The New Republic

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The New Republic

• North America Themes
• Term 1, Week 7

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Introduction

• Q of how you make a nation.
• Problems debt due to war, lack of unity of
  purpose among people and states, lots of
  competing interests, no national political /
  economic systems in place. National govt weak,
  foreign powers still strong, threats from Sp and
  GB ec dependent on GB
• 1775-1790 key period in American history, sets
  out terms of relationship between people and
  state, and between federal govt and the states.

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Republican theory

• No question over form of govt for new USA.
• Only debates were over form of republicanism, how
  inclusive it should be.
• Classical republicanism mainly confined to
  educated elite others argued American
  republicanism should be more inclusive towards
  middle or even lower classes.
• All agreed that republics needed virtuous people,
  stress in lit/art that this was what the new
  America was all about

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Articles of Confederation

• First attempt at forming a national govt.
• Passed 1777
• Single chamber federal govt, one state, one vote
• Problems Didnt define the relationship between
  states and fed govt didnt provide fed govt with
  revenue stream post-war fed govt weak in
  relationship with foreign powers eg. Unable to
  get Br out of Great Lakes forts or get Spain to
  open up Miss River to US shipping

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Drafting the Constitution

• New form of national govt needed to deal with
  problems of the Articles of Confed.
• Shays Rebellion in Mass (1786-1787), over high
  taxes and ec downturn (debts), shows necessity of
  reform to create stronger fed govt
• Const. Convention met May 1787, Philadelphia with
  delegates from all states, except RI

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Key issues

• Ensuring liberty rather than tyranny through
  checks and balances (Separation of Powers)
  Political System meant to ensure cooperation, but
  often leads to gridlock
• New Congress to have two chambers, but diff
  electoral methods.
• Q of representation of southern states, 3/5
  clause, protection of slave trade until 1808
• Est of Supreme Court, with power to strike down
  federal and state laws

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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
1787

• We the people of the United States, in Order to
  form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
  insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
  common defence, promote the general Welfare, and
  secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
  our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
  Constitution for the United States of America.

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Passing Constitution

• Const needed ratification of nine states to be in
  effect.
• Supporters of Const termed Federalists (eg.
  James Madison) saw no problem with a powerful
  central govt, since sufficient checks and
  balances to prevent abuses.
• Anti-federalists (eg Sam Adams Patrick Henry)
  thought states should be more powerful, and that
  strong fed govt was dangerous. Stressed need for
  rights to be built into const
• Votes close in several states, but const ratified
  when NH voted in June 1788

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Bill of Rights

• Const silent on issues of rights, gave ammo to
  Anti-Feds. Several states ratified const only on
  understanding that a bill of rights would be
  passed, amending the const
• Basis of many challenges to state and fed law,
  nothing similar in UK law, though Human Rights
  Act becoming something like that.

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Bill of Rights, passed 25th Sept 1789, ratified
15th Dec 1791

• I Congress shall make no law respecting an
  establishment of religion,
• or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or
  abridging the freedom of speech,
• or of the press, or the right of the people
  peaceably to assemble,
• and to petition the Government for a redress of
  grievances.
• II A well-regulated militia, being necessary to
  the security of a free State,
• the right of the people to keep and bear arms,
  shall not be infringed.
• V. No person shall be held to answer for a
  capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on
  presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except
  in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or
  in the Militia, when in actual service in time of
  War or public danger nor shall any person be
  subject for the same offense to be twice put in
  jeopardy of life or limb nor shall be compelled
  in any criminal case to be a witness against
  himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or
  property, without due process of law nor shall
  private property be taken for public use, without
  just compensation
• VIII Excessive bail shall not be required nor
  excessive fines imposed,
• nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
• X The powers not delegated to the United States
  by the Constitution,
• nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
  to the States respectively,
• or to the people.

