold out• The new government becomes a reality in 1789

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Adoption of a Bill of Rights• 1791, Bill of Rights, or first ten amendments, ratified

by states• First Amendment—freedom of religion, speech, press,

politics • Second: A well regulated militia being necessary to the

security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

• Third—no quartering of soldiers• Fourth through Eighth—fair treatment for persons

accused of crimes• Ninth—people’s rights not limited to those mentioned

in Constitution• Tenth—people, states have all rights not specifically

assigned• After Bill of Rights adopted, RI and NC finally ratify the

Constitution

continued The Bill of Rights Leads to Ratification

The Militia Act of 1792Militia members, referred to as "every citizen, so enrolled and notified," "...shall within six months thereafter, provide himself..." with a musket, bayonet and belt, two spare flints, a cartridge box with 24 bullets, and a knapsack. Men owning rifles were required to provide a powder horn, 1/4 pound of gunpowder, 20 rifle balls, a shooting pouch, and a knapsack. Some occupations were exempt, such as congressmen, stagecoach drivers, and ferryboatmen. Otherwise, men were required to report for training twice a year, usually in the Spring and Fall.

"I loves mah guns...loves mah guns"