Chapter #9: The Confederation and the Constitution – Big Picture Ideas

1. The Articles of Confederation, the first government set up after the American Revolution, was structured out of fear of a too-strong government. Therefore, the Articles were very weak on purpose.

2. Two things showed the Articles as being too weak to the point of being sterile: (a) it could not regulate commerce and the money situation was growing dim fast and (b) Shays’ Rebellion frightened many to the possibility that mobs might just take over and the government might be too weak to stop them. Due to these reasons, the Constitutional Convention was held.

3. The Constitution was written as something of a balancing act between strengthening the government, yet making sure it doesn’t get too strong to take over. The resulting government was indeed stronger, but also a system of checks and balances were put into place to ensure no one branch becomes like the king had been.

4. After some negotiating, mostly with the promise of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution was ratified.

IDENTIFICATIONS:

John Locke’s Second Treatise of GovernmentAll human beings have a right to life, liberty, and property and that the government exists to protect those rights. He rejected the theory off Divine Right of the monarchy and believed that government was based on a relationship between the government and its people. He also stated that the people had the right to rebel and institute a new government should the original one fail to protect such rights.

Federalist Those who refuted the conventional wisdom which stated that it was possible to extend a republican form of government over a large territory.

Republican GovernmentThe political theory of representative government, based on the principle of popular sovereignty with a strong emphasis on liberty and civic virtue.

Land Ordinance of 1785It provided that the acreage of the Old Northwest should be sold and that the proceeds be given to the government to help pay off the debt.

Land Ordinance of 1787 It provided a judicious compromise to the problem of how the nation should deal with the colonies. It provided a temporary tutelage, then permanent equality, and stated that a colony had to have at least 60000 inhabitants in order to be regarded as a state.

Necessary and Proper ClauseConstitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws “necessary and proper” for executing its powers.

Federalist PapersCompilations of articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Monroe using the penname Publeus. These articles were published in New York to advocate the ratification of the Constitution.

Shays RebellionFlared up in western Massachusetts in 1786. Captain Daniel Shay, a veteran of the American Revolution, led desperate debtors to demand that the state issue paper money, lighten taxes, and suspend property takeovers.

Annapolis ConventionA convention held in 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation. It was attended by five states and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for what became the Constitutional Convention.

Philadelphia Convention(1787) 12 colonies sent delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates soon agreed the United States needed a new Constitution.

Delegated PowersPowers given to the federal government by the Constitution.

Reserved PowersPowers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states.

Concurrent PowersPowers that are shared by both the federal and state governments.

Supremacy ClauseThe constitutional provision that makes the Constitution and federal laws superior to all conflicting state and local laws.

Anti-Federalists Those who were against the Constitution and insisted on the Bill of Rights. The group included Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and Sam Adams.

GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:

The Pursuit of Equality Know: Leveling, Society of the Cincinnati, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Abigail Adams, Republican Motherhood, John Singleton Copley

1. What social changes resulted from the American Revolution?

Titles once reserved for the rich were now also used for the ordinary people. Servitude was virtually unknown in 1800. Women were not allowed in the militia, but many, disguised as men, joined anyways.

Constitution Making in the States Know: State Constitutions, Fundamental Law2. What was the importance of the state constitutions?

The state constitutions gave authority to the people and were contracts that defined the powers of government.

Economic Crosscurrents Know: Navigation Laws, Empress of China, Speculation3. What were the positive and negative effects of the war on America?

The war on America caused goods from Britain to be cut off and the commerce of Britain were reserved for the loyal areas. However, new commercial outlets arose and Americans could now freely trade with any foreign nation.

A Shaky Start toward Union Know: Natural Rights 4. Why was the end of the war difficult on the national government?

The end of the war was difficult on the national government because Americans had to deal with the responsibility of creating and operating a new central government. They also had to deal with disruptive forces across the land, and the people were starting to have dissents.

Creating a Confederation Know: Sovereignty, Articles of Confederation 5. What forces served to unify the separate states during the war?

