1776 each state created new independent state governments

National government needed to control trade among states and between states and foreign nations

When Richard Henry Lee called for independence, he also called for formation of a national government

Adopted in 1777 Ratified in 1781

Problems ◦ Fear of creating a national government too strong

People believed their state was their country They liked the closeness of their government Remembered the abuse of the British

◦ Fear that some states would have more power than others in a national government How would states be represented? How would the minority be treated?

Solution – Fear of strong government◦ Create a weak national government◦ Just a central legislation◦ Most power left to the state◦ Only states had power over their citizens◦ No taxing authority◦ No power to regulate trade between states

Give each state one vote◦Regardless of the population◦Nine votes had to agree on important matters such as declaration of war

Weaknesses of the Articles◦No money and no way to get it No power to tax No power to pay off Revolution debt

National government asked for $10 million got $1.5

Weaknesses of the Articles◦No power over state governments and citizensLaws passed by national government did not have to be honored; Loyalist able to keep their property or receiving recompensed for property

Weaknesses of the Articles◦ Unenforceable trade agreements. Example:

people ordering goods from a foreign nation and then not paying for goods. Foreign nation thought twice before trading with U.S.

◦ Unfair competition among the states. States would tax goods as they passed within.

◦ Threats to citizens’ right to property. Factions within states worked to create majorities that would persecute minority factions

Weaknesses of theWeaknesses of theArticles of Articles of

ConfederationConfederationA unicameral Congress [9 of 13 votes to pass a law].

13 out of 13 to amend.

Representatives were frequently absent.

Could not tax or raise armies.

No executive or judicial branches.

State ConstitutionsState ConstitutionsRepublicanism.

Most had strong governors with veto power.

Most had bicameral legislatures.

Property required for voting.

Some had universal white male suffrage.

Most had bills of rights.

Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

State Claims to Western State Claims to Western LandsLands

Land Ordinance of 1785Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of 17871787

One of the major accomplishments of the Confederation Congress!

Statehood achieved in three stages:

1. Congress appointed 3 judges & a governor to govern the territory.

2. When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners elect territorial legislature.

3. When population reached 60,000 elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.

The Revolution was won Recognition of the U.S. by foreign nations Northwest Ordinance

◦ Plan for government of the Northwest Territory◦ Set up process for statehood◦ Land set aside for education◦ Slavery prohibited

Shays Rebellion – 1786, angry farmers in Mass. ◦ Couldn’t pay debts, some sent to prison, courts

selling property to pay debts◦ Go to the Springfield arsenal to get weapons◦ Defeated by state militia◦ Fear spread to men of property that anarchy

could come

Washington “ We are either a united people or we are not. If the former, let us act as a nation”

James Madison and Alexander Hamilton

Annapolis Convention Annapolis Convention (1786)(1786)

12 representatives from 5 states[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA]

GOAL address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states.

Not enough states were represented to make any real progress.

Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

Duties of the Convention – to revise the Articles

Who attended – 55 delegates; Average age 42; ¾ had served in Congress; George Washington◦ James Madison aka “Father of the Constitution”◦ Alexander Hamilton◦ John Jay◦ Benjamin Franklin◦ James Wilson –father of the executive branch

and the electoral college

Friday May 25, 1787 Philadelphia , Pa. George Washington elected president of

the convention After setting up rules for the meeting, the

delegates decided to scrap the Articles and write a new constitution

Meetings held in secret for a free exchange of ideas

Each state would have 1 vote No decision until the entire document

written

Virginia Plan (Federal Plan)◦ Proposed a strong national government◦ National government would have the power to

make and enforce laws and collect taxes.◦ Federal system of three branches of government

legislative, executive, and judicial◦ Legislative branch would have two branches – A

House of Representatives and a Senate and seats in the houses would be based on population

New Jersey Plan◦ One house of legislation with powers to tax,

regulate trade between states and nations, laws and treaties of the Congress would be the law of the land

◦ Executive branch made up of people appointed by Congress

◦ Supreme Court appointed by the executive branch

How do you think the framers of the Constitution reacted to these plans?

