The Confederation &

The Constitution

Church and State Congregational

Church… Anglican Church

became the Episcopalian Church

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom…

The Slavery Issue 1st Continental

Congress… Discrimination… The fight over slavery

would have to be postponed…

Republican Motherhood Elevated women to

the prestigious role of special keepers of the nation’s conscience.

State Constitutions Had many common

features Were fundamental

laws that couldn’t easily be changed

The average citizen was worse off than they were before the war

Articles of Confederation The first constitution that

governed America. Confederation = loose

union of states Created a “League of

Friendship” Drafted by John

Dickinson Took effect in March

1781

9/13 Majority required to pass laws… All states must consent to Amendments… One vote per state … No executive, no court system

Land Ordinance of 1785 System to survey and

sell land to help pay national debt

Each township was 6 miles square and split into 36 sections of 1 square mile each

Section 16 was for building a public school for the area

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Temporary tutelage –

permanent equality Territories that had

60,000 residents…. Would eventually

create 5 states: MI, WI, IL IN, & OH

Forbade slavery in old Northwest (exempted those

already there)

The World’s Ugly Duckling British controlled trading

posts on U.S. soil Spain controlled the

Mississippi River and closed it to American Commerce

France wanted repayment of war debt

Barbary Coast pirates were attacking American commerce in the Mediterranean

Anarchy at Home – Shay’s Rebellion - 1786

Poor backcountry MA farmers couldn’t pay taxes or mortgages…

Led by Daniel Shays…

Many begin to feel that the Articles of Confederation needed strength

Annapolis Convention 1786 Only 5 states showed

up… Alexander Hamilton

asked for a convention to meet in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation

A Convention of “Demigods” – May 25, 1787

55 Delegates representing 12 states…(No RI)

Sessions held in complete secrecy…

Most were conservative, young, wealthy & well educated…

19/55 owned slaves

Notable Delegates George Washington Unanimously elected

chairman His prestige could quiet the

overheated tempers

Benjamin Franklin Oldest delegate – 81 Had chaperones…

Gouverneur Morris “Penman of the

Constitution” Author of the Preamble Rephrased the original

23 articles to 7 giving the Constitution its style and form

James Madison Copious Notes “Father of the Constitution”

Alexander Hamilton Advocated a super powerful

central government

Notably Absent Thomas Jefferson… John Adams… Samuel Adams… John Hancock… Patrick Henry…

Virginia Plan(Large State Plan) Submitted by

Madison Bicameral Congress

with representation based on population…

One executive chosen by Congress…

New Jersey Plan(Small State Plan) Submitted by William

Patterson Unicameral Congress

with each state represented equally

More than one executive, chosen by Congress

The Connecticut Plan(Great Compromise) Proposed by Roger Sherman Bicameral Legislature

Senate – Equal Representation

House-Representation based on population

Every revenue bill originates in the House

Presidential Elections Larger states…. Smaller states….

Electoral College Elects the President

and the Vice President, not the people.

The people actually vote for the electors who elect the President.

Three-fifths Compromise Proposed by James Wilson (PA) A slave would count as 3/5 of a

person to determine a state’s level of tax and representation

Leading Slave Population VA: 42.29% SC: 43.01% MD: 32%

Result: Southerners dominate Presidency, Speaker of the House, & Supreme Court until the Civil War

Commerce & Slave Trade Compromises Southerners feared…. Congress was allowed to

place tariffs on foreign products and regulate interstate and foreign trade but forbidden to tax the export of goods from any state

Congress was forbidden to interfere with the slave trade for 20 years (1807)

Safeguards Against “Mob” Rule Federal Judges … President … Senators … House of

Representatives … Checks & Balances Suffrage was not

universal …

Ben Franklin …” it is a rising and not a setting sun…”

Ratifying the Constitution Only 9 of 13 colonies

had to ratify for it to take effect…

Each state had a convention – delegates elected by property owners

The Great Debate

The Great Debate

Anti-Federalists Led by Patrick Henry,

Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock & Thomas Jefferson

Followers were Devoted to State’s Rights Yeomen Farmers Debtors Frontiersmen

Federalists Led by George

Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, & Alexander Hamilton

Followers were Supportive of a strong

central government Generally wealthier and

more educated Concentrated on the

Atlantic coast & cities

The Great Debate

Anti-Federalists Wanted a Bill of Rights Felt this was a ploy by the

aristocrats to steal powers won by the common people in the revolution

Appealed to popular distrust of government

Strict Construction – Everything must be explicitly stated

Federalists Emphasized the weaknesses

of the Articles of Confederation Controlled the press Were well organized and

persuasive Promised to add a Bill of

Rights Loose Construction – What is

not written may be implied

The Federalist Papers Help Sway NY 85 Essays written by

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison

Argued for ratification of the Constitution, promised to add Bill of Rights later

#10 and #51 are the most quoted

A Conservative Triumph? A radical minority

engineered the Revolution…

A conservative minority engineered the Constitution….

(Only about ¼ of the adult, white property owners voted for delegates to the state conventions)