Forming a New Nation Constitution Confederation Articles of

Forming a New Nation Constitution

Confederation • Articles of Confederation – Original Constitution for a collection of States – John Dickenson (Penn. ) – Congress and delegates (up to 7 per state) – Single vote per state – No President, No Executive branch – Power spread amongst several committees

Powers of National Congress • Powers: – Declare war – Trade – Indian relations – No power to raise money, taxes merely ask for contributions – 2/3 of states had to approve of the above – Unanimous for amending the Articles

Northwest Territory • Describes the newly acquired land from the Ohio valley region • Land Ordinance of 1785 – Grid system of dividing up land – One square mile, township, 36 sections at least $1 per. • North West Ordinance of 1787 – Congress appoint territorial governor – 5, 000 men elect assembly – 60, 000 men, elect governor and create constitution – Barred slavery – All would come in as “free states”

Public Education Movement • Northern states rapidly established public schools. By the year 1870 • All states had tax-subsidized elementary schools. • The US population had one of the highest literacy rates in the world at the time. – Private academies also flourished in the towns across the country, but rural areas had few schools before the 1880 s. • In 1821, Boston started the first public high school in the United States. – By the close of the 19 th century, public secondary schools began to outnumber private ones.

Shays’ Rebellion • Testing the Articles of Confederation • Farmers of Mass. And Penn. Facing large debt • Led by Daniel Shays • Mass. Raised an army to put down the rebellion • Pres. Washington gets involved, the rebellion is suppressed • Showed that the Articles could not enforce people to pay taxes.

Weaknesses of Articles exposed • Shay’s Rebellion exposed: – No central govt. to enforce laws – No way to collect taxes – Too difficult to manage for acceptance or change. – Shay was right! • Call for stronger central government – Due to the lack of ability to enforce laws, or to collect taxes for governmental income. – Support to all states – Something to bring states together for the good of all

Drafting the Constitution • James Madison forms a committee to create a constitution to present to the Constitutional Congress that includes Alexander Hamilton – Hamilton not in favor of Democracy, Madison favored Republicanism • During session George Washington is unanimously elected president. Battle over representation begins.

Virginia Plan • Favors larger states • Representation should be based upon: – Donation / wealth – Population – Bicameral legislature

New Jersey Plan • Favors smaller states • Calls for representation by: – Statehood: same number per state – unicameral

Connecticut Plan • Also known as the Great Compromise – Stated: • Bicameral • One house will be the House of Representatives, based upon population • One house will be the Senate, based upon statehood, 2 per state

3/5 Compromise • Southern states fearing Northern dominance want to include their slaves into the population count. • Northern states argued that slaves were not citizens. • Congress decided to count 3 out of every 5 slaves to appease the Southern States.

Limited government • James Madison – Believe that the people should have a say in government – The citizens should be able to decide the path of government through representation • A Republic • Alexander Hamilton – Believed there should be a “ruling class”. – Ordinary citizens do not posses the knowledge needed to run a government or country.

Ratification • Federalist – Favored a strong central government – Sought to plug holes of the articles – Washington, Madison, Hamilton • Antifederalist – Favored stronger state and local governments – Lack of bill of rights – Protect people from oppressive government – Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Federalist Papers • James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton • Series of papers set out to explain in “plain” terms what the constitution is and provides. • Explains checks and balances • Efforts to get the constitution ratified

Bill of Rights • Pushed by Antifederalists like Jefferson • Claimed that citizens need to see and know their natural rights • Provide documented rights such as: – Speech, assembly, religion, bear arms, press, trial by jury, etc.

Making it official • Delaware, Penn, NJ, Georgia, Connecticut sign on 1 st. • Massachusetts comes in next • Slowly Maryland, SC, and NH • Virginia and New York are near the end, larger states, must haves • After the Bill of Rights are amended into the constitution all states ratify the constitution.