
The Creation of New State
Governments
New Written Constitutions for states.

“republican” government in which power came from the
(landholding) people.

Most power in the legislature.

2-house legislatures:


Upper House = elites
Lower House = common people.

Limited the powers of the executive (governors).

Later, most of these constitutions were altered (they were “too” democratic) and the executives were given more power.


Disestablishment of religion in SOME states.

Thomas Jefferson— Statute of Religious
Freedom.

Mass. And Penn. Abolish slavery.

Representation in New Legislatures.

More people from “Backcountry”

But to hold office in upper house or as an executive, needed to possess a certain amount of wealth.

Also to vote for upper house or executive it was often required that you owned a certain amount of property or wealth.


Power comes from the people.

Success depends on the nature of the citizens.

Need to possess “ Civic Virtue.
”

To do so, people needed to be independent.


In Europe, there were fixed classes.

In the colonies there was never an aristocracy.

Revolution gave rise to the idea that everyone was equal and that talent and hard-work were what determined a persons success. ( Not a Person’s birth right.)

America was unique because it provided equality of opportunity.



America’s first national Govt.
Proposed in 1777, not ratified until 1781 (until 1787)

Powers:


A. Conduct wars & foreign relations.
B. Appropriate, borrow, and issue $.

Can Not:



A. Regulate trade
B. Draft Troops
C. Tax


1-House legislature

Each state had 1-vote

Major vote required 9 of 13 states to approve.

Amendments required approval of all 13.

Weak executive


The real power was at the state level .

This was intentional because the problems with
England were viewed, in part, as the result of a distant, powerful central govt.

Remedy, thus, is to keep power as local as possible.

The Main Success of the Articles of
Confederation

Western Land Settlement ( Northwest Ordinances )

Ordinance of 1784—Divided western territory north of the
Ohio R. into 10 self-governing districts that could petition for statehood when pop. Equaled smallest state.

Ordinance of 1785—System for surveying and selling the land—the Grid

Northwest Ordinance of 1787—replaced 1784 law. Created a single Northwest territory to be made into between 3-5 states and outlawed slavery.

Problems Under the Articles of
Confederation

How to pay for War debts.

Need to ASK states.

Shay’s Rebellion


Some Historians call the period from 1783-1787 the “ Critical Period ” because of the problems under the Articles of Confederation.

A group of concerned citizens calls a meeting to
fix the Articles of confederation.