The U.S. Constitution

1
The U.S. Constitution

• Issues Facing the New Government

2
Declaration of Independence

• The DoI was signed during the AR and, which let
  us become independent from England.
• Eventually we won the war and we were able to
  begin developing our own nation.
• We developed laws known as the Articles of
  Confederation (aka our FIRST Constitution) to
  keep our nation in order.

3
Failure of the Articles of Confederation

• Did not provide federal (aka national) govt
  enough power to keep the country together.
• Required the cooperation of ALL states in order
  to pass a law (instead of majority rule).
• State interests often conflicted with national
  interests, so it was difficult to get agreement.
• Shays Rebellion illustrated the dangers under
  the Articles of Confederation.

4
Structural Weaknesses of the Articles

• No executive branch
• Could declare war, but could not demand troops
  from the states
• Didnt mention interstate trade
• Could not charge taxes
• Each state had one vote, regardless of size
• Laws required agreement from 2/3 of the states
  (9)
• Amendments required all 13 states to agree

5
Large states vs. Small States
6
Powers Granted and Denied
7
Accomplishments of the Articles

• Established a govt following the AR that was
  based on consent of the governed.
• Land Ordinance of 1785- created a system of
  surveying the land in the Northwest Territory and
  selling the land to settlers.
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787- described how
  territories should be governed determined how
  territories could become states banned slavery
  in the territories provided for public education.

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Land Ordinance of 1785
9
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
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The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• The Land Ordinance of 1787 established a way to
  govern the Northwest Territory.
• This was the land from the Ohio River to the
  Great Lakes and Western Pennsylvania to the
  Mississippi River.
• It set the guidelines for settling new states.

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Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• 1) federally appointed governor, secretary, and 3
  judges2) locally elected assembly, non-voting
  representative to Congress, and at least 5,000
  male residents3) 60,000 residents and a state
  constitutionOhio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
  and Wisconsin were created from these lands.The
  Northwest Territory banned slavery and guaranteed
  the rights of the individuals.

12
Shays Rebellion

• Led by Daniel Shays
• Farmers who could not pay their debts were losing
  their property.
• The group in Massachusetts stormed the courts in
  protest and rebellion against the government,
  effectively forcing the closing of the courts and
  blocking foreclosures.
• The rebellion was ultimately put down, but it
  showed the dangers the new country faced with a
  national govt that was too weak to enforce its
  laws.
• A call was issued to reform the Articles.

13
Constitutional Convention

• James Madison kept detailed notes of the secret
  proceedings. He is known as the father of the
  Constitution.
• New Jersey Plan called for a unicameral
  legislature with each state having one vote
  favored small states.
• Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature
  with representation based on population.

14
Great Compromise

• With the Virginia Plan, the Senate and House of
  Representatives were created. The Senate
  represents each state and the HoR is based on
  population.

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Three-fifths Compromise

• Another compromise was reached over slavery.
• Every 5 slaves would count as 3 people for
  purposes of representation and taxation.
• This satisfied the North and the South.
• There was a reluctance to abolish slavery due to
  the economic dependence on slavery in the south.

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Ratification

• Two groups of ppl formed Federalists vs.
  Antifederalists
• Leading Federalists James Madison, Alexander
  Hamilton, John Jay became the writers of the
  Federalist Papers explaining that the
  Constitution was vital to the success of the new
  nation.
• Anti-federalists were concerned about too much
  power being given to the central government.
  They wanted a bill of rights guaranteeing
  individual freedoms.
• In 1789, Congress approved the ten constitutional
  amendments that became the federal Bill of Rights
  (satisfied both feds and anti-feds).

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Key Ideas Behind the Constitution

• Popular sovereignty-people are the main source of
  the governments authority.
• Limited government-the government has only the
  powers that the Constitution gives it.
• Federalism- the federal government and the state
  governments share power.
• Separation of power power is divided among
  three branches legislative, executive, and
  judicial.
• Checks and balances each branch has the power
  to limit the actions of the other two.
• Representative government citizens elect
  representatives to government to make laws.
• Individual rights- the Constitution protects
  citizens individual rights.

