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The Pursuit of Equality--background
The Pursuit of Equality--background
Constitution Making in the States
Constitution Making in the States
Economic Crosscurrents
Economic Crosscurrents
A Shaky Start Toward Union
Creating a Confederation--background
Second Continental Congress
13 sovereign states
Committee to create constitution
Need to ratify treaty with France
Articles of Confederation—1777
Western Lands
States ceded new land to central
government
New states would have = rights
Creating a Confederation—westward land
The Articles of Confederation: America’s First Constitution
Firm league of friendship
No executive branch
Unanimous ratification & amendment process
No power to regulate commerce
No power to enforce taxation
Significant step towards The Constitution
Landmarks in Land Laws
Land Ordinance of 1785
Old northwest sold to pay national debts
Divided into townships 6 miles square
Thirty-six sections (1 sq. mile each)
16th section—sold for public school
Orderly settlement in northwest
Landmarks in Land Laws
Northwest Ordinance--1787 New territories added in stages
1st--area subordinate to federal government, then…
60,000 people—it became state
Same rights as older states
Forbade slavery in Northwest territory
The World’s Ugly Duckling
The World’s Ugly Duckling
Britain No diplomatic minister to U.S. Navigation Laws Frontier trading posts & fur
trade Closed West Indies for trade
Spain Controlled mouth of
Mississippi Closed river to U.S. commerce
Claimed large area north of Gulf of Mexico (including Florida granted to U.S. by British)
Antagonized resentful Indians
France Demanded repayment
for war loans Restricted trade with
West Indies Pirates
Pey of Algiers Enslaved Yankee
Sailors U.S. too weak to fight
to poor to bribe
Or the world is just a mean ole’
bully!!!
The Horrid Specter of Anarchy
Shays’ Rebellion 1786 MA—backcountry farmers in debt
Wanted: lighten taxes, print paper $, suspend property takeovers
Several small skirmishes Shay’s followers crushed MA did pass debtor-relief laws
The fear of mobocracy & democratic despotism
Stronger confederation needed
And now for some entertainment…
And now for something less entertaining but
actually about the Constitutional Convention…
A Convention of “Demigods”
A Convention of “Demigods”
Patriots in Philadelphia
Notable: George Washington, James Madison (“Father of Constitution), Alexander Hamilton
Missing: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, John Hancock
Delegates
Conservative, wealthy, educated, young, experienced, & nationalists
Hammering Out a Bundle of Compromises
• “Large-state plan”
• Bi-cameral (two
houses)
• Based on population
• Large states
advantage
Virginia Plan
• Small state
plan
• Unicameral
• Equal
representation
New Jersey Plan
Hammering Out a Bundle of Compromises
The Great Compromise Bicameral (two houses)
Upper House (Senate) —equal representation
Lower House (House of Representatives)—based on population
Tax & revenue bills must originate in the house
Hammering Out a Bundle of Compromises
Sectional jealousy
South—wanted slaves to count for representation, but not taxation
North—wanted slaves to count for taxation, but not for representation
3/5 Compromise
Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation & representation
International slave trade would end in 1807
Safeguards
•Executive•Legislative• Judicial
3 Branches
of
Government
Safeguards
• Veto power
• Appoint judgeships
• Wage War
• Indirect election
• Electoral College
Executive
How on earth does that Electoral College Work?
Safeguards
• Write law
• House elected
directly
• Senate elected
indirectly through
state legislatures
• Power to declare war
Legislative
Safeguards
• Least developed
branch in the
constitution
• Federal judges
appointed for life
by executive
Judicial
Safeguards
Safeguards
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Clash of Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Clash of Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Clash of Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Ratification
Ratification
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