America was in debt from the war

1. Loans from France and the Netherlands taken during the war helped put America in debt

2. Congress had printed off large amounts of paper money to finance the war. This eventually led to inflation.

3. New territory gained as a result of the war, stretched all the way west and south to Spanish territory and north to Canada.

4. Lost primary trade with Great Britain and the West Indies

5. High taxes, farm foreclosures, bankruptcies. All a result of the war and being in debt.

6. Under the Articles the government could not levy taxes and regulate trade, made it even harder for the government to get out of debt.

Events and Economic Conditions after the Revolutionary War

*A convention was attempted in Annapolis, but only 5 of 13 states attended

Shays Rebellion

1. The increase of already high taxes and hard times angered Massachusetts farmers, eventually pushing them into the state of rebellion.

2. The farmers shut down the courts, not letting the judges in to seize the farm land.

3. Made people think that a stronger national government was needed to prevent future outbreaks such as this one.

4. Helped lead to the writing of the Constitutional Convention and the writing of the U.S. Constitution.

 

Events and Economic Conditions After the Revolutionary War

1. Congress could not regulate commerce

2. Only a unicameral legislature3. No separation of powers4. Central government was to0 weak

because majority of the power rested in the states

5. States never paid taxes to the national government and could make treaties of their own.

6. Congress could not tax, was never able to put the finances in order

7. Unanimous approval of the states was needed to amend the Articles

Where, When, and the Purpose of the Constitutional

 

Where- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in Independence Hall

Same location where the Declaration of Independence was signed

When- Summer of 1787 (May-September)

Purpose- To revise the Articles and to address the problems of governing the nation.

Debates held in Secret – Oath of secrecy. James Madison’s notes.

Basic Ideas and notions about Government-

Democracy? Monarchy? REPUBLIC? - pros and cons?

Limited Government? – protect property and protect against abuses of power

How?

Checks and Balances

Separation of Powers

Key proposals –

Virginia Plan, James Madison (Proposed by Edmund Randolph)

1. Separation of powers – 3 branches of Governmenta. Executive, Legislative, Judicial

2. Bigger states supported, protection of the bigger states3. Bicameral - 2 house, one elected by people and the other elected

by first house with number determined by state population

New Jersey Plan, Proposed by William Paterson

4. Separation of powers. 5. Smaller states supported, protection of smaller states6. Unicameral - Each state had the same number of votes7. Congress could tax8. Judiciary system

Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) Proposed by Roger Sherman

1. Bi-Cameral Legislature 2. First house had the number of

votes of free people. 3. Second house, the Senate, had an

equal number of votes.4. Each state sent the same number

of representatives to the Senate (2) and one representative for every 30,000 residents in of the state

Key People and Their Contributions to the Constitutional Convention

1. Alexander Hamilton- (New York)Supported a strong national government, helped in the writing of the Federalist Papers. Bank of the US

2. George Washington- (Virginia)Favored a strong central government, his policies like Hamilton’s leaned towards the upper class. Elected first president in 1789

3. Edmund Randolph-(Virginia) Introduced and defended the Virginia Plan, became the Attorney General of the U.S.

4. Benjamin Franklin- (Pennsylvania) Rising Sun speech, was the sun rising or setting? pro abolition of slavery

5. Notable absences – Thomas Jefferson (Paris) , John Adams (England), Patrick Henry (‘Smelled a rat!”)

What about Slavery? The 3/5 Compromise

An agreement reached between the Northern and Southern states where 3/5 of the slave population would be counted for representation.

Split the northern and southern colonies, southern colonies were pro slavery.

Northerners looked at slaves as property and shouldn’t receive representation.

This would give the southerners a chance to earn more votes in the national legislature.

 

What about Slavery? The 3/5 Compromise

An agreement reached between the Northern and Southern states where 3/5 of the slave population would be counted for representation.

Split the northern and southern colonies, southern colonies were pro slavery.

Northerners looked at slaves as property and shouldn’t receive representation.

This would give the southerners a chance to earn more votes in the national legislature.

 

The work is not over…remaining disputes and future challenges

The federalist believed in a strong central government….what about the states?

Hamilton v. Jefferson

No Bill of Rights was included – added in 1791- the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution

Ratification of the Constitution…9 of 13 states needed. This is no small task.

Will this system work? What history do we have? What history do republics have?

Ratification Debate

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

Positions? Strategies?