During the war, separate states were unified by a common goal and enemy.

The Articles of Confederation: America's First Constitution 6. What weaknesses plagued the Articles of Confederation? What was good about it?

The Articles of Confederation were weak in that each state had a single vote, any amendment had to be made unanimously, and it was purposefully designed to be weak. It had good areas such as becoming a model of what loose confederation should be, were a good stepping stone toward the present Constitution, and they clearly outlined the general powers of the government.

Landmarks in Land Laws Know: Old Northwest, Land Ordinance of 1785, Northwest Ordinance of 1787

7. Explain the importance of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance.

The Land Ordinance of 1785 provided that the acreage of the Old Northwest should be sold to help pay off the national debt. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 dealt with the problem of how a state came to be, and specified a certain population amount a city needed to have to become a state.

The World's Ugly Duckling Know: Natchez, Dey of Algiers 8. Using examples, explain the title of this section.

America, at this time was “picked on” by most other nations including Spain and Britain who were openly unfriendly to the new Republic.

The Horrid Specter of Anarchy Know: Shay's Rebellion, Mobocracy 9. Were the United States of America in danger of falling apart under the Articles of

Confederation? Explain.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States of America were in danger of falling apart because the government could not pay back the debts it had, or pay the citizens who had fought in the war.

A Convention of "Demigods" Know: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry10. What kind of men gathered in Philadelphia for the "sole and express purpose of revising"

the old government?

The men were a select group of propertied men who argued amongst themselves until a final solution was made.

Patriots in Philadelphia 11. How does George Washington's quote, "We have, probably, had too good an opinion of

human nature in forming our confederation." help to explain the purposes of our founding fathers.

It explained that the founding fathers wanted, above all, to curb the unrestrained democracy rampant in the various states.

Hammering out a Bundle of Compromises Know: Virginia (large state) Plan, Bicameral Legislature, New Jersey (small state) Plan, Great

Compromise, Electoral College, Three-fifths Compromise12. Describe the compromises that were achieved by the delegates to the Constitutional

Convention.

The delegates at the Constitutional Convention achieved the compromise that the House of Representatives would have the number of representation based on population, while the Senate would contain equal representation for all states.

Safeguards for Conservatism Know: Checks and Balances, Separation of Powers13. How democratic was the Constitution as originally written?

Originally, the Constitution was not as democratic as the writers would like to say it is, but there were democratic elements included.

The Clash of Federalists and Anti- federalists Know: Anti- federalists, Federalists 14. Who were the anti- federalists and why did they oppose the Constitution?

The anti-federalists were those who opposed the stronger federal government and they opposed the Constitution because they feared that a potent central government would force them to pay off their debts at face value. They also saw the Constitution as a plot by the rich to steal power from the common folk.

The Great Debate in the States 15. Did most of the states approve of the Constitution? Why?

Four of the small states had immediately accepted the Constitution because they had come off much better than they expected. Soon, 3 more states also accepted it, and by 1788, nine states had adopted the document.

The Four Laggard States Know: Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, The Federalist16. Explain some of the opposition to ratification of the Constitution?

Opposition to ratification of the Constitution included the antifederalist views that it was a death warrant for liberty.

A Conservative Triumph 17. What does your text mean when it says that the Constitution, "...elevated the ideals

of the Revolution even while setting boundaries to them."?

It meant that while the Constitution set rules to keep the new country organized and running, it also brought forth the ideals of the Revolution such as freedom from a monarchy.

Chapter #10: Launching the New Ship of State – Big Picture Ideas

1. Alexander Hamilton, get the U.S. on a solid foothold. With the Bill of Rights quickly ratified, the top problem the new nation faced was financial in nature.

2. Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton developed a plan that included (a) starting a national tariff, (b) starting a tax on whiskey, (c) setting up a national bank, and (d) paying off the national debt.

3. Politics quickly fell into two camps: (a) those who followed Thomas Jefferson became the “Democratic-Republicans” and (b) those who followed Alexander Hamilton became the “Federalists.”

