Revolutionary Society

After the revolution people started to question the meaning of equality in AmericaAmericans continue to look at these issues

Social and Political ReformMany Americans did not want class to have special privilegesAbolished laws of primogeniture Lower property requirements for votingPennsylvania and Georgia allowed all white tax payers to voteSome were afraid women would soon want a vote

Americans were now represented by elected representativesGovernments re-examined relationship between state and churchAt the time the Anglican Church received tax monies1786- several states voted to cut ties with the church

African AmericansJohn Woolman – Quaker (1720-1772)Preached the veils of slaveryAbolitionists sentiment spreadAfrican Americans demanded freedomMany felt the revolution would set the freePhillis Wheatley–writer–religious and moral issues

Northern states did not have the economic justification for slaveryAnti-slavery societies formed hereFranklin –1775 – helped organize “Society for the Relief of Free Negroes, Unlawfully Held”Vermont drafted a constitution prohibiting slavery

Massachusetts – judge ruled slavery unconstitutionalBy 1800 was on the road to extinction in northern statesFree blacks excluded from voting, serving on juriesDenied access of educationSegregated neighborhoods

In southern states Slaves made up a large percentage of the populationSlave numbers continued to growMany in the south believed that their economic well being depended on slavery

Women’s Rights Women began making demands for more rightsAbigail Adams – told her husband to remember women when he went to the Continental CongressWomen needed access to education to attain equalityWomen however would continue to be defined as mothers and homemakers

Lessons of Republicanism

In 1776 states took on the task of adopting constitutionsStates took on the process of electing legislatures

State ConstitutionsAuthors of the state constitutions believed men and women possessed natural rights Government should have no control over these natural rightsEach state constitution contained a declaration of rights

Religion, speech, press, unlawful searches and seizures and trial by juries

Almost every state reduced the power of governorsPennsylvania and Georgia abolished the position of governorThe framers of the state constitutions were fearful for any one person getting too much powerMost power was in the hands of legislatures

Power to the People Massachusetts adopted a constitution in 1780Deligates were selected to form a new constitutionIncluded: House, Senate, and elected GovernorGovernor had veto powerConstitution started- “We …the people of Massachusetts agree upon, ordain, and establish”

National Government

1775 – Second Continental Congress waged a war in the name of a country that did not existCongress assumed more and more power of national affairs

Articles of Confederation

Congress appointed a committee to draw plans for a confederationArticles approved - 1777Confederation of statesLimited power to federal government

1 Legislative body – selected each year from each stateEach state had 1 voteNo veto power over legislationDenied Congress the power to taxWeak central governmentRatified - 1781

Western Legislation1784 – cut 10 new states out of western territoryWhen population reached – lowest state population – apply for statehood1785 – Land Ordinance – orderly process for new townships & public lands (section set aside for education)

1787 Territories established

Governor, Secretary, 3 judges60,000 people – write a constitution and petition for statehoodBill of rights

Northwest Ordinance

Daniel Boone

Famous settler who helped explore the Cumberland Road

Established settlements in Kentucky Brutal fights against Native Americans White people start the push west that will destroy Native American population.

British GoodsEngland merchants flooded America with English goodsGoods often cheaper that American goodsPut a strain on American economyLocal merchants could not compete with low pricesNational government had no power to regulate trade

Southerners who wanted to ship large quantities of raw materials could not agree on trade restrictionsSome states printed their own money (no value) to pay debts

Diplomatic ProblemsCentral government to weak to enforce peaceStates passed laws restricting payments to England merchants for pre-war debtsEngland refused to withdraw troops from Northwest territorySpain refused to abide by land boundary between them and GeorgiaClosed the Mississippi River to Americans

James Madison Many leaders felt that America was at a crisisStates were going in their own direction –often in conflict with other statesMadison tried to persuade Americans toward a stronger central governmentWanted the establishment of a government that could run the country but still be doing the will of the people

Shay’s Rebellion Poor farmers in MassachusettsBanks –taking their homes and farms awayMany were heroes from the revolutionary warThey were paying heavy taxesGovernment lack of concern1786 – Shay and neighbors closed a county court – foreclosures being conductedThreatened to seize a federal arsenal

Congress did not have the funds to put together an army and put down the uprisingWealthy Boston men – paid for an army –4,000-This backfired on leaders when the next election voters – elected leaders sympathetic to Shays’s demandsMany nationalist looked at Shays Rebellion as an example of law and order

Philadelphia Convention

1787 – 55 men – representing 12 statesThey were looking at a way to fix the Articles of ConfederationSoon they decided to scrap the Articles and establish a new constitution

Virginia Plan

Madison’s plan – two houses – one elected by the people – other chosen from the 1st

Representatives for both houses – proportioned by populationKnown as the Big State Plan

New Jersey Plan

Small sate planEach state would get 1 vote in CongressAlso included power to central government to tax and regulate trade

Great Compromise

Agreement to:2 houses

1 – legislatures elected / population – House of Representatives2. Equal representation for each state - Senate

3/5th CompromiseSouth and north could not agree on how to count slaves. If they counted as a full person it would give the southern states more representation in governmentAgreement to count slaves as 3/5th a person

SlaveryMany northerners wanted to end slaverySoutherners felt their economy needed slaveryIn the Constitution slaves were described as “other persons”, “such persons”Agreement that Congress could not stop slavery until 1808South – fugitive slave law – later the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793

PresidentAgreement that the president should be elected by electoral collegeProminent men in each state elected by votersNumber based on representatives and senatorsDone so a president would not be indebted to congress for his positionPresident –most votesVice-president – 2nd most votes

No majority – House decidesVeto powerRight to select judgesSome concerned about the absence of a Bill of Rights

Preamble

We the people of the United StatesThe new Nation would be a republic of the people not of the states…Ratification – 9 states needed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30OyU4O80i4

Federalist v. Anti-FederalistFederalist favored a strong nation governmentAnti-Federalist favored strong State governmentAnti-Federalist criticized the formation of a new constitutionThey wanted a government similar to the Articles of Confederation

Federalist Papers

Written by Madison, Hamilton, and JayEssays – printed in national newspapersSpoke in favor of a new constitution with a strong central government

Bill of RightsAnti-Federalist were afraid of a strong national governmentFeared government with too much power could trample the rights of the peopleBill of Rights created by Madison1st Ten Amendments of the ConstitutionStates what rights the government cannot take away from citizens

Executive(President and Cabinet)

Legislative(Senate & House)

Judicial(Supreme Court)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EISWIY9bG8