The Connecticut or Great Compromise◦ Legislative two house - Senate based on two

senators from each state selected by state legislatures –House of Representatives based on proportional representation

◦ House given the taxing and government spending bills

◦ Bills had to pass both houses◦ Checks and balances set up to control each

branch

The Great Compromise◦Slavery (wording does not appear in the

Constitution) Nothing could be done to the slave trade

until 1808 to ensure that trade bills could pass with simple majorities

Slaves would count as 3/5 of a person when determining representation and taxing.

Fugitive slave clause

The Executive Branch◦ A single executive elected by the people

indirectly through electors◦ Four year term with no limit of terms◦ Powers

carrying out and enforcing laws Nominating people for federal office Negotiating treaties with other nations Conducting wars To pardon people Sending and receiving ambassadors Veto

Judicial Branch◦Supreme Court headed federal judiciary Actual set up to occur after first session of Congress

◦Nominated by President and approved by Congress - Life time appointment except for treason or judicial misconduct

States determine voter qualification Assumed only “prominent men” would hold

office This group would be known as the

“Notables”

Federalist -Franklin, Washington, Hamilton, Jay, Madison thought that it was a good document. The people should ratify the document. Have the document approved by ratifying conventions. When 9 approved it would be approved

Anti-Federalist - George Mason, Patrick Henry, Mercy Otis Warren feared the document because personal liberties were not guaranteed

Federalist tended to be men of substantial property, urban dwellers seeking prosperity, rural residents with ties to commerce

Anti-Federalist drew support from small farmers in more isolated rural areas.

Federalist control the press

A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay arguing that the Constitution should be ratified.

June 1788, New Hampshire became the 9th state to ratify; Problem New York and Virginia still undecided.

Eventually only NC and RI voted against ratification. They eventually join the Union

They agreed that when Congress met, a series of amendments would be added to guarantee personal liberties.

Constitution identifies three populations inhabiting the US◦Indians◦“Other people” – slaves◦“People” who are the only ones entitled to American freedoms and citizenship

Over 80 % of the population was literate Very Young – average age 16 years old. So,

would lead to a population explosion The great barrier of the Atlantic Ocean Abundant natural resources Majority of people were property owners Almost as large as France, Spain, G.B.

combined.

George Washington elected President; John Adams receiving the 2nd most votes became Vice-President

Capital temporarily in New York City Factions formed The Judiciary Act of 1789

Alexander Hamilton – Sec. of Treasury Thomas Jefferson – Sec. of State Henry Knox – Sec of Army Edmund Randolph – Attorney General

Pay of securities with bonds and keep the United States in debt. Wealthy financiers would be tied to the success of the U.S.

This screwed the poor and made speculators very wealthy.

The National government would take over the states war debts. Some Southern states had refinanced or paid off their war debts and feared that they would have to pay twice.

Hamilton’s payoff – the capital would be placed in the South in a special district on the Potomac

The National Bank – make easier to make loans, handling government funds, and issuing financial notes. Would legitimize American money

Split between Hamilton and Jefferson Hamilton – loose interpretation of Constitution Jefferson – strict interpretation of the

Constitution Tariffs to raise more treasury Hamilton built a stable economy in two years.

U.S. issues a proclamation of neutrality allowing U.S. merchants to trade with the French and British.

Americans divided between Pro-French and Anti – French

The bloodiness of the French revolution turned off many wealthy Americans as the French anti-Christian stance turned off the religious in america.

In April 1793, a French minister, Edmond Charles Genet, arrived in the United States and tried to persuade American citizens to join in revolutionary France's "war of all peoples against all kings.“

Genet passed out letters authorizing Americans to attack British commercial vessels.

Washington regarded these activities as clear violations of U.S. neutrality, and demanded that France recall its hot headed minister. Fearful that he would be executed if he returned to France, Genet requested and was granted political asylum.

