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Unit 3: Constitution and Territorial Expansion

Unit 3: Constitution and Territorial Expansion . 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)

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Unit 3: Constitution and Territorial Expansion

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  1. Unit 3: Constitution and Territorial Expansion

  2. 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

  3. The Articles of Confederation • The fear of having too much power in one person’s hands reflects the experiences the colonies had under a monarchy • In the Articles the state governments limit the power of the national Congress

  4. Problems with the Articles • Did not create office of chief executive, federal court system (no branches) • Did not authorize Congress to raise an army or impose tax. • 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 • Issues of slavery and land claims also divided the states

  5. Daniel Shays’ Rebellion • Context: Post-Rev. War economic crisis -Farmers were unable to sell crops due to falling prices -Value of currency dwindling, Mass. Refuses to issue paper money - 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

  6. Shays’ Rebellion • Regulators: armed militias refused to let courts meet, free debtors from prison • Shays’: - Revolutionary War Veteran (Lexington, Bunker’s Saratoga - Resigned in 1780, not getting paid, taken to court Organized 700 farmers in response to Regulators being indicted, given the permission to parade (900) • Believed they were carrying on the spirit and struggle of the fight for independence against a prieldged elite • -Marched 1,000 into Springfield, in an attempt acquire weapons/ammunition, and the were met by army and artillery, 3 die • Trials: 9 sentenced to death, 33 brought to trial, Shays’ pardoned

  7. Shays’ Rebellion

  8. Samuel Adams • “Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death” • Adams will also write a law called the Riot Act, which prohibits 12 people or more from meeting and gives the government the power to shoot rioters!

  9. Thomas Jefferson • “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion… The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

  10. Significance Shays’ 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 • Concerns arose about social stability and order • Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and conservative men believed that disorders like the uprising in Mass. were the inevitable consequence of a weak government • “Without some alteration of in our political creed, the superstructure we have been seven years raising at the expense of so much blood and treasure, must fall. We are fast verging to anarchy and confusion.” Washington

  11. Constitutional Convention • Delegates (55) from each state met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation • George Washington chosen as president of convention • Thomas Jeffersonand John Adamswere not present because they were ambassadors in Europe • Conservatives: feared the darker side of human nature, believing that without powerful institutional restraints, “the people” would destroy liberty. • Seek to est. a system f government that featured limited democracy _mix- democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy) • They decided to do away with the Articles completely and write the U.S. Constitution

  12. 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 • Limited government: only had powers granted to it by the Constitution • Three branches with ability to check each other

  13. Constitution and Compromise • The framers of the 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

  14. Virginia Plan • Three branches (separation of powers, checks & balances) • BicameralLegislature: 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

  15. New Jersey Plan • Maintain Articles of Confederation • Three branches, but a unicameral legislature (one house) • 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. Bill of Rights • Sponsored by James Madison in 1789, went into effect 1791 • First 10 amendments to Constitution • Purpose: to protect civil liberties

  20. 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

  21. 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)

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. 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

  28. 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

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