4. Turmoil broke out Europe with the French Revolution, mostly between England and France. The U.S. nearly got sucked into European issues, but both Washington and John Adams kept the America out of war. This was best for the U.S.

IDENTIFICATIONS:

Washington’s CabinetConsisted of Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Treasury, and Henry Knox as Secretary of War.

Judiciary Act of 1789An act passed by the first Congress that established the first federal courts and organized the Supreme Court comprised of a chief justice and five associates as well as federal district and circuit courts. The act completed the 3 branch government with a judiciary branch strong enough to still stand today.

FederalistsThose who supported a strong central government and advocated the constitution. This group contained many people including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton.

Democratic-RepublicansLed by Thomas Jefferson. They believed that people should have political power, and favored strong state governments. They also emphasized agriculture, strict interpretation of the Constitution, and opposed the National Bank.

Hamilton’s vision vs. Jefferson’s visionHamilton was a brilliant administrator and financial man who believed that the state should have a bank even though the Constitution did not state that the country could have one.

Jefferson believed in the opposite of Hamilton’s views and that the country should not have anything that went against the Constitution, even if it did not specifically state no to something.

Report on Manufactures and Report on the Public Credit

Written by Alexander Hamilton as a plan for industrializing America. He promoted the protective tariffs and prohibition of imported manufactured goods that would compete with domestic products.

Was written by Alexander Hamilton as a reimbursement of government securities and stated that the federal government would assume state debts.

Jay’s TreatyA document signed in 1794. Its terms favoring Britain outraged Jeffersonian republicans.

Pinckney’s TreatyTreaty with Spain that stated Americans could travel down the Mississippi River and explore into the area of Florida.

Washington’s Farewell AddressA message telling America that it should avoid unnecessary foreign entanglements and was a reflection of the foreign policy of George Washington.

Midnight appointmentsGroups of judges who were appointed by John Adams the night before he left office were appointed to go to the federal courts to have a long term federalist influence because judges serve for life instead of limited terms.

Revolution of 1800Jefferson’s view of his election to presidency. Jefferson claimed that the election of 1800 represented a return to what he considered the original spirit of the Revolution. His goals for his revolution were to restore the republican experiment, check the growth of government power, and to halt the decay of virtue that the Federalist rule had created.

Judiciary Act of 1801Allowed president John Adams to nominate members of his own Federalist party to sixteen Circuit and five new District judge positions.

XYZ AffairA late 1790’s incident where French agents demanded a bribe and loan from US diplomats in exchange for discussing an agreement that French privateers would no longer attack American ships. This led to an undeclared war between US and France.

Chisholm v GeorgiaIn 1792 in South Carolina, Alexander Chisholm attempted to sue the state of Georgia in the Supreme Court over payments due to him for goods that the executor of the estate, Robert Farquhar, had supplied Georgia during the American Revolutionary War.

GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:

Washington for President Know: George Washington, Cabinet, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox1. Was Washington an important president? Explain.

Washington was an important president because he was an esteemed war hero that could rally the people. He was unanimously drafted, and had an imposing presence, he was also balanced, and commanded his followers by strength of character.

The Bill of Rights Know: James Madison, Ninth Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Judiciary Act, John Jay2. What important steps were taken by the first congress?

The first congress drew the Bill of Rights, which listed and safeguarded some of the most precious American principles.

Hamilton Revives the Corpse of Public Credit Know: Funding at Par, Assumption of State Debts3. How did Alexander Hamilton's economic plans lead to the District of Columbia?

Hamilton persuaded Virginia to approve of his plans with the relocation of the District of Columbia to the Potomac River.

Customs Duties and Excise Taxes Know: Revenue Tariffs, Protective Tariffs, Excise Taxes4. Explain Hamilton's overall economic plan for America.

Hamilton planned to pay off all debts that America had by initiating funding at par. He passed tariffs, excise taxes (on whiskey and other products), and promoted the act of assumption.

