The Confederation

1
The Confederation The Constitution

• America is built on COMPROMISES
• 1776 - 1790

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Your Mission

• Its 1776. You have declared your independence
  from Britain. Now what? What challenges do you
  face as you begin nation-building?
• Get into groups of four and brainstorm
• Most immediate challenge
• Most potentially damaging challenge
• Most difficult challenge to resolve

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Chapter Overview

• Revolution was not a radical transformation, but
  did produce political innovations and social
  change towards greater equality and democracy.
• Compromise was an essential element for a federal
  government, along with the abandonment of the
  Articles of Confederation.
• The federal Constitution provided a strong
  framework for national identify and protection
  against disorder.

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Victory! But can we survive without Mom?

• New responsibility of creating and operating a
  central government.
• This new type did not exist.
• Natural rights/equality taught by political
  leaders.
• Allegiance for a common cause was now gone.
• New American industry in competition with English
  goods.

5
Our Strengths

• All 13 states had similar constitutions.
• Unity of a rich political heritage.
• Brilliant political leaders
• Washington, Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton.

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Move Towards Equality

• Exodus of Loyalists create a weakness in
  conservatives.
• Removal of many aristocrats
• Modified laws and customs for more equal
  treatment.
• Most states reduced property-holding requirements
  to vote.
• Religious freedom
• Expanded freedoms for women (education, civic
  virtue, and, republican motherhood)
• Challenged Slavery why not removed?
• Sacrificed for unity
• Opportunities for all (esp. land) helps keep
  violence at bay.

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Judith Sargent (Murray)
8
Hows the Economy?

• Non-importation agreements helped give
  manufacturing a boost.
• Later the war itself
• Trade with Britain was restricted due to the same
  mercantilist laws
• Could freely trade with other nations
• DEBT from the war
• States had borrowed more than they could ever
  repay
• Inflation was out of control

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State Constitutions

• The Second Continental Congress in 1776 called
  upon all colonies to draft new constitutions,
  making them states.
• Several common features of these DWAARFs
• Defined the powers of the government
• Weak executive and judicial branches
• Authority from the people
• Annual election of legislators
• Rights included (Bill of Rights)
• Fundamental law

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The Creation of Articles of Confederation

• Drafted and adopted by the Second Continental
  Congress in 1777.
• Not ratified by all 13 states until 1781.
• Fighting was primarily over the west.
• All states fought for it, so why not split the
  prize?
• COMPROMISE
• Land was given up
• Areas for the common benefit new republican
  states

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Strengths in the Articles of Confederation

• The first step towards the present Constitution
• Clearly outlines central government powers
• Making treaties
• Establish the postal service
• Held the states together until America was ready
  for the next step in unity.

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Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation

• Americas first constitution
• Congress only
• no executive branch and judicial issues were left
  to the states.
• Each state had one vote
• Important votes required 9 states
• Changes to the Articles required unanimous
  ratification
• Three significant handicaps
• No power to regulate commerce
• No power to collect taxes
• No power to force states or individuals of states
• (wart.com no e no j / sovereignty)

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Action of CongressLand Ordinances

• Land Ordinance of 1785
• Land to be surveyed and sold to pay off national
  debt.
• Land Ordinance of 1787
• First temporary tutelage
• Second permanent equality

The Old Northwest acquired in the Peace Treaty of
Paris
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Foreign Relations No Respect

• England
• Would not send an ambassador to America
• Would not accept imports from U.S.
• Held trading posts on U.S. soil (Indian alliance
  fur trade)
• Spain
• Closed the Mississippi river to American commerce
  in 1784
• Claimed Florida other southern areas given to the
  U.S. in the Peace of Paris.
• France
• Demanded repayment of war debt (revolutions
  a-brewin)
• Restricted trade with West Indies

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U.S. in 1783
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Shays RebellionMore Backcountry Strife

• Massachusetts in 1786
• Impoverished backcountry farmers were losing
  their farms through mortgage foreclosures and tax
  delinquencies.
• Demanded the state issue paper money, lighten
  taxes, and suspend property takeovers
• Put down by a MA army three were killed

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Impetus for Change

• Fears of Democratic Despotism
• Self-interest and greed instead of civic virtue
  ruling
• Conservatives and the wealthy wanted to create
  more power over the mob.
• Interstate fighting over commerce had become
  serious.

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The Constitutional Convention

• Met to revise the Articles of Confederation
• 55 emissaries for 12 states met in Philadelphia
  on May 25, 1787.
• Washington, Franklin, Madison, Hamilton
• Not present? Jefferson, Samuel and John Adams,
  Hancock, Patrick Henry
• Met in complete secrecy
• Took 17 weeks
• Not all members signed the Constitution

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Areas of Agreement

• Economically
• Reliable money
• Protection of private property
• Politically
• Stronger government
• Checks and balances three branches
• Fear of mob rule
• Federal judges for life
• Indirect voting
• Most important 2 principles
• Consent of the governed
• Powers of government should be limited

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Constitutional Compromises

• Large State vs. Small State plans
• The Great Compromise House of Representatives
  and the Senate
• Electoral College
• Presidential elections by indirect means
• Three-fifths compromise
• Slaves counted as 3/5 a person
• End to slave trade
• Allowed to continue until 1807
• Assumption of state debt
• Centrally located capital

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Issues Debated

• Should the United States adopt the new
  Constitution to replace the Articles of
  Confederation?
• Need for change. Does the government of the
  Articles need to be replaced?
• Can a republic govern a large territory and a
  diverse population?
• Will the new constitutional government create an
  aristocratic power in the presidency?
• Does the proposed Constitution protect the
  peoples liberty?

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Federalists vs. Anti Federalists
Federalists Anti-Federalists
Leaders Washington, Hamilton, Madison, Jay, and Marshall Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, and George Clinton
Social, regional, and economic strongholds Commercial, seacoast, urban, and upper-class groups Controlled the press Non-commercial, western, agrarian, and state-oriented interests
Ideas argued Drawn up by rich aristocracy antidemocratic No bill of rights to protect individual liberties Elimination of annual elections for congressional representatives Creating a federal strong-hold (10 mile square) Omission of any reference to God Process of ratifying with only 2/3 of the states Drawn up by rich aristocracy antidemocratic No bill of rights to protect individual liberties Elimination of annual elections for congressional representatives Creating a federal strong-hold (10 mile square) Omission of any reference to God Process of ratifying with only 2/3 of the states
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Ratification

• Four small states quickly sign
• PA was the first large state to sign
• VA, NY, NC, and RI hold out
• VA Patrick Henry rails against the Constitution,
  but Washington, Madison, and John Marshall win.
• NY Hamilton, Jay, and Madison pen The Federalist
  Papers.
• NC and RI finally ratified, unwillingly and
  months later.

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In-Class Quick Write

• Discuss the United States as it existed under the
  Articles of Confederation. What were the
  strengths and weaknesses of the Confederation
  government and how did the Constitution attempt
  to correct those flaws?

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Images

• http//migration.ucc.ie/ES2008/usasimages/usa1783.
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