Moving Towards Nationhood

Unification and National Government for the United States of America

State Legislatures

» American colonists had their own assemblies – like the House of Burgesses in Virginia – which had created laws and collected taxes for the colonies for many years. Therefore, when the English government suggested that the American colonies had “virtual representation” in Parliament, Americans bristled at the notion. They had experience with REAL representation – republican rule – and would not be satisfied by anything less.

Mercantilism

» Although we recognize the restrictive measures as being unfair today, the old mercantilist system practiced by the English was very common in the 18th Century. American colonist – who were English citizens, after all – could only trade with English merchants. This way, the natural resources and profits of the English Empire would remain in English hands!

The French and Indian WarKnown as the Seven Years War in England and the rest of Europe, the French and Indian War was a very costly one for England. Although they won the war, their losses in terms of lives, resources, and money was enormous. After the war, they sought to collect taxes from the American colonists they had protected.

“No Taxation Without Representation!”

Non-Importation

» In addition to the fact that they had formed an assembly of twelve of the thirteen colonies in order to protest English policies and lodge complaints against England, the First Continental Congress also organized an embargo against all trade with England. No trade, no tax collection!

Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts

Common Sense, by Thomas Paine

The Declaration of Independence

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“…to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

The Declaration of Independence

“Whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government…”

John Locke

Thomas Jefferson, like all of the Founding Fathers, was heavily influenced by a number of political philosophers, including Montesquieu and Rousseau. But his greatest influence was John Locke.

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

Although it is much criticized today for its failure to create a more powerful central government, the Articles of Confederation were loved by many. The government created by the Articles was a confederation of affiliated states – not one nation. But the government did manage to aid Americans through some of our greatest trials, including the Revolutionary War, the creation of the Treaty of Paris, and the settlement of all disputes between the states over Western lands – with the passage of the Northwest Ordinance. The government had but one branch: Congress.

Powers of the Articles of Confederation

The Power to Declare War – as in, against England, for Independence. Or against Native Americans threatening the Western boundaries.

The Power to make Treaties – as in the Treaty of Paris of 1783, that ended the Revolutionary War, and gave Americans Independence.

The Power to work out trade agreements between states when necessary – but it was not very good at this.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

No power to tax meant that the Articles of Confederation could not retire the national debt after the Revolutionary War and that it was not able to field a responsive military or police to enforce laws.

The Congress actually had no authority to enforce any of the laws that it made!

NO POWER TO TAX!

George Washington Feared for the Nation Following Shays’ Rebellion, 1786During Shays’ Rebellion, a group of debtor farmers – and former Revolutionary War soldiers – fought against bankers and debt collectors in Western Massachusetts who were attempting to call in what was owed to them by repossessing people’s farms and houses. The conflict was short lived, but it alarmed many Americans. When a new assembly was elected in Massachusetts the following year, it passed laws forgiving some of the debt that the farmers owed. This also caused concern. If the contracts men made were not honored, then, how could anyone be trusted to pay their debts. Since the national government was not able to quickly respond to the threat from debtors, George Washington favored a new, more vigorous government – and most of the Founding Fathers agreed!