The New Government

1
The New Government

• 1776-1800

2
Confederation to Constitution

• With the loss of thousands of loyalist
  conservatives the colonies were run by more
  extreme patriots
• The Continental Congress (1774) had called for an
  end to slavery
• In 1775 Philadelphia Quakers founded the first
  anti-slavery movement all men were not equal
• The Continental Congress asked the states to
  write new constitutions
• All constitutions created a weak executive and
  judicial branch

3
The New Nation

• Main question was addressing the rights of the
  people
• Republic meant public good
• Monarchies had lasted republics had all failed
• John Adams Thoughts on Government (1777) power
  should be divided among 3 different branches
  executive, legislative, and judicial-
  legislative has two houses neither based on
  social standing - but the people should not have
  authority over officials and justices should be
  appointed

4

• Between 1776 and 1787 the states created a
  variety of documents with many different ideas
• Most agreed on a written constitution based on
  popular sovereignty
• In 1779 Massachusetts called a special convention
  for the purpose of making a constitution
• Most constitutions did have a separation of
  powers and a bill of rights to protect the basic
  freedoms
• Most limited the power of the governor and
  expanded the power of the legislatures

5
Articles of Confederation

• The Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid a
  centralized government
• In 1776 John Dickinson created a draft called the
  Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union
• Adopted in 1777 as Americas first constitution
• Each state would be like an independent country
• Each state had one vote in a national assembly
  which would have one house and all 13 colonists
  had to approve the Articles

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• Once they had been approved states could send 3-5
  representatives to Congress and decisions would
  be settled by a simple majority
• Important issues needed at least nine states to
  agree
• Congress (unicameral) coulda) declare war and
  make peaceb) print moneyc) raise loans for
  public used) organize a postal systeme)
  regulate Indian tradef) establish weights and
  measuresg) settle disputes between states

7

• Could nota) directly tax individuals but had to
  request money from the 13 statesb) regulate
  tradec) draft soldiers
• There was no executive branch so no leader and
  no court system

8
Ratification

• In 1777 the Articles were ready for ratification
• 1778, 8 of the 13 had ratified
• 1779, 4 more ratified Maryland held out
• The power to control the western lands remained
  with the states Maryland wanted Congress to
  have the power. The large states would take the
  land and increase their power
• Eventually New York and Virginia ceded part of
  their western land to Congress for public good
• In 1781 the Articles were ratified

9
Peace of Paris 1783

• Franklin, Adams, and Jay met in Paris
• The British were sick of fighting and wanted
  peace with America
• Jay believed the French had ulterior motives for
  the land east of the Alleghenies so quickly
  settled with the British
• Britain formally recognized the USABorders
  included Mississippi in the west, Great Lakes in
  the North, Spanish Florida in the South

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• Recommended that land be returned to the
  Loyalists
• Britain was trying to get America away from
  France
• The American-friendly Whigs in Parliament wanted
  a favorable peace
• France approved the treaty but was cautious

11
Problems with Europe

• Britain still refused to repeal the Navigation
  Laws and wanted to annex Vermont with help from
  the Allen brothers
• Britain also maintained forts along the frontier
  which angered the Americans
• In 1784 Spain closed the Mississippi River to
  American commerce
• Spain also claimed part of the Gulf Coast
• France demanded payment of American debts
• Pirates attacked American ships all the time

12
The Land Ordinance - 1785

• Land in the Old Northwest to be sold and the
  money used to pay off the national debt
• The area would be surveyed and divided into units
  6 square miles in area then into 36 square
  sections
• One area was for public schools

13
Northwest Ordinance - 1787

• Created the Northwest Territory which would be
  divided into 3-5 territories
• Establish procedure for statehood
  throughAdmission to the Union would be in two
  stagesa) territory open to settlersb) upon
  60,000 inhabitants might be admitted by Congress
• All states would be equal and without slavery
• Very successful system, created the states of
  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan

14
Problems under the Articles

• The lost quickly lost its value because it was
  not backed by gold or silver
• Congress still could not raise money through
  taxation
• Congress could not pay off war debts
• British soldiers still on American soil
• Spain closed the Mississippi River to American
  ship is 1784
• Exports were declining and farmers were falling
  into serious debt

