UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

Articles of Confederation

Biggest challenge of the Second Continental Congress was to establish a central government

1777 delegates wrote the Articles of Confederation (America’s first constitution or plan of government)

they established a “firm league of friendship” between states

Created a Congress with each state having one vote (unicameral legislature)

Gave most power to the states

Problems with the Articles

Did not create office of chief executive, federal court system, or authorize Congress to raise an army or impose taxes (no branches)

Any law passed had to be approved by at least 9 of 13 states (which was rare)

Foreign countries quickly realized the weaknesses of the Articles and as a result, Britain refused to withdraw troops from the Ohio Valley despite the Treaty of Paris 1783

Unable to raise an army, the U.S. could not oppose such actions

Issues of slavery, land claims, and trade also divided the states

Daniel Shays’ Rebellion

Unable to sell crops due to falling prices, farmers could not pay loans or the heavy taxes on their land that each state had imposed to pay for its war debts

As a result, Daniel Shays led a number of farmers in rebellion

Without a national government, Massachusetts had to deal with the revolt on its own

Showed that a stronger central government was needed to deal with the nation’s problems

Thomas Jefferson believed rebellion was necessary to correct the ills of government

Constitutional Convention

Delegates from each state met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation

George Washington chosen as president of convention

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were not present because they were ambassadors in Europe

They decided to do away with the Articles completely and write the U.S. Constitution

Came up with two plans to improve the legislative branch: the Virginia Plan proposed by Edmund Randolph and James Madison and the New Jersey Plan proposed by William Paterson

Virginia Plan

Three branches (separation of powers, checks & balances)

Bicameral Legislature: lower house elected by the people, upper house chosen by lower house

Proportional representation in Congress by state population (large states loved this)

Legislative branch makes laws Chief executive (enforce laws) chosen by

legislature Federal judiciary (make sure laws were

administered fairly) Power to veto state laws

New Jersey Plan

Three branches, but a unicameral legislature (one house)

Maintain Articles of Confederation Equal representation of states (favored

by small states) Give Congress power to tax and regulate

trade Establish laws of United States as

supreme over state laws

Basis for new government

Federalism: sharing of power between federal and state governments

Constitution would be supreme law of the land

Republic: governed by representation of people’s will (Popular Sovereignty)

Limited government: only had powers granted to it by the Constitution

Three branches with ability to check each other (checks and balances)

Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan) Roger Sherman

Bicameral legislature: House of Representatives based on state’s population, Senate with each state represented equally by two members

Three-fifths compromise: three-fifths of enslaved count as part of the population to be used for calculating taxation and representation (important to the South)

Slave trade compromise: Congress would not interfere with slave trade for twenty years, Congress could limit slave trade after that time

Ratification

Debate between Federalists like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison “Father of Constitution” who supported ratification, strong central government, loose interpretation of Constitution (implied powers)

Antifederalists like Jefferson who supported strong states’ rights, strict interpretation (Republicans)

Important to many was protection of people against abuse by government

Several states refused to ratify until a Bill of Rights was included

Federalist Papers

Essays written by Hamilton and Madison to help persuade New York to ratify the Constitution

Eased the fear of one faction becoming too powerful in government

Faction: group of people bound by a common belief/cause (Federalists, Antifederalists) led to political parties (Republican and Federalist)

Federalist view won out, but Antifederalists secured a Bill of Rights

Constitution was ratified by 9 of 13 states on June 21, 1788, went into effect in 1789

Bill of Rights

Sponsored by James Madison in 1789, went into effect 1791

First 10 amendments to Constitution

Purpose: to protect civil liberties

George Washington

Was unanimously elected as first president by delegates and served in both 1789 and 1792

He quickly chose trusted men to serve in key positions as his cabinet (heads of departments who serve as the president’s key advisors)

John Adams selected as Vice President Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of

State Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of

Treasury

Hamilton’s Economic Plan

Take on state debts incurred from war To raise revenue wanted to tax whiskey Argued this would also demonstrate

power of the federal government Supported tariffs (taxes on imports) to

raise money and protect U.S. businesses from foreign competition

Proposed establishing a national bank (implied power)

Opponents

Thomas Jefferson argued the federal government was not given power to open national bank (strict interpretation)

Southerners were against tariffs because it would raise prices and lessen competition

They also feared other countries would respond with tariffs of their own

Many feared the government intended to support the wealthy few

Whiskey Rebellion

Tax on whiskey very unpopular in Penn, MD, VA, and NC with farmers who earned a living producing whiskey

Protest resulted in Whiskey Rebellion when farmers in Penn refused to pay the tax and resorted to violence

Washington showed the power of the federal government by sending in troops to halt the armed protest

Proclamation of Neutrality

Great Britain and France were once again at war

Washington recognized the U.S. could not afford to take sides

As a result, the United States’ ability to trade on the high seas was affected

Political Parties

Played major role in 1796 presidential election

John Adams (Federalist) received most votes and was elected 2nd president

According to Constitution, individual receiving second highest votes became vice president

Thomas Jefferson won, and had very different views from Adams

Adams Administration

XYZ Affair: unsuccessful attempt to improve U.S./French relations, caused U.S. to build up its military

Alien Act: allowed government to arrest, detain, or remove foreigners deemed untrustworthy

Sedition Act: severely limited free speech

Jeffersonian Republicans

Jefferson and Madison saw the alien and sedition acts as abuses of power

Adopted resolution doctrine of nullification which stated that states can nullify a national law that they believe violates the Constitution

States’ rights became highly debated leading up to the Civil War

Election of 1800

Adams v. Jefferson/Federalists v. Republicans Republicans accused Federalist Adams of wanting to

be a king Federalists proclaimed Jefferson of being an

anarchist (against any government) Electoral college voted on Jefferson and Aaron Burr

(both Republican) ending in a tie House of Rep. had to decide Hamilton (a Federalist who disagreed with Jefferson’s

politics) supported Jefferson making him the 3rd president (only because he hated Burr)

Burr never forgave Hamilton and ended up shooting and killing him in a duel