Articles of Confederation, First Three Presidents, the Constitution, and the

War of 1812 (1776-1817)

Chapters 9-11

APUSH Study Session #3

Treatment of Different Groups after the RevolutionRelations with Native Americans

deterioratedNumber of free blacks increased during and

after the warIncreased racist publications and legislationLed to ghettoization of blacks

The Articles of ConfederationStates created their own constitutions after

the Declaration of IndependenceContinental Congress sent the Articles of

Confederation to the states for ratification in 1777First national constitutionHad several important weaknesses:

Gave the states the most power and created a weak federal governmentCentral government couldn’t tax or regulate tradeAmendments required unanimous approval by all

states

Did achieve one notable success with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787Governed sale of government land to settlers and

contained a bill of rightsAbolished slavery in the NW territoriesSet conditions for statehood

Shay’s Rebellion (1776-1787) helped illustrate the need for a stronger federal governmentMA farmers protested unfair economic and

political policiesRevealed resentment backcountry farmers

harbored against the coastal elite

A New ConstitutionA four-month convention was convened in

Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of ConfederationLater called the Constitutional ConventionIncluded 55 delegates from all states except

Rhode IslandDelegates decided that an entirely new

constitution would need to be created

Different plans reflected the ideological differences of the delegatesNew Jersey Plan called for minor changes and equal

representation for all statesVirginia Plan called for a new government and for

representation based on population Great Compromise addressed these differences and

created a bicameral legislature with one body representing equal representation and the other representing population

New constitution included other important characteristicsPresident and Vice-President would be elected by

the Electoral College3/5 Compromise counted slaves as 3/5 of a personEstablished three branches of government—

executive, legislative, and judicialCreated a system of checks and balances among

the three branchesThe Constitution was sent to the state

legislatures for ratification

Anti-Federalists attacked the Constitution for giving the federal government too much powerMost upset by the lack of a bill of rights

Federalist arguments in The Federalist Papers helped sway undecided states like New York to ratify the ConstitutionIncluded James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John

JayStates agreed to ratify the Constitution if a Bill of

Rights was addedConstitution went into effect in 1789Bill of Rights (first ten amendments) was added in

1791

Washington’s Administrations (1789-1797)

Electoral College selected George Washington as the first President of the United States

Created a cabinet that would help advise the presidentThomas Jefferson became Secretary of StateAlexander Hamilton became Secretary of the Treasury

These two men had opposing views on many things and laid the basis for the first two-party system in the United States

Hamilton proposed a National Bank to regulate and strengthen the economyCongress approved the plan, but Washington considered

vetoing itTwo sides debated the constitutionality of its creation

Strict and loose constructionists argued about enumerated and implied powers

US Two-Party System Emerged

Federalists Democratic-Republicans

Leaders Hamilton, Washington, Adams, Jay, Marshall

Jefferson and Madison

Vision Economy based on commerce

Economy based on agriculture

Government Power Strong federal government

Strong state governments

Supporters The wealthy and the NE

Small farmers and the South

Constitutional Interpretation

Loose Strict

National Bank Necessary Only desirableForeign Affairs Closest ally was

BritainClosest ally was France

Hamilton also handled the national debt issue by assuming states’ debtsGave the federal government power over those statesWould repay those debts by giving debt holders land

on the western frontierFavored Northern banks and the wealthySouth agreed to support this only after the

government agreed to move the capital to Washington DC in 1800

Hamilton’s programs caused the Whiskey RebellionPA farmers resisted an excise tax on whiskeyWashington dispatched the militia to disperse the

rebelsDemonstrated the strength and fairness of the new

federal government

French Revolution caused the US to take a stand on foreign policyNeutrality Proclamation declared that the US

would not get involved in foreign conflictsJay’s Treaty dealt with the evacuation of

the British from the Northwest TerritoryDiscussed British violations of free tradePrevented war with Britain, but critics

suggested it gave too much to the British

Pinckney’s Treaty (1796) dealt with navigation on the Mississippi, duty-free access to world markets, and removal of Spanish forts in America

Washington wouldn’t run for a third termIn his farewell address, he warned future

presidents to avoid alliances and maintain neutralityEstablished American foreign policy from 1800 to

the late 1890s

Republican Motherhood1790s—Woman’s role became important

They were the teachers and producers of virtuous male citizens

Should receive education, but only to help teach young males

Had very little political authority

Adams Administration (1797-1801)