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George WashingtonPresident of the
Constitutional Convention First President of
the United States, 1789-1797
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James Madison (1751-1836)Author of much of the
US constitution and the Bill of RightsSecretary
of State, 1801-1809President 1809-1817
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Jeffersonian Republicanism

• Jefferson believed in wider political
  participation, esp among middle classes
• Women to have greater role in creating a virtuous
  republic though ideologies of republican
  motherhood greater stress on public education,
  and charitable activity with a reforming purpose.
• Emphasis on small govt, and personal
  responsibility.

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Thomas Jefferson1743-1826Drafted and signed
Declaration of Independence 3rd President of the
United States, 1801-1809.
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Bank of the United States

• Vital to have stable and reliable currency.
• Bank of the United States chartered 1791,
  established paper money, and controlled the
  minting of coins.
• New currency termed the dollar, after a slang
  term in use throughout colonies for Pieces of
  Eight (widely circulated)
• Dollar Sign () comes from union of P and S
  (abbrev for Peso)
• Pound remains in circulation for many years while
  new currency gets established.
• Rapid ec. devt in North, Market Revolution
  will eventually lead to industrialisation on
  British model

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New Territory

• New USA is significantly larger than boundaries
  of former colonies
• Creates two problems 1 what to do with new
  territories in terms of white settlement. Claims
  of Virginia, Mass, etc had to be dealt with
  eventual agreement that unorg terr. belongs to
  fed govt. First new trans-appalachian states
  Kentucky (1792) and Tennessee (1796)
• 2nd problem is what to do about Indians

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Land Claims of the States
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Indian Problems 1

• Treaty of Paris gave USA control over most lands
  east of Miss River
• Problem lands really under control of some
  powerful Indian tribes
• Treaties signed at Fort Stanwix NY (1784) and
  Hopewell SC (1786) between fed govt and Indian
  reps, problem were the Indian signatories
  really representative?
• Resistance to these treaties met with military
  force of the US army

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Indian Problems 2

• Northwest Ordinances (1784-7) org much of the old
  Northwest (set prices for fed land, ban on
  slavery etc)
• Ohio Company set out to settle this territory,
  led to war with Miami, Shawnee and Delaware
  tribes. Major defeats inflicted against US army
  1791, but US victory at Fallen Timbers 1794 was
  decisive Treaty of Greenville (1795) sets trend
  that USA has to treat with Indians for land.
• Louisiana Purchase 1803 doubles size of USA,
  brings many more tribes under white rule.

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Relationship with France

• Ally in Revn War vs GB
• Outbreak of Fr Revn 1789 initially welcomed in
  USA, but concerns due to terror and violence (not
  virtuous republicanism like in USA)
• Fr tries to get US to honour 1778 alliance and
  join war vs GB US refuses (ec links with GB too
  imp)
• By 1798 Fr seizing US ships undeclared war at
  sea.

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Relations with GB

• Close cultural, linguistic and economic ties with
  GB eg biggest trading partner
• But GB sees itself as superior more powerful
  than USA, smarting over Revn.
• Problems over European trade and impressment of
  American sailors during Napoleonic wars leads
  to war of 1812, burning of White House, Battle of
  New Orleans 1815.

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• Madison thought invasion and conquest of Canada
  would be easy but US militias poorly armed and
  led.
• Invasions in 1812 and 1813 repulsed by better
  organised British troops, though York (Toronto)
  sacked in 1813
• British capture Detroit 1812-13, and burn Fort
  Dearborn (Chicago) but attempt to invade NY in
  1814 fails.
• No territorial changes

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• Br turned to the attack after defect of Napoleon
  in 1814.
• Br navy successfully attacked Washington DC
  burning public buildings before withdrawing.
• Attempt to take Baltimore failed.

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• Final theatre of operations was south British
  land troops in Florida with intention of taking
  New Orleans, and stirring up slaves vs southern
  planters.

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Conclusions

• Early Republic mapped out future of USA
• Government was to be smaller, more inclusive and
  democratic than in Europe
• Weakness of USA internationally still very clear.
• Yet starting to spread influence to the Pacific