Constitution was ratified New government could begin
Unanimously elected as 1 st executive George Washington 1 st
business of new government The most superlativley ridiculous thing
I ever heard of Jefferson What to call him
Slide 3
After a month of discussion settled on Mr. President Important
Created a sense of weight around position Attendant balls, touring
etc created sense of strength and power in the national government
Attack the localism that had nearly destroyed the republic in 1780s
Next, promises made promises honored
Slide 4
Madison Nationalist Also federalist Some powers must remain at
state level Madison proposed 19 Ammendments to constitution Ten
survived Know to anti- central power people as Bill of Rights
Slide 5
Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
---------------------------------------------------- Amendment II A
well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free
State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed. Amendment III No Soldier shall, in time of peace be
quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in
time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. 1.freedom of
speech, press and religion 2. and 3. Reflect fear of revolutionary
distrust of standing Army
Slide 6
Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue,
but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons
or things to be seized. Amendment V No person shall be held to
answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a
presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising
in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual
service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be
subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or
limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for
public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI In all criminal
prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and
public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district
wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall
have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the
witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining
witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for
his defence. Amendment VII In Suits at common law, where the value
in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by
jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be
otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than
according to the rules of the common law. Amendment VIII Excessive
bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
and unusual punishments inflicted. Fourth to eighth Defined and
protected citizens' rights in court and when under arrest
Slide 7
Amendment IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain
rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained
by the people. -------------------------------------------
Amendment X The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to
the States respectively, or to the people. 9. Enumeration of 1 st
eight rights did not deny other rights 10. Powers not given to
national government by constitution remained with states
Slide 8
The omission of the word expressly in the 10 th has left lot of
room for interpretation Amendment to extend 1 st amendment
prohibitions to state legislature Agreed to by house voted down by
Senate Have to wait until civil war and 14 th Amendment Next the
political two step Constitution made no mention of Presidents
cabinet Arguing it was necessary congress voted one to be created
Guaranteed that president responsible for appointments
Slide 9
War, State, Treasury, Att. General
Slide 10
Treasury and debt 1790 Report on Public Credit Report on
National Bank 1791 Report on Manufacturers Approx.$75 million $42
to own citizens Rest international
Slide 11
People wanting to ensure weakness of National Government Forget
debt! Debt taken up under either Continental congress or
Confederation congress If you bought securities and lost money oh
well patriotic loss Not Hamiltons view
Slide 12
1 st step Pay international debt in full and promptly Assure
creditworthiness of new country Not too much persuasion needed
Problems on internal debt Over time speculators had bought up
securities At fraction of face value When heard rumor that
government would pay all debt Even more frantic purchasing Approx
4/5 th in hands of northeasterners
Slide 13
Debt of individual States also an issue Hamilton wanted to
assume these debts too Concentrate Interests of public creditors
Need for taxation Expanded civil service At the national level Also
apart from South Carolina all southern states already paid of debts
Citizens in these states paying twice More money heading north
Slide 14
Hamilton wanted to assume not pay off these debts Permanent tax
supported fixture Government issue securities to creditors pay an
annual rate of interest of 4% Together announced to the world the
government of new country would be financially responsible But this
was not all Remember Hamilton was a strong nationalist Wanted a
strong national government and weak state governments
Slide 15
If all the public creditors receive their dues from one source,
their interests will be the same. And having the same interests,
they will be supported in the fiscal arrangements of the government
Alexander Hamilton i.e. everyone with money will need to support
the national government At the center of his plan for powerful
national state
Slide 16
Second part of first report Report on National Bank Government
would keep its money in bank and oversee operation But run by
directors representing private investors 4/5 th money from private
sector Bank Issue national currency Principal supplier of loans And
therefore decision maker on who got loans And what for Links to
final plan
Slide 17
1791 Report on Manufacturers Hamilton believed that the only
way America could become truly independent Build factories and
manufacture finished goods Break out of the colonial economy model
90% of imports still came from Britain Although his final step was
a little ahead of its time Hamilton had scripted the future of
American economy
Slide 18
Where would money come from Taxes Most from duties on imports
But most in government agreed that a Direct internal tax was
necessary (wait a minute didnt you start a war against this
idea?)
