Download Goal_One_PPT_Articles_and_Constitution

The U.S. Constitution
Issues Facing the New Government
Failure of the Articles of
Confederation
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Did not provide federal government enough
power to keep the country together.
Required the cooperation of the states in order
to function.
State interests often conflicted with national
interests, so it was difficult to get agreement.
Shays’ Rebellion illustrated the dangers under
the Articles of Confederation.
Structural Weaknesses of the Articles
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No executive branch
Could declare war, but could not demand troops from
the states
No say in interstate commerce
Could not levy taxes
Each state had one vote, regardless of size
Laws required agreement from 2/3 of the states (9)
Amendments required all 13 states to agree
Large states vs. Small States
Powers Granted and Denied
Accomplishments of the Articles
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Established a government following the American
Revolution that was based on consent of the governed.
Land Ordinance of 1785- created a system of surveying
the land in the Northwest Territory and selling the land
to settlers.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787- described how
territories should be governed; determined how
territories could become states; banned slavery in the
territories; provided for public education.
Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Land Ordinance of 1787 established a way to
govern the Northwest Territory.
This was the land from the Ohio River to the
Great Lakes and Western Pennsylvania to the
Mississippi River.
It set the guidelines for settling new states.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
1) federally appointed governor, secretary, and 3
judges
2) locally elected assembly, non-voting representative
to Congress, and at least 5,000 male residents
3) 60,000 residents and a state constitution
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were
created from these lands.
The Northwest Territory banned slavery and
guaranteed the rights of the individuals.
Shays’ Rebellion
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Led by Daniel Shays
Farmers who could not pay their debts were losing their
property.
The group in Massachusetts stormed the courts in protest and
rebellion against the government, effectively forcing the closing
of the courts and blocking foreclosures.
The rebellion was ultimately put down, but it underlined the
dangers the new country faced with a central government that
was too weak to enforce its laws.
A call was issued to “reform” the Articles.
Constitutional Convention
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James Madison kept detailed notes of the secret
proceedings. He is known as the “father of the
Constitution”.
New Jersey Plan called for a unicameral
legislature with each state having one vote;
favored small states.
Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature
with representation based on population.
Great Compromise
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Also called the Connecticut Compromise,
provided for a bicameral legislature with
representation in the upper house (Senate) equal
for each state and representation in the lower
house (House of Representatives) based on
population.
Three-fifths Compromise
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Another compromise was reached over slavery.
Every 5 slaves would count as 3 people for
purposes of representation and taxation.
This satisfied the North and the South.
There was a reluctance to go ahead and abolish
slavery due to the economic dependence on
slavery by the south.
Ratification
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Federalists vs. Antifederalists
Leading Federalists: James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, John Jay became the writers of the Federalist
Papers explaining that the Constitution was vital to the
success of the new nation.
Antifederalists were concerned about too much power
being given to the central government. They wanted a
bill of rights guaranteeing individual freedoms.
In 1789, Congress approved the ten constitutional
amendments that became the federal Bill of Rights.
States ratified the amendments in 1791.
Key Ideas Behind the Constitution
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Popular sovereignty-people are the main source of the
government’s authority.
Limited government-the government has only the powers that
the Constitution gives it.
Federalism- the federal government and the state governments
share power.
Separation of power – power is divided among three branches:
legislative, executive, and judicial.
Checks and balances – each branch has the power to limit the
actions of the other two.
Representative government – citizens elect representatives to
government to make laws.
Individual rights- the Constitution protects citizens’ individual
rights.
The Judiciary Act of 1789
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Established both the U.S. federal court system
and the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court.
John Jay became the first chief justice of the
Supreme Court.
First Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
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Wanted an excise tax (tax on whiskey) to raise
money for the government.
Tariff – tax on imports- to protect domestic
manufacturing and American business interests.
National Bank with the power to print bank
notes and take care of the nation’s financial
resources.
Assume states debts.
Pay off national debt.
First Secretary of the Treasury
Opposition to Hamilton’s Plan
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Southerners felt that it was unfair because they had
already paid off their state debts, and they also believed
the tariff would hurt international trade.
To win the south over, it was decided that the nation’s
capitol would be placed in the south, Washington, D.C.
The whiskey tax made farmers in western Pennsylvania
angry because they were dependent on their whiskey
for trade and bartering.
Whiskey Rebellion
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Western Pennsylvania farmers refused to pay the tax on whiskey.
They protested and resorted to violence.
President Washington, under the advice of Alexander Hamilton,
formed a military force and marched into Pennsylvania to halt
the resistance.
Washington asked the farmers to vote to determine whether or
not they would comply with the law. He offered them amnesty
if they would stop the rebellion and pay the tax.
The conflict established the idea that the national government
could support itself, and national law was supreme.
This, however, did not end the debate between states’ rights and
the national government.
First Political Parties
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Political parties began to form even though they were
seen as factions.
Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton and John
Adams.
Democratic Republicans were led by Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison.
Northerners favored the Federalist Party, especially
merchants. The southerners, especially farmers,
supported the Democratic Republicans.
Still, you could find supporters for both parties in every
social class, every region, and every state.
The First Political Parties
Washington’s Farewell Address
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Warned against political parties (factions)
Warned against entangling alliances with other
countries (neutrality)
Promoted the idea that good government is
based on religion and morality.
Washington’s Accomplishments
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Becomes the first president, reluctantly
“Mr. President”
Cabinet
Two-term tradition
Judiciary Act, 1789
Federalist Party
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Led by Hamilton
Favored strong centralized government
Wanted an economy based on industry and
trade
Pro-British
Loose constructionists
Wanted wealthy, educated elite to run the
government
Democratic Republicans
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Led by Jefferson
States’ rights
Wanted to base the economy on farming
Pro-French
Strict constructionists
Had a belief in the value of the common man
Foreign Policy
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Native Americans
British
French
Spain
Native Americans
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Americans continued to settle in the Ohio Valley area displacing
many Native Americans.
Chief Little Turtle, the leader of the Miami Confederacy, fought
an d defeated a group of soldiers sent by President Washington
to secure the Ohio Valley area.
In 1794, American troops under the leadership of General
Anthony Wayne fought and defeated the Native Americans at
the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
The Treaty of Greenville was signed promising an annual
payment to the Native Americans in the amount of $10,000.
The agreement was not kept, but the loss effectively secured the
defeat of the Native Americans and opened the Northwest
Territory to settlement.
France
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France wanted American support in the French
Revolution and in the war with Britain.
Felt owed that since they had helped America.
Americans were divided over the issue.
America issued a proclamation of neutrality because
they feared they were too weak to get involved in the
conflict. They feared that they would lose the ability to
trade with Britain.
1793, Washington issued the Proclamation of
Neutrality.
Britain
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John Jay was sent to London to negotiate a treaty to
stop British impressment of American ships.
Instead of agreeing to stop impressment, the treaty
secured the evacuation of the forts in the Great Lakes
area of the United States.
America also agreed to repay war debts to Britain.
The treaty was not seen favorably in the United States.
It was called Jay’s Treaty.
Spain
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Thomas Pinckney was sent to Spain to negotiate
a treaty that would allow right of navigation of
the Mississippi River and right of deposit at
New Orleans.
This was secured. The treaty was called
Pinckney’s Treaty.
The United States viewed the treat favorably.