Chapter 6Part 2

Finance, Trade, and Economy

1781-1786• Debt– 160 million– Borrowed money– Continentals– Massive inflation

• Robert Morris– Superintendent of Finance

1781– Proposed national import

duty of 5%– Didn’t pass

• RI rejected

• Newburgh Conspiracy 1783– Morris/ Hamilton

• Persuaded Army officers to threaten a Coup d'état to get treasury taxation authority to raise officers pay

• GW responds with speech focused on honor

• Coup never happened• Highlights perils of nations

finances

• Trade– Economic depression

• NE – Short growing season– High taxes

• Mid-Atlantic– Prospered– Europe famine

• South– Failure of rice/tobacco

Confederation and the West 1785-

1787

• Land ordinance of 1785– 160 million acres north of

OH river• Uniform procedures for

surveying land• Township and range • Six square miles is basic unit• One lot for educational

purposes• Land sold at public auction

– Min. $1 an acre

• Land ordinance of 1787– Defined steps for creation

and admission of states– Forbade slavery in

territories– Stages of acceptance

• Territorial government• 5,000 males – temporary

constitution, elect a legislature

• 60,000 males- vote to ratify, Congress had to approve

• Natives– Thought British would

support them– Joseph Brant

• Mohawk• Led resistance in Northwest

• Southeast– Difficulties with Spanish

and their native allies• Alexander McGillivray • Creek Indian• Secret treaty with Spain

1780s

– Miss/ New Orleans• John jay• Jay-Gardoqui treaty of 1786

Toward a New constitution• Shay’s Rebellion

1786-1787– Causes

• Jay- Gardoqui treaty• NE depression (1784)

continued• Legislature raises taxes

to pay off war debt in 3 years (1786)

• Shortage of gold/silver• Mass passed

constitution – Favors wealthy– Heavy taxes– Farm seizes

• Spark– Daniel Shays led 2,000 men

to shut down courts in 3 counties

– Goal: to stop sheriff’s auctions for unpaid taxes – prevent foreclosures

• Consequences– Causes leaders to worry

about Confederations ability to handle civil disorder

– Gw’s meeting– Call for Annapolis convention

• Delegates from 5 states• Suggest Constitutional

convention– Jefferson “a little rebellion is

good now and then to replenish the tree of liberty”

Philadelphia Convention 1787

• 55 delegates from every state – exception Rhode Island– Delegates:

• White, wealthy males• James Madison, Alexander

Hamilton, Gov. Morris, John Dickinson

• Not there:– John jay, Thomas Jefferson,

John Adams, Thomas Paine

• Independence Hall– Private sessions– GW chairperson

• Ben Franklin – major influence

• j

• Issues– What to do with

articles?– How to balance

conflicting interests of large and small states

*group activity:drafting the constitution

responses• Plans

– Madison• Virginia plan

– Favor large states– Strong central government– Congress rights of

legislation/taxation– Power to veto any state law– Authority to use military

force against states– Bicameral legislature

» Upper house : rep. population

» Lower house: elected by votes

» Both houses appt. president and judges

– Opposition• Abolishment of state’s rights• Biggest problem-

– Representation

– Patterson• New jersey plan• Favors small states• States rights• 7 smallest states have

control of congress• Congressional laws

“supreme laws of land”• Similar to VA plan

– July 2• Grand committee

– One delegate from each state

• Connecticut Compromise “grand”

– Senate: equal vote for each state

– HOR: proportional voting• Approved Sept. 17, 1787

Powers• Congress

– Lay and collect taxes– Regulate interstate

commerce– Conduct diplomacy– Supreme law of the land

• States limits– Coin money– Interfere with contracts /

debts– Tax interstate commerce

• National government– Could use military force

against any state

• Restraint of power– Three separate branches– Judicial, legislative, executive

• Executive– Power to veto congress– Limit 4 years per term– No limit to terms– Elected by people and

electoral college• To limit mob rule

• Federalism– System of shared power and

dual lawmaking by national and state governments

• Places limits on central authority

• National government:– Foreign affairs, national

defense, regulating interstate commerce, coining money

Dilemma: Slavery

• Should they be counted as persons?• 3/5ths compromise

– A slave represented 3/5ths of a person– Slavery could be imported for 20 more

years• End 1808

Struggle for ratification 1787-1788

• Draft approved Sept 1787– Sent to each state – Population elected

convention

• Federalists– Support constitution

and strong gov’t– Advantages

• Political clout: GW, Ben Franklin

• Political organization• Most newspapers “pro”

constitution

• Anti-federalists– Constitution would “doom”

states– Suspicion of central power– Believed states’ gov’t more

responsive to the will of the people

– Issue with no protection for individual rights

– Disadvantages• Lacked opp. Contacts and

experience at national level• Failure to create sense of

urgency• People: Patrick Henry, mercy

Otis warren, Henry Richard lee

Debate• Federalist Papers

– Response to anti-federalists– 85 newspaper essays– Alexander Hamilton, John Jay,

James Madison– Arguments

• Concerns about powers and limits of new federal government

• Constitution had twofold purpose

– Defend minority rights against majority tyranny

– Prevent stubborn majority from blocking well considered measures necessary for national interests

– Federalist #10• Madison rejects anti-federalist

argument that establishing a republic for a nation as large as US would unleash chaotic contest for power

• Argues that size and diversity would neutralize factions

• Bill of Rights– For : Anti-federalist

• What was to stop government from becoming a tyranny

• BOR would protect Americans

– Against: Federalist• Congress elected by people

so they didn’t need protecting

• Better to assume all rights were protected than to create limited list of rights

Rethinking the U.S. Constitutional Convention

• Who?– White, wealthy males

• Issues?– Slavery, taxation, suffrage, balance of powers

• Our convention– “invite” groups that were not represented– Focus:

• Slavery and suffrage

• Homework:– Key terms list– Read position, decide arguments (be sure to

anticipate opposition)– Write speech

• Should slavery be abolished?• Who should have the right to vote?