15
Shays Rebellion 1786

• Massachusetts' farmers could not pay their
  mortgages or taxes so the authorities started to
  seize property
• Led by Daniel Shay a Revolutionary War officer,
  1,500 protestors surrounded the county courthouse
• They attacked the arsenal at Springfield
• The governor called out the militia
• Three protestors were killed before the riot ended

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• Shay was convicted but later pardoned
• The rebellion cause many Americans to fear
  mobocracy and a break down of law and order
• That fear led to others calling for strong
  control by government and more importantly a
  strong document than the Articles
• Nine states called for a meeting in Annapolis to
  discuss the need to change the article, but only
  five states sent representatives the New
  England states did not attend
• Alexander Hamilton called for a second meeting in
  Philadelphia the following year

17
Constitutional Convention 1787

• In Philadelphia to revise the Articles
• All the states were invited but Rhode Island
  refused to meet
• 73 men were selected but only 55 delegates all
  wealthy and white, mostly young, attended
• 8 had signed the Declaration of Independence
• Franklin was the oldest
• Jefferson and John Adams were not present, they
  were abroad working. Patrick Henry refused to
  attend. Hamilton left the conference.

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• Most of the Founding Fathers shared the same
  political philosophy mainly government gained
  its power from the people
• The people had to be protected from tyranny and
  there had to be checks and balances
• A strong central authority was necessary
• They elected Washington the president of the
  Convention
• The meetings were held behind locked doors to
  keep the people out and discourage outside
  pressure

19
Compromise

• Virginia Plan (large state plan) proposed by
  Madison but presented by Edmund Randolph called
  fora) Representation based on population of the
  stateb) Executive chosen by the legislaturec)
  Judiciary system with a Supreme Court

20
Compromise

• New Jersey Plan (small state plan) proposed by
  William Pattersona) equal representation for
  all states regardless of sizeb) Congressional
  power to tax and regulate trade

21
Great Compromise Connecticut Plan

• Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut -
  Congress would have two houses (bicameral)
• House of Representatives based on population
• Senate with two senators from each state
• All tax bills start in the House
• There would be a strong executive branch with a
  president who had veto power and would be
  commander-in-chief
• President would be elected by the Electoral
  College
• Slaves would count as 3/5

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• The convention created a system of checks and
  balances with safeguards against mobocracy
• Federal chief justices would be appointed for
  life
• The people had the power and government was based
  on the people
• Also made provision to stop the slave trade in
  1807
• Thirty-nine delegates signed the document
• The people had expected a new Articles they
  were shocked at the Constitution the convention
  had been a secret to protect the framers

23
Federalists vs. Antifederalists

• Federalists were mostly wealthy and educated who
  wanted strong central government
• Antifederalists were mostly poor, illiterate
  farmers who supported states rightsgovernment
  is best which governs least
• They believed the constitution was undemocratic
  since it was written by aristocrats
• Also complained about the dropping of annual
  elections for congress and the creation of a
  standing army

24
Ratification

• Four small states quickly ratified
• Pennsylvania was the first large state
• Massachusetts did with a promise of adding a Bill
  of Rights
• The Constitution was officially ratified when 9
  states finally agreed in June 1788
• But Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and
  Rhode Island all resisted
• Virginia realized that it was useless to resist
  once the nine states had agreed and ratified

25
The Federalists

• New York was swayed by the Federalist Papers a
  series of articles in New York newspapers
  published under the name Publius but written by
  Hamilton, Jay, and Madison
• The most famous article was No. 10 which said the
  size and diversity of the new nation would
  prevent any group from gaining too much power
• North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified after
  intense pressure from the government
• Only about ¼ of the adult males were eligible to
  vote at the conventions
• America had achieved a peaceful transition

26
The New State

• 1789 Washington is selected by unanimously by
  the Electoral College as the first president
• Washington selected a cabinet, despite the
  constitution
• In 1790 the country was overwhelmingly rural and
  the first census took place almost one-fifth of
  the population were African-Americans
• In 1791 the Bill of Rights, which had been the
  major objection to the Constitution by the
  antifederalists, was adopted, but it did not help
  Indians or African-Americans

27
Alexander Hamilton

• He wanted the federal govt. to assume its debt
  (54 m) plus the states debt (21m)
• Massachusetts - huge debt, Virginia didnt so
  problems
• District of Columbia to be built in VA as
  compensation
• Hamilton believed the more people were owed money
  the more they would care about the country
• 1791 he also passed an excise tax on whiskey