Hamilton Battles Jefferson for a Bank Know: Bank of the United States, Strict Construction, Loose Construction, Elastic Clause 5. How did the issue of the Bank of the United States reveal a difference in understanding

about the Constitution between Jefferson and Hamilton?

Jefferson believed in strict interpretation which meant that since the Bank of the United States was not stated on the Constitution, it was not allowed. Hamilton, on the other hand, believed that the bank was a blessing and could help unify the states.

Mutinous Moonshiners in Pennsylvania Know: Whiskey Rebellion 6. Was the Whiskey Rebellion a victory for freedom, order, or both? Explain.

The Whiskey Rebellion was a victory for order as Washington’s government gained new respect as a strengthened government.

The Emergence of Political Parties Know: Factions, Parties 7. Why did political parties develop during George Washington's presidency? Were they good

or bad?

Political parties developed during George Washington’s presidency because of the differing views between Hamilton and the Federalists and Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans.

The Impact of the French Revolution Know: Democratic-Republicans, Federalists, French Revolution, Reign of Terror8. In what way did the French Revolution expose the differing views of Democratic-Republicans and Federalists?

The French Revolution exposed the differing views of Democratic Republicans and the Federalists by bringing to light which foreign country each group supported. The Republicans supported the British while the Federalists supported France.

Washington's Neutrality Proclamation Know: Franco-American Alliance, Neutrality Proclamation, Citizen Genet9. Explain the reasoning for and against Washington's Neutrality Proclamation.

Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation was backed by Hamilton, but the Jeffersonians were enraged as they were pro-French.

Embroilments with Britain Know: Anthony Wayne, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Treaty of Greenville10. How did British actions towards Native Americans and American merchant ships incite many Americans?

British agents openly sold firearms to the Native Americans which enabled them to terrorize the land. The British also seized about 300 American merchant ships in the West Indies.

Jay's Treaty and Washington's Farewell Know: Jay's Treaty, Farewell Address11. Did John Jay betray American interests in Jay's Treaty.

John Jay’s treaty betrayed America as he was only able to win a few concessions and bound the United States to pay the debts stilled owed.

John Adams Becomes President Know: John Adams, High Federalists12. What handicaps did John Adams face as he became president?

When John Adams became president, he faced many problems including the attempt to match up to Washington, hatred from Hamilton, and the inheritance of a violent quarrel with France.

Unofficial Fighting with France Know: John Marshall, XYZ Affair, "Millions for Defense, but Not One Cent for Tribute

13. What French actions brought America close to war in the closing years of the 18th century?

The XYZ Affair where three French agents attempted to bribe the Americans when they went to meet Talleyrand brought America close to war in the closing years of the 18th century.

Adams Puts Patriotism above Party Know: Napoleon Bonaparte, Convention of 180014. How did avoiding war with France hurt John Adams' political career?

By avoiding war with France, John Adams’ political career was hurt because his actions slighted Hamilton and his war-hawk faction.

The Federalist Witch Hunt Know: Alien Laws, Sedition Act15. Explain the reasons for the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

The passing of the Alien and Sedition Acts was to silence the voices who spoke out against the Federalists. It targeted the pro-Republican immigrants and newspaper critics.

The Virginia (Madison) and Kentucky (Jefferson) Resolutions Know: Compact Theory, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, Nullification

16. Which was more dangerous to the US Constitution: the Alien and Sedition Acts or the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions? Explain.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were more dangerous to the US Constitution because they were directly violating the first amendment which protected freedom of speech and press.

Federalists versus Democratic-Republicans 17. What were some key differences between Federalists and Democratic Republicans?

Federalists followed Hamilton and favored the rich. They advocated a strong central government with the power to crush democratic excesses, protect the lives and estates of the wealthy, subordinate the sovereignty-loving states, and promote foreign trade. The Democratic-Republicans followed Thomas Jefferson and favored the middle class and those who were underprivileged (farmers, laborers, artisans, and small shopkeepers). They demanded a weak central regime and believed the best government was one that governed least.