The Genet affair intensified party divisions. From Vermont to South Carolina, supporters of the French Revolution organized Democratic-Republican clubs. Hamilton suspected that these societies really existed to stir up grass-roots opposition to the Washington administration.

The Whiskey Rebellion a new tax on spirits led to rebellion in western Pennsylvania. They quoted the French Revolution slogans such as “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity”

Washington raised an army of 12,000 to put down the rebellion and assert the authority of the national government

To open the Ohio country to white settlement, President Washington dispatched three armies.

Twice, a confederacy of eight tribes led by Little Turtle, chief of the Miamis, defeated American forces.

in 1794, a third army under the command of Anthony Wayne defeated the Indian alliance at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in northwestern Ohio.

British refuse to help the Indians

Under the Treaty of Greenville (1795), Native Americans ceded much of the present state of Ohio in return for cash and a promise that the federal government would treat the Indian nations fairly in land dealings.

The year 1794 brought a crisis in America's relations with Britain. For a decade, Britain had refused to evacuate forts in the Northwest Territory. Control of those forts allowed the British to monopolize the fur trade.

Frontier settlers believed that British officials sold firearms to the Indians and incited uprisings against white settlers.

The American statesman John Jay, pressed into service as special envoy, went to England to negotiate disagreements between the two governments. On November 19, 1794 Jay's Treaty was signed, averting the threat of war.

The Treaty eliminated British control of western posts within two years, established America's claim for damages from British ship seizures, and provided America a limited right to trade in the West Indies.

Although Jay's Treaty provoked a storm of controversy (Jay was burned in effigy by mobs of outraged Americans), President Washington pressed for ratification. The treaty passed the Senate in June, 1795.

Warned against political factionalism (no political parties)

Avoid permanent political alliances with Europe

Morality of government

Gave the United States the rights to navigate the Mississippi River and the use of the port at New Orleans

It settled borders between the U.S. and Spanish Florida

Adam’s elected to presidency in 1796.

Jefferson came in second place and would fight with Adams throughout presidency.

French navy seized American ships The French Foreign Minister Talleyrand tried

to solicit loans and bribes from the Americans

“Millions for defense, but not one cent in tribute”

Break relations with France Undeclared Naval War

Naturalization Act changed requirement for citizenship from five to fourteen years

Alien Act – Foreigners could be deported Sedition Act – prohibited the publication of

ungrounded or malicious acts on the President and Congress.

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions denounce the acts and set up states’ rights doctrine of the Constitution

Federalist want war with France. Hamilton envisions bringing Washington out of retirement to lead the army with himself second in command

Adams stands up to his party and doesn’t declare war, but ends his political career

Federalists feared that Jefferson would return power to the states, dismantle the army and navy, and overturn Hamilton's financial system.

The Republicans charged that the Federalists, by creating a large standing army, imposing heavy taxes, and using federal troops and the federal courts to suppress dissent, had shown contempt for the liberties of the American people.

Jefferson's Federalist opponents called him an "atheist in religion, and a fanatic in politics."

They claimed he was a drunkard and an enemy of religion.

The Federalist Connecticut Courant warned that "there is scarcely a possibility that we shall escape a Civil War. Murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will be openly taught and practiced."

Jefferson's supporters responded by charging that President Adams was a monarchist who longed to reunite Britain with its former colonies.

Republicans even claimed that the president had sent General Thomas Pinckney to England to procure four mistresses, two for himself and two for Adams.

Adams's response: "I do declare if this be true, General Pinckney has kept them all for himself and cheated me out of my two."

Jefferson narrowly defeats Adams Election sent to the House of

Representative, because electors gave Jefferson’s VP the same amount of votes which resulted in a tie.

Hamilton who hated Burr more than Jefferson threw Federalist votes to Jefferson

A bloodless transfer of power from one political party to the other in an orderly manner.

Despite dire predictions this startling new way of government was working

Led to the 12th amendment - gives each elector in the Electoral College one vote for president and one for vice president