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The Judiciary Act of 1789

• Established both the U.S. federal court system
  and the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court.
• John Jay became the first chief justice of the
  Supreme Court.

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First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
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Hamiltons Economic Plan

• Wanted an excise tax (tax on whiskey) to raise
  money for the government.
• Tariff tax on imports- to protect domestic
  manufacturing and American business interests.
• National Bank with the power to print bank notes
  and take care of the nations financial
  resources.
• Assume states debts.
• Pay off national debt.

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First Secretary of the Treasury
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Opposition to Hamiltons Plan

• Southerners felt that it was unfair because they
  had already paid off their state debts, and they
  also believed the tariff would hurt international
  trade.
• To win the south over, it was decided that the
  nations capitol would be placed in the south,
  Washington, D.C.
• The whiskey tax made farmers in western
  Pennsylvania angry because they were dependent on
  their whiskey for trade and bartering.

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Whiskey Rebellion

• Western Pennsylvania farmers refused to pay the
  tax on whiskey.
• They protested and resorted to violence.
• President Washington, under the advice of
  Alexander Hamilton, formed a military force and
  marched into Pennsylvania to halt the resistance.
• Washington asked the farmers to vote to determine
  whether or not they would comply with the law.
  He offered them amnesty if they would stop the
  rebellion and pay the tax.
• The conflict established the idea that the
  national government could support itself, and
  national law was supreme.
• This, however, did not end the debate between
  states rights and the national government.

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First Political Parties

• Political parties began to form even though they
  were seen as factions.
• Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton and
  John Adams.
• Democratic Republicans were led by Thomas
  Jefferson and James Madison.
• Northerners favored the Federalist Party,
  especially merchants. The southerners,
  especially farmers, supported the Democratic
  Republicans.
• Still, you could find supporters for both parties
  in every social class, every region, and every
  state.

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The First Political Parties
26
Washingtons Farewell Address

• Warned against political parties (factions)
• Warned against entangling alliances with other
  countries (neutrality)
• Promoted the idea that good government is based
  on religion and morality.

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Washingtons Accomplishments

• Becomes the first president, reluctantly
• Mr. President
• Cabinet
• Two-term tradition
• Judiciary Act, 1789

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Federalist Party

• Led by Hamilton
• Favored strong centralized government
• Wanted an economy based on industry and trade
• Pro-British
• Loose constructionists
• Wanted wealthy, educated elite to run the
  government

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Democratic Republicans

• Led by Jefferson
• States rights
• Wanted to base the economy on farming
• Pro-French
• Strict constructionists
• Had a belief in the value of the common man

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Foreign Policy

• Native Americans
• British
• French
• Spain

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Native Americans

• Americans continued to settle in the Ohio Valley
  area displacing many Native Americans.
• Chief Little Turtle, the leader of the Miami
  Confederacy, fought an d defeated a group of
  soldiers sent by President Washington to secure
  the Ohio Valley area.
• In 1794, American troops under the leadership of
  General Anthony Wayne fought and defeated the
  Native Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
• The Treaty of Greenville was signed promising an
  annual payment to the Native Americans in the
  amount of 10,000. The agreement was not kept,
  but the loss effectively secured the defeat of
  the Native Americans and opened the Northwest
  Territory to settlement.

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France

• France wanted American support in the French
  Revolution and in the war with Britain.
• Felt owed that since they had helped America.
• Americans were divided over the issue.
• America issued a proclamation of neutrality
  because they feared they were too weak to get
  involved in the conflict. They feared that they
  would lose the ability to trade with Britain.
• 1793, Washington issued the Proclamation of
  Neutrality.

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Britain

• John Jay was sent to London to negotiate a treaty
  to stop British impressment of American ships.
• Instead of agreeing to stop impressment, the
  treaty secured the evacuation of the forts in the
  Great Lakes area of the United States.
• America also agreed to repay war debts to
  Britain.
• The treaty was not seen favorably in the United
  States.
• It was called Jays Treaty.

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Spain

• Thomas Pinckney was sent to Spain to negotiate a
  treaty that would allow right of navigation of
  the Mississippi River and right of deposit at New
  Orleans.
• This was secured. The treaty was called
  Pinckneys Treaty.
• The United States viewed the treat favorably.