Biggest challenge of the Second Continental Congress was to establish a central government 1777...
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UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Articles of Confederation
Biggest challenge of the Second Continental Congress was to establish a central government
1777 delegates wrote the Articles of Confederation (America’s first constitution or plan of government)
they established a “firm league of friendship” between states
Created a Congress with each state having one vote (unicameral legislature)
Gave most power to the states
Problems with the Articles
Did not create office of chief executive, federal court system, or authorize Congress to raise an army or impose taxes (no branches)
Any law passed had to be approved by at least 9 of 13 states (which was rare)
Foreign countries quickly realized the weaknesses of the Articles and as a result, Britain refused to withdraw troops from the Ohio Valley despite the Treaty of Paris 1783
Unable to raise an army, the U.S. could not oppose such actions
Issues of slavery, land claims, and trade also divided the states
Daniel Shays’ Rebellion
Unable to sell crops due to falling prices, farmers could not pay loans or the heavy taxes on their land that each state had imposed to pay for its war debts
As a result, Daniel Shays led a number of farmers in rebellion
Without a national government, Massachusetts had to deal with the revolt on its own
Showed that a stronger central government was needed to deal with the nation’s problems
Thomas Jefferson believed rebellion was necessary to correct the ills of government
Constitutional Convention
Delegates from each state met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation
George Washington chosen as president of convention
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were not present because they were ambassadors in Europe
They decided to do away with the Articles completely and write the U.S. Constitution
Came up with two plans to improve the legislative branch: the Virginia Plan proposed by Edmund Randolph and James Madison and the New Jersey Plan proposed by William Paterson
Virginia Plan
Three branches (separation of powers, checks & balances)
Bicameral Legislature: lower house elected by the people, upper house chosen by lower house
Proportional representation in Congress by state population (large states loved this)
Legislative branch makes laws Chief executive (enforce laws) chosen by
legislature Federal judiciary (make sure laws were
administered fairly) Power to veto state laws
New Jersey Plan
Three branches, but a unicameral legislature (one house)
Maintain Articles of Confederation Equal representation of states (favored
by small states) Give Congress power to tax and regulate
trade Establish laws of United States as
supreme over state laws
Basis for new government
Federalism: sharing of power between federal and state governments
Constitution would be supreme law of the land
Republic: governed by representation of people’s will (Popular Sovereignty)
Limited government: only had powers granted to it by the Constitution
Three branches with ability to check each other (checks and balances)
Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan) Roger Sherman
Bicameral legislature: House of Representatives based on state’s population, Senate with each state represented equally by two members
Three-fifths compromise: three-fifths of enslaved count as part of the population to be used for calculating taxation and representation (important to the South)
Slave trade compromise: Congress would not interfere with slave trade for twenty years, Congress could limit slave trade after that time
Ratification
Debate between Federalists like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison “Father of Constitution” who supported ratification, strong central government, loose interpretation of Constitution (implied powers)
Antifederalists like Jefferson who supported strong states’ rights, strict interpretation (Republicans)
Important to many was protection of people against abuse by government
Several states refused to ratify until a Bill of Rights was included
Federalist Papers
Essays written by Hamilton and Madison to help persuade New York to ratify the Constitution
Eased the fear of one faction becoming too powerful in government
Faction: group of people bound by a common belief/cause (Federalists, Antifederalists) led to political parties (Republican and Federalist)
Federalist view won out, but Antifederalists secured a Bill of Rights
Constitution was ratified by 9 of 13 states on June 21, 1788, went into effect in 1789
Bill of Rights
Sponsored by James Madison in 1789, went into effect 1791
First 10 amendments to Constitution
Purpose: to protect civil liberties
George Washington
Was unanimously elected as first president by delegates and served in both 1789 and 1792
He quickly chose trusted men to serve in key positions as his cabinet (heads of departments who serve as the president’s key advisors)
John Adams selected as Vice President Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of
State Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of
Treasury
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
Take on state debts incurred from war To raise revenue wanted to tax whiskey Argued this would also demonstrate
power of the federal government Supported tariffs (taxes on imports) to
raise money and protect U.S. businesses from foreign competition
Proposed establishing a national bank (implied power)
Opponents
Thomas Jefferson argued the federal government was not given power to open national bank (strict interpretation)
Southerners were against tariffs because it would raise prices and lessen competition
They also feared other countries would respond with tariffs of their own
Many feared the government intended to support the wealthy few
Whiskey Rebellion
Tax on whiskey very unpopular in Penn, MD, VA, and NC with farmers who earned a living producing whiskey
Protest resulted in Whiskey Rebellion when farmers in Penn refused to pay the tax and resorted to violence
Washington showed the power of the federal government by sending in troops to halt the armed protest
Proclamation of Neutrality
Great Britain and France were once again at war
Washington recognized the U.S. could not afford to take sides
As a result, the United States’ ability to trade on the high seas was affected
Political Parties
Played major role in 1796 presidential election
John Adams (Federalist) received most votes and was elected 2nd president
According to Constitution, individual receiving second highest votes became vice president
Thomas Jefferson won, and had very different views from Adams
Adams Administration
XYZ Affair: unsuccessful attempt to improve U.S./French relations, caused U.S. to build up its military
Alien Act: allowed government to arrest, detain, or remove foreigners deemed untrustworthy
Sedition Act: severely limited free speech
Jeffersonian Republicans
Jefferson and Madison saw the alien and sedition acts as abuses of power
Adopted resolution doctrine of nullification which stated that states can nullify a national law that they believe violates the Constitution
States’ rights became highly debated leading up to the Civil War
Election of 1800
Adams v. Jefferson/Federalists v. Republicans Republicans accused Federalist Adams of wanting to
be a king Federalists proclaimed Jefferson of being an
anarchist (against any government) Electoral college voted on Jefferson and Aaron Burr
(both Republican) ending in a tie House of Rep. had to decide Hamilton (a Federalist who disagreed with Jefferson’s
politics) supported Jefferson making him the 3rd president (only because he hated Burr)
Burr never forgave Hamilton and ended up shooting and killing him in a duel