1 / 18

Activator

Activator. Write: Evaluate the extent to which the Articles of Confederation were effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation, with respect to: Foreign relations Economic conditions Western lands. Homework.

brad
Download Presentation

Activator

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Activator • Write: Evaluate the extent to which the Articles of Confederation were effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation, with respect to: • Foreign relations • Economic conditions • Western lands

  2. Homework • Watch Constitution lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1OPZPgcLRQ. • C9 quiz (up by 5pm) • Articles/Constitution blog post

  3. Period 3 To what extent was the Constitution a radical departure from the Articles of Confederation?

  4. The Specter of Shays’ Rebellion • Brinkley: Shays’ exposed the Articles of Confederation as weak for lacking a strong central government (executive) that could adequately respond to crises, control the violent “mobocracy.” • Jefferson: Saw Shays’ as the latest in a string of popular revolts against tyrannical governments that would eventually topple elitist, authoritarian government and lead to a democratic revolution. • Influenced the propertied “Framers,” or delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, 1787.

  5. 5/13 ain’t bad, right? (wrong) • Direct/proximate cause: Interstate commerce • Called by VA • Only 5/13 states met in Annapolis, ML in 1786 • Alexander Hamilton saves convention by calling another in Philadelphia, 1787 • Broader goal: “for the sole and direct purposes of revising” the Articles

  6. A Convention of “Demigods” • Philadelphia, 1787 • 55 emissaries from 12 states (paper-moneyite “Rogues’ Island” the lone holdout) • Delegates appointed by states legislatures, reflected the propertied class • Met in summer, locked windows, pledged complete secrecy and willingness to debate • Processing: Which analytic lens is reflected in the description of the Framers as “demigods”?

  7. The constitution-makers • Conservative • Well-to-do: lawyers, merchants, shippers, land speculators, moneylenders • No delegates from poor, debtor class • 19/55 owned slaves • Young (~42) • Nationalist—preserving and strengthening the young republic • Democratic—represented the interests of the people (to what extent?)

  8. The Framers • “Framers” • George Washington (VA) • Benjamin Franklin (PA) • James Madison (VA) • Absent: • John Adams (MA), Thomas Jefferson (VA) in Europe • Samuel Adams and John Hancock (MA) not elected • Patrick Henry (VA) chosen but absent; “smelled a rat” • Processing: How might this debate have gone differently if these men were present?

  9. Processing: Broadly, Founders? In what ways might the following individuals be considered “Framers” of the Constitution, even though they were not in Philadelphia? • Lord Sheffield • Dey of Algiers • Daniel Shays • Fear

  10. Compromises • The Virginia Plan • large-state; bicameral; rep base on pop. • The New Jersey Plan • small-state plan; unicameral; equal rep. • The Connecticut Compromise, aka “The Great Compromise” • House of Representatives (based on pop.) • Senate (equal rep., 2/state) • Tax/revenue bills would originate in the House

  11. Key concept: A balanced government • Federalism • Three levels: Federal (sovereign), state, local • Bicameral • House/Senate • Separation of Powers • Three branches: Legislative, Judicial, Executive • Checks and balances (e.g. veto)

  12. Key concept: A strong executive • Inspired by MA, where a strong, elected governor suppressed Shays’s Rebellion • President • Commander-in-chief • Wide powers of appointment to domestic offices (including judgeships) • Veto power

  13. “Bundle of Compromises” Electoral College • Indirect election of the President • Insulates Presidency from the people (mob; tyranny of the masses) • Large state advantage in initial round; small state advantage in the vote-off (House; 1 vote/state) • Only happened twice: 1800, 1824

  14. “Bundle of Compromises” The Peculiar Institution (slavery) • Should (voteless) slaves count when factoring direct taxes and representation in the House? • South: yes! • North: no, slaves aren’t citizens (neither are horses) • “three-fifths compromise” according to census (every ten years) • Slave trade extended until 1807

  15. Key concept: safeguarding against the mobocracy • Processing: What aspects of the Constitution limited popular participation in government? How and why were the framers fearful of the masses? • Safeguards against excess of the “tyrannical majority”: • Federal judges appointed for life • Indirect election of President via electoral college • Direct election allowed only in one-half (House) of one branch (Congress), and only propertied citizens could vote

  16. Key concept: Republicanism  Representative Democracy • Two republican principles: • Legitimate government is based on consent of the governed (John Locke’s social contract theory) • Powers of government should be limited; the virtue of the people, not the authority of the state, was to be the ultimate guarantor of liberty (“we the people”)

  17. Vote • 17 muggy weeks • 42/55 remained • Three refused to sign (George Mason, Edmund Randolph of VA; Elbridge Gerry, MA) • Wrote in a new rule: • 2/3 of states can call for a special constitutional convention to propose amendments • If 2/3 of states adopt amendments, they become supreme • Revolutionary! Went over the heads of the Congress that had called the convention in the first place! Appealed directly to… the people! (certain people)

  18. Processing • To what extent was the Constitution a radical departure from the Articles of Confederation?

More Related