Thursday October 29

Chapter 7, Founding a Nation, 1783-1789

Classwork for Thursday October 29

• 1-Quick 5-question quiz T/F• 2-PPT, Chapter 7, Founding a nation, 1783-

1789, A New Constitution through Slavery in the Constitution

• 3-Create a Chart/Table of one of the major compromises in the Constitution: 1-The Virginia/Large State Plan, 2-The New Jersey/Small State Plan, 3-The Great Compromise/Connecticut Plan.

And now for one last try to form a working government before the new nation falls apart

So…in Dec. 1786, delegates from six states met in Annapolis, MD, and called for yet another convention to amend the Articles of Confederation before the country fell into the kind of anarchy some national leaders (Madison, Hamilton, Washington) feared.

So, in Philadelphia, PA, in May 1787, the Articles were scrapped and a new U.S. Constitution was drafted.

A NEW CONSTITUTION:• 55 men made up the Constitutional Convention,

including Washington (presiding officer), George Mason, and Benjamin Franklin.

• Common men like Daniel Shays were not represented. The new constitution was put together by a wealthy, well-educated elite. The need to centralize power and keep it out of the hands of the “riff raff” was paramount.

• These leaders believed they needed to STRENGTHEN NATIONAL AUTHORITY and curb “the excesses of democracy.”

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT

• Major points of agreement amongst the delegates gathered in Philadelphia, were the creation of a/an:

• 1- Legislature (elected by the people to represent the people)

• 2- Executive (president)• 3- National judiciary (judges)

Constitutional Convention

• Alexander Hamilton believed the rich and well-born should rule.

• Most delegates, however, wanted a balance between strong government (monarchies/rule by kings and queens, and a hereditary aristocracy) and the excesses of popular self government (mobocracy)

Wait…it’s not all going to be that easy!

• However, problems over the shape of the new American Congress arose immediately:

• 1-What was a suitable balance of power between the federal/national gov’t and the states? And…

• 2-What were the best interests of the larger versus/vs the smaller states?

Competing plans emerge

• 1. The Virginia Plan: presented by James Madison. Favored by most populous states. Includes: a two-house legislature (bi-cameral) with a state’s population determining representation in each house.

• And:• 2. The New Jersey Plan: favored by smaller

states. Includes: a one-house legislature (uni-cameral) in which each state casts one vote.

And the winner is…The Great Compromise

• Two-house (bi-cameral) legislature consisting of a 1-Senate (each state had two members) and a 2-House of Representatives (apportioned according to each state’s population.)

• Senators would be chosen by state legislatures for six-year terms.

• Representatives would be elected every two years by the people.

AND ALSO…• The Constitution did not establish PROPERTY or

RELIGIOUS qualifications for voting• Constitution left voter qualifications to the states.• New government based on idea of a LIMITED

DEMOCRACY.• Assumption that only PROMINENT MEN would hold

office.• Supreme Court members would be appointed for life

by the president.• Federal judges appointed by the president of the

United States.

New government is a LIMITED Democracy, because…• The President would be chosen indirectly by members

of 1- an electoral college; 2- a tied vote was decided by the House of Representatives.

• Second place winner would become the vice-president.

• What is an Elector? (A person chosen by 1-legislature or 2-popular vote, depending on state.)

• The number of Electors is determined by adding together the # of Senators and Representatives.

• The electors vote for the president; not the people directly.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok_VQ8I7g6I• Electing a US President in Plain English (3m)

The New Constitution is genius in that it had 2 basic principles 1-FEDERALISM and

2-CHECKS AND BALANCESWhat is Federalism? = The relationship (DIVISION of POWERS) between the National/Federal Gov’t and the States.What is the SEPARATION of POWERS (CHECKS AND BALANCES?) = the way in which the Constitution seeks to prevent any one branch of the national government from dominating the other two.

President VS Congress

• President could: Enforce law and command the military

• Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) could: levy taxes, borrow $$, regulate commerce, declare war, deal with foreign powers (and Indians), and promote the general welfare.

PRESIDENT VS CONGRESS• NO SINGLE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT CAN DOMINATE

THE OTHER TWO:• -Congress enacts laws but the President can veto them.• -Congress needs a 2/3 majority to pass laws over his

objection.• Federal judges are nominated by the president and

approved by Congress, BUT• They serve for life as a guarantee of their independence.• The President can be impeached by the House of

Representatives and removed from office by the Senate for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

What about State Government?

• States still had powers BUT the Constitution declared NATIONAL LEGISLATION the “Supreme Law” of the land.

Slavery in the Constitution—It is? Well, where is it????

• No mention of slaves or slavery in the new Constitution, but it did accommodate slavery. The issue divided the delegates gathered there.

• Constitutional Convention included both abolitionists and slaveholders.

• South Carolina’s delegates were very influential in preserving slavery within the Constitution.

• How would they ever agree on such an explosive issue?

• Compromises, compromises…• Concessions were made to southern slaveholding

states, particularly S. Carolina.

Slavery’s in the Constitution, just not mentioned by name

• SLAVERY WAS LEGAL UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION

• 1. Congress prevented from abolishing African slave trade until January 1, 1808. (20 years)

• 2. All states had to return fugitive slaves to owners. A slave remained enslaved no matter the state.

• 3. Federal/National gov’t could not interfere w/ slavery in the states.

• 4- Slave states had more power than their numbers warranted because of the 3/5 clause.

3/5 Clause

• THE 3/5 CLAUSE GAVE THE SOUTH MORE DELEGATES TO CONGRESS AS WELL AS MORE ELECTORS TO VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT.

• Of the first 16 presidents, all but 4 were southern state owners.

And, after all that…here it is! Here it is!

• FINALLY, the new nation has a new Constitution.

• Final draft signed in September 1787, and was then sent to the states for ratification/approval.

• Let’s see what they think about it. Will all parties be happy with this?

Watch these

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSWl5ldEv6w• (3m) The Constitution of the United States of America

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw5QPncdkTM• Introduction to the United States Constitution (3m)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCCmuftyj8A• Constitutional Compromises: Crash Course Government and

Politics #5 (9m)

Homework due Friday October 30

• No homework tonight!