28
National Bank

• Hamilton was the Secretary of the Treasury and he
  designed a plan to make the country an industrial
  power and create a uniform paper currency
• Placed high protective tariffs on imports
• Created a National Bank to assist in tax
  collection and the sale of bonds
• The Bank would remain under control of Congress
  but private funds would make up four-fifths of
  the 10 million capital
• Opposed by Jefferson and Madison who argued it
  was not in the Constitution

29
Whiskey Rebellion 1794

• Farmers in Western Pennsylvania claimed the
  Hamiltons whiskey tax was unconstitutional and
  used force to stop the collection
• Washington ordered the Whiskey Boys to go home
  and end their protest
• Eventually Washington sent 15,000 troops to
  suppress the rebellion - the first time federal
  troops had been used to make states comply
• Twenty Whiskey Boys were eventually rounded up
  and and thrown in prison. Two were found guilty
  of treason but pardoned by Washington

30
Political Parties

• There were no political parties only factions
• Hamilton alienated more and more people
• Those against Washingtons policies were called
  Democratic-Republicans - Jefferson
• Supporters were called Federalists - Hamilton

31
Neutrality Proclamation

• When France and Britain went to war the
  Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans wanted
  America to help France since they had signed the
  treaty in 1778 which promised to be perpetual
  allies
• Washington knew that was a stupid move and wanted
  to benefit from trade with both powers
• In 1793 he issued his famous Neutrality
  Proclamation
• America would be officially neutral which
  pleased no one

32
Citizen Genêt

• Jefferson advised Washington to recognize the new
  French government and accept a French ambassador
• In 1793 Citizen Charles Genêt arrived in America
• Once in America Genêt became an embarrassment by
  telling privateers to attack British shipping
• When Genêt was advised to keep quiet but
  threatened to go straight to the people
• He was recalled to France but refused to go and
  married an American

33
Jays Treaty

• Treaty of Greenville 1795 forced the Indians to
  give their land in the Northwest to Congress and
  the Americans believed the British had supplied
  the Indians with weapons
• British navy seized American ships and men
  despite the fact the US was neutral
• The Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans called
  for war with Britain Washington refused
• Jay was sent to Britain to avert war
• British would repay lost shipping America would
  pay pre-war debt

34
Pinckney Treaty - 1795

• Granted the states the right to freely navigate
  the Mississippi and deposit goods at New Orleans
  for three years to be re-negotiated later
• A commission would settle the issue of
  compensation with Spain later
• Both sides promised to stop using Indians to
  attack the other
• The treaty was easily ratified and strongly
  supported by the western states who needed the
  Mississippi River

35
Farewell Address

• The Democratic-Republicans were very upset about
  not going to war and having to repay pre-war
  debts because southern farmers would have to pay
• After two terms Washington stepped down
• His Farewell Address warned of the dangers of
  signing permanent alliances
• Hamilton was the logical successor but he was
  unpopular
• Adams won (71-68) with Jefferson as vice-president

36
John Adams

• Adams was hated by Hamilton and Jefferson
• France was very upset at Jays Treaty which
  violated the Franco-American Treaty (1778)
• The French started seizing American ships

37
XYZ Affair

• Adams sent 3 envoys to France
• 3 French agents (X, Y, Z) approached the
  Americans and asked for a huge bribe - 250,000
  just to make sure the Americans talked to
  Talleyrand
• The envoys refused and returned to America as
  heroes
• Many Americans called for war, but Adams remained
  neutral
• Congress did authorize the capture of armed
  French vessels, and the end of the 1778 alliance

38
Alien and Sedition Acts

• Federalists changed national policy to prevent
  aliens entering the country
• The president could deport people he deemed
  dangerous during peacetime and throw them in jail
  during war
• The Sedition Act aimed at the JDR enabled the
  government to fine or imprison people for
  criticizing the government
• It was unconstitutional but passed with a Federal
  majority in Congress and supported by a Federal
  Supreme Court

39
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

• Virginia MadisonKentucky Jefferson
• Fearful of the Federalists the Democratic-Republic
  ans wrote letters to the Virginia and Kentucky
  legislatures
• They said the nation was formed by a compact
  theory the states should be the final say over
  laws passed in Congress
• Both states nullified the Alien and Sedition Acts
• Federalists said it was people that made the
  states and the Supreme Court had the power to
  annul