UNIT 2: CREATING A NATION

REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE’S LIVES

VIRTUES—a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S 13 VIRTUES

TEMPERANCESILENCEORDERRESOLUTIONFRUGALITYINDUSTRYSINCERITYJUSTICEMODERATIONCLEANLINESSTRANQUILITYCHASTITYHUMILITY

CHAPTER 3:A MORE PERFECT UNION

SECTION 1:THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

TIMELINE• July 1776—DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE• Nov. 1777—Articles of Confederation adopted

by 2nd Continental Congress• March 1781—Articles take effect after

Ratification• Oct. 1781—British surrender at Yorktown• Sept. 1783 – Treaty of Paris signed

13 INDEPENDENT STATES

• State Constitutions–Replaced Charters–Based on Ideals of Natural Rights

• Popular Sovereignty– government by consent of governed

STATE CONSTITUTIONS

• Legislatures— creates the laws• Executives—Governors—Carry out the

Laws• Judiciaries—Judges—Interpret the laws

• VOTING LAWS—white males over 21 who owned property/paid taxes

A CONFEDERATION OF STATES

• Raise a singular army

• 1777—Articles of Confederation—– 1st Constitution of U.S.– 1 BRANCH—CONGRESS

• States were free & sovereign— MOST POWER–Voluntary Association

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• Conduct Foreign Affairs

• Maintain Armed Forces

• Borrow Money• Issue Currency

• 9 States to Pass Laws• All States to Amend

Articles• Could Not Regulate

Trade• Could Not Force

Soldiers to Join Army• Could Not Impose

Taxes

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Western Land Policies• ORDINANCE OF 1785– System of dividing & selling land west of the

Appalachian Mountains

Northwest Ordinance

• Land North of Ohio River & East of Mississippi River

• When population of a territory reached 60,000 the people could apply to Congress for statehood

• Territory rights—no slavery!

MONEY TROUBLES

• During war Congress & States printed Money• Value of Money Fell; Price of Goods Rose• Created Department of Finance-Robert Morris

INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS

• Mississippi River closed to American shipping

• Refused right of deposit at New Orleans

• Continued to occupy forts in Great Lakes

BRITAIN SPAIN

1 Nation or 13?

ECONOMIC DEPRESSION

Economic activity slowedUnemployment increased

SHAYS’S REBELLION (1786-1787)--Farmers jailed due to debt/taxes--Massachusetts delegates held convention to petition against new government

--Daniel Shays (Continental Army veteran) led farmers to take federal arsenal

-confronted & stopped by MA state militia

SLAVERY ISSUES

1774—PA Quakers first anti-slavery society

North began passing laws to gradually end slavery

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION--1787Delegates meet “For the Sole & Express purpose

of revising the Articles of Confederation”

REPS

• WHITE WOMEN• SLAVES

• NATIVE AMERICANS• FREE AFRICAN AMERICANS

• FARMERS• WORKERS• BANKERS

• PLANTATION OWNERS

COMPROMISE

VA PLAN vs. NJ PLANJames Madison 1 House-1 VoteProportional Rep. Per State

2 House LegislatureSenate—2 Reps Each State

House of Reps—Proportional to State

SLAVERY

SLAVES = PROPERTYEach slave counts as 3/5th for purposes of taxation & representation

Congress could not interfere with Slave Trade till 1808

Section 3: A New Plan of Government

FEDERALISTS• Supported Ratification of Constitution– Madison, Hamilton, & Jay– “FEDERALIST PAPERS”

• Favored Strong Government• No Need for a Bill of Rights

• Wealthy Class

ANTI-FEDERALISTS

• Opposed Ratification– Patrick Henry, George Mason

• Supported State’s Rights

• Wanted a Bill of Rights

• Farmers/Debtors

CONSTITUTION RATIFIEDJune 1788—9th State Ratified

By May 1790—All States Ratified

CHAPTER 4:THE CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1: GOALS OF THE CONSTITUTION

THE PREAMBLE—6 GOALS

6 GOALS OF THE CONSTITUTION

1. Form a more perfect union2. Establish justice3. Insure domestic tranquility4. Provide for the common defense5. Promote the general welfare6. Secure the blessings of liberty

HOW?...

7 PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

PRINCIPLES

A RULE OR BELIEF GOVERNING ONES

BEHAVIOR

7 Principles1. Republicanism2. Popular Sovereignty3. Checks & Balances4. Limited Government5. Individual Rights6. Federalism7. Separation of Powers

REPUBLICANISM• DEFINITION: Citizens elect their representatives

through voting.

• LOCATION: Preamble & Article I

• FOUNDERS: Allows citizens to alter or abolish government peacefully through voting; major concern of the Revolution was representation

• GOALS: Domestic Tranquility & Secure Blessings of Liberty—citizens protect their rights with choice of leaders

Checks & BalancesDEFINE: Each branch of government holds some

control over the other two branches

WHAT ARE THE 3 BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT? Legislative, Executive, Judicial

WHY DO YOU THINK THE FOUNDERS BELIEVED IN THIS PRINCIPLE?

Power of government doesn’t rest in single person

CHECKS & BALANCES

WHAT POWER OVER THE OTHER DOES EACH BRANCH POSSESS?

Executive—Veto Power; appoint judgesLegislative—Congress can override vetoes;

approve judges; amend constitution; impeachment powers

Judicial—declare laws or policies unconstitutional

Separation of PowersDEFINE: Each of the three branches of government

has its own responsibilitiesWhat specific powers does each branch have?Legislative-makes lawsExecutive—carries out lawsJudicial—interprets/applies lawsWHAT GOALS DOES THIS PRINCIPLE RELATE TO? Secure the blessings of liberty as laws relate to

citizen’s rights; Promotes general welfare when laws work for the people

Limited Government

DEFINE: the Constitution limits the actions of government by specifically listing powers it does & does not have

WHAT GOALS DOES THIS PRINCIPLE RELATE TO? Promote general welfare—not too much intervention

by government in people’s livesWHY DO YOU THINK THE FOUNDERS BELIEVED IN

THIS PRINCIPLE?Power to govern didn’t rest in the hand of one or a

few; monarch couldn’t regulate all of society

FederalismDEFINE: Power is divided between national &

state governments

Popular Sovereignty

DEFINE: People are the source of the government’s power

WHY DO YOU THINK THE FOUNDERS BELIEVED IN THIS PRINCIPLE?Did not like being ruled by a monarch & having no representation in parliament; belief in Social Contract

Individual Rights

DEFINE: Basic Liberties & rights of all citizens are guaranteed by the Bill of Rights

WHY DO YOU THINK THE FOUNDERS BELIEVED IN THIS PRINCIPLE?

Enlightenment belief in natural rights & protections for citizens against tyrannical rule

LEGISLATIVE—ARTICLE I

Makes Laws/Collect Taxes/Declare War

Appropriates funds/Impeaches officials/Affirms appointments

Pass Bills through both Houses

EXECUTIVE—ARTICLE II

President & Cabinet

Chief Diplomat—Foreign Policy/TreatiesCommander in Chief – In charge of MilitaryChief of State– Representative of all Americans

Proposes laws to Congress

JUDICIAL—ARTICLE III

Supreme Court—decide on constitutional cases

Judicial Review—power of courts to review legislative & executive actions & cancel them if Unconstitutional

CURRENT EVENT!!EXAMINE 1 of the 1st 10 Amendments in the

Modern Day Context

KEY FIGURES

• James Madison• Alexander Hamilton• Gouverneur Morris• James Wilson• Edmund Randolph