John Adams was a federalistUnder the current rules, the second-place candidate became

VPThis was Jefferson, who was a Democratic-Republican

Allowed Hamilton to take the leadThe tension between Hamilton and Jefferson set an ugly tone

for this administrationGreatest achievement was avoiding war with France

France began seizing American ships on the open sea after the US signed the Jay Treaty with Britain

French demanded a large bribe from American diplomats before negotiations began in the XYZ AffairDiplomats returned home and the people turned against France

Adams avoided war and negotiated a settlement with France

Low point was the Alien and Sedition ActsAllowed the government to forcibly expel

foreigners and jail newspaper editorsSought to destroy the Democratic-

RepublicansJefferson and Madison drafted the Virginia

and Kentucky Resolutions in responseSaid that the states had the right to judge the

constitutionality of federal lawsUsed nullification to declare the Alien and Sedition

Acts void

The “Revolution of 1800”Federalist party split by 1800, which gave the

Democratic-Republicans an advantage in the electionThomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received an equal

number of votes in the Electoral CollegeHouse of Representatives had to choose a victor—Jefferson

President now had a VP that he didn’t want (again!)12th Amendment allowed electors to vote for a

president and vice-president on the same ticket (1804)This represented America’s first transition of power

from one party to another, which occurred smoothly

On the eve of Jefferson’s inauguration, Adams appointed the “midnight judges”Filled as many government positions with

Federalists as he could

Jefferson’s Administrations (1801-1808)Jefferson’s first term was noteworthy for many

reasons (1800-1804)Refused to recognize the “midnight judges” and

appointed Democratic-Republicans in their placePardoned those convicted under the Alien and

Sedition Acts and convinced Congress to repeal them

Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin, set out to reduce the national debtGovernment had borrowed money to finance national

growth under Hamilton’s leadershipHe believed that national debt was good

Jefferson reduced borrowing, trimmed the federal budged, and cut taxes

Marbury v. Madison (1803) created the precedent of judicial reviewDeclared the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutionalJohn Marshall’s decision stated that the Supreme Court could

review the constitutionality of Congressional actsIncreased the power of the Supreme Court

Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the territory of the US in the greatest achievement of Jefferson’s first termPurchased from France for $15 millionJefferson violated his allegiance to a strict interpretation of the

Constitution Claimed the power to negotiate treaties with foreign nations,

without Congressional approvalJefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the new territory and

the West

Jefferson won the Election of 1804 in a landslideIn the aftermath of the election, Burr killed Hamilton

in a duel and fled to the SWHe was later captured and tried for treason for

attempting to secede from the United States

Jefferson’s second term was rough (1804-1808)US became caught in another British-French

dispute that culminated in the War of 1812Blockades by both sides hurt American tradeBritish ships began impressing sailors from American

ships and attacked an American frigateEmbargo Act of 1807 responded to British and French

harassment on the open seasShut down America’s imports and exports with

disastrous economic resultso New England’s economy collapsed and smuggling

became widespreadNon-Intercourse Act of 1809 reestablished trade with

most nations, but not with Britain or France

Madison’s Administrations (1808-1817)

James Madison was a Democratic-Republican who defeated the weakening Federalists

Macon’s Bill No. 2 reopened trade with both England and FranceMonroe said if either side would choose to stop interfering with

American trade, that he would cut off trade with the otherNapoleon made the promise first but then violated itBritish also stepped up their attacks on American ships

because of the exclusive American embargo against their goods

War Hawks, led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, began clamoring for war with the BritishIn 1812, Madison finally gave in and asked Congress to declare

war

War of 1812 was fought between the British and the USNative Americans fought for the British

Tecumseh and the Prophet wanted to stop American expansion into Indiana and Illinois and created a coalition

Americans weren’t preparedWashington DC was captured and burned by the BritishAmerica was able to fight to a stalemate in most battles

Americans opposed to the war met in the Hartford ConventionCaused the death of the Federalists

British negotiated peace with the US in the Treaty of Ghent after their hostilities with France endedAndrew Jackson defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans

after the armistice in the only clear American victory of the war

The one positive effect was the growth of American manufacturingStates had to become self-sufficient when they couldn’t

trade with EuropeNew England became the manufacturing centerUS was now less dependent on imports

Madison continued promoting national growth while extending federal power cautiously in the American System which enacted:Protective tariffs on importsImprovements to interstate roadsRechartering of the National BankThis program is sometimes attributed to Henry Clay