HOW MUCH DEMOCRACY?

You have your independence . . .Now what?

“governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” What does it mean for

Landowners ? Merchants ? Farmers ? Wealthy ? Poor ? Women ? Slaves ? Free blacks? Native Americans?

Politics and Government“Republicanism”

State Constitutions Some radical

Strong Lower Houses Weak Governors No property

requirements for voting

Education Bills of Rights

Wealthy concerned King George the First?

Politics and Government“Republicanism” John Adams

compromise Thoughts on

Government Similar to British (without

monarch) Elected

Chief executive (governor) Legislature (two houses)

Appointed Judiciary

Checks and balances Review legislation Veto power

Republican Motherhood

Women? Mary Wollstonecraft

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Equal social and political status for women

Some gains Eased property loss in

marriage Educational opportunities

Still seen as subordinate Abigail Adams:

“Don’t Forget the Ladies.“

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

The United States of America’s first government

Articles of Confederation Drafted by John Dickinson (Olive Branch Petition) States maintain sovereignty, independence, and

freedom Central government could

Declare war and peace Conclude treaties with foreign nations Settle disputes between states Borrow and print money Ask for funds for common defense

Central government No Executive No Judicial Branch Couldn’t levy taxes

Each state had one vote Required nine of thirteen states to make changes Required ALL 13 states to amend

Articles of Confederation

Major problem: western lands

Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey had none

Others didn’t want to give land to government

With land cession, Articles of Confederation passed in 1781

Financial and Economic Problems Congress:

Needed voluntary contributions during war

Bank of North America to stabilize currency

Plan to make debts proportional needed unanimous consent from all 13 states

1781 – Rhode Island no 1783 – New York no

Financial and Economic Problems

Lacked uniform Currency No Regulation of Interstate

Commerce National tariff “too British”

Western Lands

Congress: sell land to pay debts

Violated Proclamation Line of 1763

Problems: White squatters new republic? Spanish Louisiana

Southwest controlled by Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia

Northwest controlled by Congress (Northwest Territory)

British Forts on United States Territory

The Northwest Ordinance

Chersonesus, Franklin, Sylvania, Assenisipia, Metropotamia, Polypotamia, Pelisipia, Saratoga, Washington, Michigania and Illinoia?

Path to statehood 5000 settlers = territory Congress appoints governor Voters elect legislature 60,000 settlers = apply for statehood Slavery Banned

The Northwest Ordinance

To acquire land Government survey first grid system of townships Land purchased from government

A portion of each “township” set aside for education

Northwest Ordinance

NW Survey Ranges Townships, Sections, Quarter Sections, etc.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION?

Post-War Problems

War debt Other Financial Woes Reaction

War Debt

States and Congress issued bonds

States and Congress issued paper money

War bonds worthless

Speculators bought up bonds (buy low, sell high)

Financial Woes

Farmers: little or NO money to pay

taxes/debts useless war bonds for service

Merchants lost money; cheaper British imports

Tariffs to protect American producers Taxes raised to pay debts States – two choices

Ease up on taxes for farmers Confiscate land from those who

couldn’t pay

Shays’s Rebellion, 1786-1787 Massachusetts: high taxes

Farmers who couldn’t pay forfeited property went to jail

Daniel Shays Continental army veteran Farmer (western

Massachusetts) organized farmers into army freed jailed farmers Fought against taxation

Sound familiar?

Shays’s Rebellion, 1786-1787 Massachusetts: Riot

Act (outlaw illegal assemblies)

Governor James Bowdoin sent militia

asked Congress for troops

Winter dispersed Shays’s men

Impact of Shays’s Rebellion

Bowdoin voted out Farmers in other states

revolt Congress can’t fix

economic problems Showed weakness of

central government New nation’s survival

at risk!

A More Democratic America?