Debate

• Questions– Should slavery be abolished?

• Slave trade?• Escaped slaves?• Formal proposal

– Who should be allowed to vote?• What role should gender, race, and property

ownership play in such a decision?• Formal proposal

Questions

• What did you learn from your participation in the role play and preparation?

• Given the different social groups in the United States at the time what do you think might have happened if other people were really given a voice at the convention?

Who wrote the constitution?

Looking ahead• May 1790

– Last state, Rhode Island enters the Union

• Chapter 7: Launching the New republic– Constitutional

government takes shape

– Hamilton and the formulation of federalist policies

– The united states on the world stage

– The emergence of party politics

– Economic and social change

Ratifying the Constitution

The new national government that began operation in 1788 was a result of the Constitution being ratified by

A) state legislaturesB) state conventionsC) CongressD) the Supreme CourtE) none of the above

Answer

• B) state conventions

Explanation: Article VII of the Constitution detailed a four-stage ratification process: (1) submission of the Constitution to the Confederation Congress, (2) transmission of the Constitution by Congress to the state legislatures, (3) election of delegates to conventions in each state to consider the Constitution, and (4) ratification by the conventions of at least nine of the thirteen states.

Founding Documents George Mason of Virginia, knownas the father of the Bill of Rights(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Which of the following statements is incorrectly matched with its source document?

A) "We the people of the United States"—Constitution

B) "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence"--Articles of Confederation

C) "All men are created equal"--Declaration of Independence

D) "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."—Constitution

E) "No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."--Bill of Rights

Answer: 

D) "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."--Constitution

Explanation: The 10th Amendment to the Constitution was proposed by the Antifederalists in an attempt to limit the power of the national government and protect state and individual rights. The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights and were adopted in 1791.

Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

George Washington's famous chairat the Constitutional Convention(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Thomas Jefferson, who would become an opponent of some of the major elements of the Constitution, nevertheless called the 55 delegates to Philadelphia in 1787, "really an assembly of demigods." What was the occupation of 31 of the 55 delegates?

A) merchantB) printer/publisherC) lawyerD) farmerE) minister

Answer: 

C) lawyer

Explanation: The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 drafted the Constitution, thereby creating a government that radically transformed American political life. Some veterans of the American Revolution, such as Patrick Henry and Sam Adams, stayed away, fearing that the freedom earned by individuals and states during the war would be sacrificed to a strong central government. Lawyers dominated the proceedings, though merchants, politicans, farmers, doctors, educators, and one famous inventor were also represented.

United States History Question of the DayAnswer and Explanation

Powers of Congress

Federal Hall, New York City,site of first meetings of Congress(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Which of the following is not listed as a power reserved to Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution?

A) to coin moneyB) to borrow money on the credit of the United StatesC) to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seaD) to tax exports from any stateE) securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries

D) to tax exports from any state

Explanation: Part of the Commerce Compromise at the Constitutional Convention was the guarantee that Congress would not tax exports. All of the other options are powers listed in Article I, Section 8.

United States History Question of the Day

"Remember the Ladies..."

Independence Hall in Philadelphia,site of many American firsts(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Question 0101005:

Which early American leader's spouse encouraged her husband: "In the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors."

A) George WashingtonB) John AdamsC) Benjamin FranklinD) Thomas JeffersonE)  Samuel Adams

Answer: 

B) John Adams

Explanation: Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John in 1776, recommending that as a new system was developed in a democratic model, that women's rights be considered.  Her husband's frequent time away from home in Massachusetts resulted in long separations. She raised their four children and managed their home affairs on her own and was her husband's chief political confidant. They were married for 54 years.

Constitutional Amendments

1870 poster celebrating the 15th Amendmentwhich guaranteed the right to vote for all races(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Since the addition of the Bill of Rights in 1791, the U.S. Constitution has been amended 17 times. Which of the following proposed amendments was not approved?

A) fixed the date for the start of Congress (January 3rd) and the inauguration of the president (January 20th)B) equal rights for men and womenC) income tax allowed to be collected by national governmentD) Washington, D.C. being represented in the Electoral CollegeE) presidency limited to two terms or a maximum of 10 years

Answer: 

B) equal rights for men and women

Explanation: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first proposed to Congress in 1923 by Alice Paul. It read "Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." Despite numerous attempts, it has never reached the 3/4 of the states approval requirement for the addition of an amendment. All of the other amendments have been approved: A) 1932; C) 1909; D) 1960: E) 1947.

Amending the Constitution Constitutional Convention, 1787(Source: Wikimedia Commons--public domain)

Which of the following four methods of amending the Constitution have neverbeen used?

I. Proposal by convention of states, ratification by state conventionsII. Proposal by convention of states, ratification by state legislatures III. Proposal by Congress, ratification by state conventionsIV. Proposal by Congress, ratification by state legislatures

A) I onlyB) I and II onlyC) II and III onlyD) I and III onlyE) II only

Answer: 

B) I and II only

Explanation: All amendments to the Constitution have been added as a result of a proposal by Congress and then by ratification by either state conventions or state legislatures.