Forming a New Nation

Chapter 5

Treaty of Paris of 1783• Signed September 3, 1783• Formally recognized US as an independent nation• Terms:

– US claimed lands from the Atlantic to the Mississippi and from Canada to Spanish Florida

• Florida returned to Spain– Britain would withdraw all of its troop– America claimed fishing rights off of Canada– Americans had to pay debts to British merchants– Loyalists got back property taken from them– US and Britain could use the Mississippi for trade

• Unalienable rights• Government works for the

people• If the government abuses

its power, the people need to change it

• Free and independent nations can– Wage war– Make peace– Form alliances– Promote trade– And do all other things that

free and independent nations can do.

What were the basic ideas found in the Declaration of Independence?

• Didn’t want to give up independence to another country.• Colonies had little experience working together

• Albany Plan of Union• Different economies• Roads were poor. Traveling was slow.• Colonies traded little with each other.• Each colony developed its own constitutions

Self Sovereignty: the colonies wanted to govern themselves

Why? (Write 2 or 3)

Similarities in state constitutions*They created their constitutions using the best ideas from the past

1. 3 Branches of Government

2. Bill of Rights

3. Popular Elections

4. Social Contract

Similarities in state constitutions*They created their constitutions using the best ideas from the past

3 Branches ofGovernment

Bill of Rights

Popular Elections

Social Contract

• Kept too much power from falling into the hands of a single ruler Judicial - Interprets laws Executive - Enforces laws Legislative - Makes laws

Similarities in state constitutions*They created their constitutions using the best ideas from the past

3 Branches ofGovernment

Bill of Rights

Popular Elections

Social Contract

• Protects the rights of the people from the government– Freedom of speech– Freedom of press– Religious freedom– Freedom of assembly– Right to a fair trial

Similarities in state constitutions*They created their constitutions using the best ideas from the past

3 Branches of Government

Bill of Rights

Popular Elections

Social Contract

• Voting rights were limited– White– Male– Over the age of 21– Owning a certain amount of land– Belonging to a certain religion

• Election happened frequently• Common people were elected

Similarities in state constitutions*They created their constitutions using the best ideas from the past

3 Branches of Government

Bill of Rights

Popular Elections

Social Contract

• Government is a contract between the people and those governing

• If one side violates the terms of the contract, the contract is no longer good. It is null and void.

• The government gets its power from the people.

The 1st National Government

• The Second Continental Congress was an emergency government. It had no real authority– It governed the country– It gained independence– It directed the war effort– It made alliances with France– It established a post office– It printed money– It created the Continental Army– It created the first national constitution

Constitution: A plan of government

• Our nation’s first constitution was theArticles of Confederation • It created a confederation: a loose union of

independent states

The Government under the Articles of Confederation:

• The states had more power than the federal government had because the colonies feared a strong central government

1. One branch of govt: Congress2. Unicameral (one chamber) congress3. Each state sent 2-7 representative4. Each state had only 1 vote5. States had the power to tax, the central government COULD NOT tax

The Government under the Articles of Confederation:

• Congress had the power to:– Wage war– Make peace– Handle foreign affairs– Regulate trade with Native Americans– Provide mail services– Borrow and issue money

• Congress could make no changes to the Articles without permission from all the states

All the states needed to ratify it

• Ratify: formally approve it

• Maryland refused• Insisted lands west of the

Appalachian Mountains be turned over to the new national government

Accomplishments under the Articles

• Northwest Ordinance– Established the NW Territory

• Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin

– Created a system for adding states to the union• A territory could apply for statehood when 60,000 people settled

in a territory

– Required education– Banned Slavery

Accomplishments under the Articles

• Land Ordinance of 1785– Set up a system for surveying and dividing western

lands• Townships• 6 miles by 6 miles (3a)

– 640 acres each

• 1 lot reserved for a school (3b)• 4 lots were given to veterans

Economic Depression

After the war, times grew more and more difficult*plantations and farms were greatly damaged*exportations dropped (America had few trading partners)*serious currency shortage*farmers’ land was confiscated*debtors were sent to prison

Economic Depression

Shays' Rebellion

Daniel Shays organized farmers-Wanted the government to stop imprisoning farmers-Marched to the arsenal in Springfield, Mass. for arms and ammunition-State militia forced them to stop (killed 4 rebels)-The nation was on the edge of chaos

Could the government control the people?

A Call for Change:

• In May of 1787, 55 delegates met in Philadelphia to discuss the weaknesses of the Confederation.

• The nation demanded reform.• Washington was selected to chair the

Constitutional Convention

Constitutional ConventionThose in attendance• James Madison (Virginia):

– took detailed notes of the meeting– studied political systems from around the world– known as the “Father of the Constitution”

• Benjamin Franklin(Pennsylvania): – 81 years old– calming and respected

• Gouverneur Morris (Pennsylvania): – wrote most of the Constitution

• Alexander Hamilton (New York):– Young– supporter of the strong central government

• Most delegated were wealthy, white men. Did not represent the nation’s population