The Critical Period: 1783-1789

Postwar years of political, economic, and diplomatic difficulties

CRITICAL PERIOD 1783-1789

Many recognize the need to strengthen the central (national) government:

Propertied classes:-Holders of government securities (bonds)-Manufacturers-great interest in tariff and home industry protection-Merchants demanded concessions from foreign governments to open up ports for US trade.-Financiers (bankers) feared inflation and foreclosures-Land speculators wanted more land opened in the West /remove Indians and other interlopers?

A bit of historiography : Charles Beard early 20th c. historian: Philly was a collection of the “best bred, best read, best fed, best wed Americans” = economic elitists John Roche late 20th c . historian: “pluralist” politicians   attended in Philly.

 

Dan Shay leads farmers against the bankers and Mass.Courts to stop foreclosures on farms. Governor SamAdams orders troops to shoot on the farmers – $ supplied by the bankers!

In Pennsylvania, groups seizing the propertyOf the Quakers – “MAJORITY RULE” !!!

PHILADELPHIA: May-September 1787

@ Annapolis Conference (1786) calls for a constitutional convention in Philly for

1787. Traumatic events spur attendance – Shay’s Rebellion and economic instability

In Philadelphia … The “cream of the crop” does show up; the States’ best: Val: James Madison / George Mason / Geo. Washington - elected presiding Officer Pa.: Ben Franklin / James Wilson / Gouverneur Morris NJ: Wm. Patterson / NY: John Jay and A. Hamilton / SC: the Pinckney Brothers

Conspicuously and intentionally absent: Tom Paine Patrick Henry Sam Adams Thom Jefferson !

Much differing opinion on what the national government should be all about, but

The Philly attendees all agree: a central government must have the power to: Levy taxes Regulate commerce Pay the national debt Coin money (print) Provide for the national defense BUT HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT? HOW MUCH POWER SHOULD THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HOLD? WHAT SHOULD BE THE ROLE OF THE STATES?

Philly Convention

Big Al Hamilton

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

The Philly attendees all agree: a central government must have the power to:- Levy taxes- Regulate commerce- Pay the national debt- Coin money (print)- Provide for the national defense

BUT HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT? HOW MUCH POWER SHOULD THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HOLD? WHAT ABOUT THE STATES?

The States sent their best and brightest to Philadelphia

Connecticut Roger Sherman

New Jersey

William Patterson

New York Alexander Hamilton John Jay

“I smell a rat!” – Patrick Henry

South Carolina

Pinckney Brothers

Virginia Jas. MadisonGeo. MasonGeo. WashingtonGeorge Washington – elected

presiding officer

LET THE RUMBLE BEGIN

BIG STATES LITTLE STATES

Virginia Plan◦ Bi-cameral legislature

Lower house=population Upper house=appointed

by the state governments

Executive =chosen by legislature

No Judiciary, thoughstates pass own laws; national legislature rule on constitutionality thereof

New Jersey Plan◦ Uni-cameral legislature

All states =equal suffrage

Executive= committee of legislature

National judiciary◦ National legislation binding

on all states

SEPTEMBER 17, 1787

THE CONNECTICUT PLAN = THE GREAT COMPROMISE - bicameral legislature

- Lower House = popular votebased on population

- Upper House = equal suffrage of the states (2)

- Three Branches- based on notions of separation of powers and checks and balances

- Legislative - Executive - Judicial

BEEN “FIGHTING” OVER THESE FOR NEARLY 225 YEARS

Other important features: the expedient, the needed, and the necessary.

- “3/5th Compromise”- Economic powers- “Necessary and Proper Clause” =elastic clause (Art I.8:17)- Federalism- Supremacy Clause- Limitations on Majority rule- Rights of the individual- Amend-ability

Now the job gets even tougher, the 13 states must ratify the Constitution through their own state conventions.

If the two biggies don’t go for it – “Fudgetta Bout It”

Biggest and richest

James Madison – Alexander Hamilton – John Jay write 85 essays answering, promoting, and allaying all the concerns that the New York delegates were having about the Constitution.Today, we would equate these guys’ efforts to “blogging”the daily events of the convention:

The Federalist Papers appeared inThe daily newspapers as op/ed pieces

and penned by a Publius to insure the delegates would not reject them because of the personalities of the true authors. especially Hamilton!

The Federalist Papers proved successful, and when NY ok’ed the Constitution, the remaining states like Va fell into line.

• Delaware was the first• Pennsylvania was the first big state to do so

It was key!

• Rhode Island was last by over two years!

The ultimate reason why those opposed to the Constitution:

The Anti-Federalists: Thom Jefferson Patrick Henry Sam Adams

was its lack of specifics about personal liberty and directprohibitions on government power in regard to the person.

James Madison saved the day by promising that the first order of business for the new US Congress would be calling for a Bill of Rights.

This pledge won over the last opposition to the Constitution

AMERICA

doing business since 1789