Constitution and the New Republic

Chapter 6

Main Themes

• How and why the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation.

• How differing views of what the nation should become led to the rise of America’s first political parties.

• The way in which the new United States was able to establish itself as a nation in the eyes of foreign power and of its own people.

• The rise and fall of the Federalist Party.

IDs

1. Alexander Hamilton

2. James Madison

3. Virginia Plan

4. The Great Compromise

5. Separation of Powers

6. The Federalist Papers

7. Judiciary Act of 1789

8. Election of 1792

9. Whiskey Rebellion

10. Neutrality Act

11. Jay’s Treaty

12. Pinckney’s Treaty

13. Election of 1796

14. Alien and Sedition Acts

15. Election of 1800

Outlining the Chapter

• Constitution and the New Republic• Framing a New Government

• • Advocates of Centralization

• Supporters of a Strong National Government• •

• Alexander Hamilton• •

• A Divided Convention• The Founding Fathers

• •

• The Virginia Plan• •

Constitution of 1787

• James Madison – major contributor and political genius

• Major questions: sovereignty and limiting power• How could national and state gov. exercies sovereignty at the same time?

• Answer: power came from the people• Nobody is truly sovereign

• Constitution and government “supreme law” of the land• States could not defy

• Federal government powers• Power to tax, regulate commerce, control currency and pass laws

• Gone was states retaining all undelegated powers

Power

• Keep gov. close to the people to avoid tyranny

• Large republic better• So many fractions no one can take total control

• Separation of Powers• Executive, judicial and legislative

• Checks and balances• Creation of a law

Federalists and Antifederalists

• Constitution specified that 9 of 13 states had to ratify

• Could then be amended

• Federalists were better organized• Had Franklin and Washington

• Hamilton, Madison and Jay wrote essays explaining the Constitution (Publius)

• Condensed into a book – Federalist Papers

Antifederalists

• Would establish a tyrannical government• Increase taxes, obliterate the states, dictorial powers, favor well born over common people

• Lacked a bill of rights

• Federalists feared disorder and chaos• Unchecked power of the masses

• Antifederalists feared concentration of powers