Standard Indicator 8-2.6

Government After the American Revolution

General Meeting

1. Elected a Committee of 99, became de facto government

a) De facto—exercising power or serving a function without being legally or officially established

2. Royal governor still in Charleston, most South Carolinians obeyed Committee of 99

3. November 1774, General Committee called for elections of delegates to a Provincial Congress

4. Representation was disproportionally from Lowcountry

Provincial Congress

1. Raised an army2. Issued currency3. Created a committee to enforce non-

importation 4. commissioned the writing of a

constitution a) eventually approved as the Articles

of Confederation

5. Not everyone in SC agreed with the Provincial Congress, especially people in the backcountry

Provincial Congress

6. sent a delegation to backcountry to try & make peace

7. The Treaty of Ninety Six- backcountry people agreed they would remain neutral in fight w/Great Britain

8. Later, Provincial sent forces to backcountry to defeat Loyalist militia and silence opposition from backcountry

SC’s First Constitution

1. Made SC an independent state before Declaration of Independence was signed

2. Written by the provincial government

3. served as a foundation for government until the disagreements with England could be resolved

SC Government Set-up

SC’s First Constitutiona) Two house legislative (lower house elected by

people, upper house elected by lower house)b) President elected by legislature (power to veto

laws)c) Lowcountry had more representation than

backcountryd) A second constitution was created after signing

of Declaration of Independence (minor changes)e) President was now the state Governor, slightly

more equal representation, & Church of England was no longer the official, state supported church

Role in New National Gov’t

1. Continental Congress acted as the first national government

2. SC only colony out of the 13 to meet all financial obligations to the Continental Congress

3. South Carolinian Henry Laurens served as President to the Continental Congress, & later on the committee that negotiated the Treaty of Paris for the government under the Article of Confederation

The Muppets Reenact the Continental Congress

After the signing of the Declaration

1. The A of C written to become the first national government

2. SC ratified the articles quickly; other states waited till a deal of western land ownership had been reached

3. A of C were modeled on the Continental Congress, giving each state one vote

4. With war over & state agreement wavering led to an unsuccessful national government

Problems with the early gov’t

1. Debt was a major problem for national government

2. Disagreements over interstate trade, currency, & taxes made Confederation government too weak to meet needs of new nation

Charles Pinckney

1. Early advocate for a strong national government

2. Served as chair on committee of Confederation Congress that recommended amendments to strengthen government under Articles of Confederation

3. Tried to encourage other states to pay their obligation to national government

4. Shay’s Rebellion caused other states to call for a meeting in Philadelphia to amend Article of Confederation & strengthen national government

Shays' Rebellion (6:17)