Slide 19
Initial suggestion Tax on salt Could be spread equally
throughout country Hamilton called for federal excise tax on Wines
Coffee Tea Spirits Last would hit frontier farmers (Whiskey)
Establish government and power to collect tax everywhere
Slide 20
End 1791 plan was in place Consolidation of debt National bank
Federal excise tax Would solve problems of government finance Also
carbon copy of: Bank of England and British finances
Slide 21
Hamilton didnt want to recreate England But he did admire the
system This of course would lead to problems Add this to the desire
of many for weak national government And desire of many Led by
Jefferson For independent yeoman farmers, rather than factories, as
base of country
Slide 22
International debt and personal debt funded Assumption of
states debts more troublesome Several weeks later Jefferson met
Hamilton in the street Sombre, haggard, & dejected beyond
despair, even his dress uncouth & neglected Hamilton begged
Jefferson to serve as intermediary to get assumption passed Deal
struck Jefferson would help get assumption passed But Capitol had
to move
Slide 23
Important Remember balls and official visits with President
Jefferson and others feared a court culture where money and
political power mixed Capitol in New York or Philadelphia By moving
it south became important for government only Remove possibility
for excessive influence of money
Slide 24
As for the bank Jefferson stated correctly that Constitution
did not give government right to create corporations Hamilton made
first argument for expanded federal power quoting clause to make
all laws which shall be necessary and proper Washington and
congress sided with Hamilton
Slide 25
Until end 1792 Debate remained in government circles But then
international affairs begin to intrude But the French will have to
wait for a while
Slide 26
Slide 27
Americans must believe and act from the belief that it is
dishonorable to waste life in mimicking the follies of other
nations and basking in the sunshine of foreign glory Noah Webster
1788 But how? Where would the unity come from? East to west 1500
miles 13 colonies/states 1 nation
Slide 28
150+ years of difference New England Vs. Southern Colonies
Multiple and varied systems of Politics Religion Society Throughout
13 colonies North south rare Elite sent children home
Slide 29
Revolution Individual declarations Multiple motivations and
expectations Initial enthusiasm for continental army Gradually
wanes To Washington Americans unwilling to give up self interest
for national needs Shifts in social structure and family
Slide 30
Post revolution Central or dispersed power Federalist vs. anti
federalist Shays Rebellion Partisan political strife suggested to
the elite that without a national culture the United States may
fall apart before their eyes
Slide 31
American Literature and Language Sept 25 th 1771 Commencement
poem at College of New Jersey (Princeton) On the Rising Glory of
America Published the following year Claimed that an American
culture would rise to eclipse past Euro glories
Slide 32
Based on translatio imperii Westward movement of the imperial
centre of civilization Near East to Britain and now to America
Dismissed the role of Spain Claimed a special place for British
America This is just one case of graduates focusing on American
glory
Slide 33
Students schooled in classics expected to see highest form of
poetry the epic to show the route to American glory 1785, Timothy
White Minister and future president of Yale The Conquest of Canan;
A Poem, in Eleven Books Tells the biblical story in traditional
Epic form Invocation Oration and reply Detailed description of
battles and victories Single heroes lovingly described Vision of
the future But dedicated to George Washington translatio
imperii
Slide 34
1787 Joel Barlow writes The Vision of Columbus Epic quickly
shift its attention to the north Stretchd oer Virginian hills, in
long array, The beauteous Alleganies met the day Columbus goal,
according to Barlow, was North American independence George
Washington et al become the individual heroes and the revolution
becomes the war to detail And the future is an American cultural
and political superiority
Slide 35
Friend of Barlow and Yale classmate man that most think of when
considering an American language Noah Webster White and Barlow gave
literary imprimatur to Americas future based in a scholarly past
Webster created a literary present to change the future
Slide 36
Webster created a speller in 1783 Renamed The American Spelling
Book in 1788 1 st and most widely used textbook of the era 24
million copies in first 50 years of publication Compendious
Dictionary 1806 Unabridged dictionary in 1828
Slide 37
Everybody new that you could look it up in Webster's few knew
it was testament to American superiority part of an attempt to
create an American language Independence not complete until
Americans spoke a new language
Slide 38
1783 Webster wrote It is the business of Americans to select
the wisdom of all nations, as the basis of her constitutions, - to
avoid their errours, - to prevent the introduction of foreign vices
and corruptions and check the career of her own to promote virtue
and patriotism, to embellish and improve the sciences, to diffuse
an uniformity and purity of language, - to add superiour dignity to
this infant Empire and human nature But this claim was still in
English
Slide 39
1786 Webster began to correspond with Benjamin Franklin
Franklin had long wanted to simplify and regularize English
spelling Between 86 and his death in 90 Franklin encouraged Webster
A national Language is a national tie, and what country wants it
more than America
Slide 40
Webster knew that English was the language But needed a claim
to America as the home of the pure His answer The political
corruption of England, which led to revolution Was mirrored in the
language The English in England was not pure! I am constrained to
declare that the people of America, in particular the English
decedents, speak the most pure English now known in the world
Slide 41
An example of reforms he proposed appeared most strikingly in
1790 in A Collection of Essays and Fugitiv Writings Now I need a
volunteer As the volunteer reads out a page from this collection
the rest of you can read along
Slide 42
As you can tell this is not how the language changed Webster
was ridiculed But his dictionary remains And spelling differences
and pronunciation trouble English- American conversations still
Dockers Khaki Pants