SC Government 8-2.6—Explain the role of South Carolinians in the

establishment of their new state government & the national government after the American Revolution

School House Rocks Video (3:11)

Elected a Committee of 99 that became the de facto government

Royal governor was still in Charleston, but most South Carolinians obeyed the Committee of 99

Nov 1774, the General Committee called for elections of delegates to a Provincial Congress

Representation was disproportionally from the Lowcountry

General Meeting

Raised an army Issued currency Created a committee to enforce non-importation and commissioned the writing of a constitution

that was eventually approved as the Articles of Confederation

Not everyone in SC agreed with the Provincial Congress , especially people in the backcountry

Provincial Congress

Provincial government sent a delegation to the backcountry to try and make peace

The Treaty of Ninety Six- the backcountry people agreed they would remain neutral in the fight with Great Britain

Later, the Provincial sent forces to the backcountry to defeat the Loyalist militia and silence the opposition from the backcountry

Provincial Congress

SC adopted its first state constitution making it an independent state before the Declaration of Independence was signed

Written by the provincial government to serve as a foundation for government until the disagreements with England could be resolved

SC’s First Constitution

SC’s First Constitution ◦ Two house legislative (lower house elected by the

people, upper house elected by the lower house)◦ President elected by the legislature (power to

veto laws)◦ Lowcountry had more representation than the

backcountry◦ A second constitution was created after the

signing of the Declaration of Independence (minor changes)

◦ President was now the state Governor, slightly more equal representation, & the Church of England was no longer the official, state supported church

SC Government Set-up

Continental Congress acted as the first national government

SC was the only colonial out of 13 who meet all their financial obligations to the Continental Congress

South Carolinian Henry Laurens served as President to the Continental Congress, & later on the committee that that negotiated the Treaty of Paris for the government

under the Article of Confederation

Role in New National Goven’t

The Muppets Reenact the Continental Congress (7:54)

The Articles of Confederation were written to become the first national government

SC ratified the articles quickly, but other states waited till a deal of western land ownership had been reached

Articles of Confederation were modeled on the Continental Congress, giving each state one vote

With war over & state agreement wavering led to an unsuccessful national government

After the signing of the Declaration

Debt was a major problem for the national government

Disagreements over interstate trade, currency, & taxes made the Confederation government too weak to meet the needs of the new nation

Problems with the early govn’t

Early advocate for a strong national government

Served as chair on the committee of the Confederation Congress that recommended amendments to strengthen the government under the Articles of Confederation

Tried to encourage other states to pay their obligations to the national government

Shay’s Rebellion caused other states to call for a meeting in Philadelphia to amend

the Article of Confederation & strengthen the national government

Charles Pickney

Shay’s Rebellion (6:16)