The Impact of the
American Revolution
on American Society
Blacks
demanded
Statestoabolished
the right“feudal”
to Society
laws
Changes
American
freedom in petitions
of primogeniture
& lawsuits
& entail
 The
American
Revolution
led
to
Many
Franklin,
statesJay,
lowered
Hamilton
property
founded
qualifications
abolition to
unintended
social
changes
by
vote;
societies;
but none
Washington
offered
universal
manumitted
male
hissuffrage
slaves
many
Americans
to
Mostforcing
statesVT,
clearly
separated
church
& state
PA, MA abolished slavery
question the meaning of “equality”
Some Southern slave owners
–Many wanted
to
eliminate
the
privately freed their slaves
“Republican Motherhood”—mothers
idea
of
an
American
aristocracy
should instill virtue in their children
–Fighting Took
British
tyranny
made
greater control over
slavery seem
hypocritical;
family farms
& businesses
Abolitionist sentiment grew
–Women gained increased status
New State &
National Governments
Forming New Governments
 When
independence was declared
from England in 1776, colonists
considered themselves a new
nation & needed a new gov’t:
became
individually
In –Colonies
1776, the American
Revolution
has just
sovereign
states
by
started;
The colonists
didgoverned
not wait to gain
British
recognition
of their independence
written
state constitutions
before creating new governments!
–A national gov’t was needed to
provide basic services like sign
treaties & develop a military
States Constitutions
 In
1776, the new states created
written constitutions which:
–Clearly defined the citizens’
rights & the limits of government
–Guaranteed natural rights;
Eight states had bills of rights
–Almost all states reduced the
powers of the governor & kept
most power in the hands of the
people via state legislatures
Defining Republican Culture
creating a national gov’t that
met everyone’s needs was hard:
– How to balance individual liberty
with maintaining order?
– How to balance property rights
with equality?
– How to create a centralized
gov’t without creating a new
tyrannical authority?
 But,
The Articles of Confederation
 In
1775, three committees were
formed to sever ties with England:
–Thomas Jefferson headed the
committee to draft a declaration
of independence
–John Adams headed committee
to establish foreign alliances
–John Dickinson headed a
committee to draft a new central
government
Articles of Confederation
 The
Articles of Confederation was
adopted as America’s 1st national
gov’t in 1777 (but ratified in 1781)
–The Articles
established
an
Each state was treated
intentionally
weak central gov’t
as a pseudo-nation
in order to protect state power
–The confederation-style gov’t
gave all 13
states
1
vote
in
a
Too similar to a monarch
unicameral congress
–There was no national president
The Articles
were created to
The Articles
of
Confederation
loosely tie the states together
 The
only powers granted to the
national government were to
–Settle disputes between states,
negotiate treaties, handle Indian
affairs, oversee a military
 It could not tax citizens or states;
could only request contributions
 Laws required 9 of the 13 states
 Amending the gov’t required
agreement by all 13 states
“A firm league
of friendship”
The colonies were
loosely joined to
address common
problems
"each State retains its sovereignty, freedom and
independence, and every power...which is not...
expressly delegated to the United States.…"
 The
Western Lands
“West” presented a problem:
–Many states had overlapping
land claims in the West
–Some “landless” states (MD,
NJ, DE) wanted part of West &
refused to ratify the Articles
without this issue resolved
–The US gov’t negotiated treaties
with Indians to gain land in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky
The Land Ordinance of 1785
 The
U.S. gov’t was eager to sell
off Western lands to settlers to
gain revenue (since the gov’t did
not have the power to tax)
–The Land Ordinance of 1785
established an orderly process
for laying out western townships
–Section 16 of the each township
was dedicated to public schools
The Northwest Ordinance
 The
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
gave structure to the NW territory:
–Created new territories, ruled by
a governor, & whose citizens
were protected by a bill of rights
–Residents could create a
legislative assembly when the
population reached 5,000
–Residents could apply for
statehood with 60,000 people
–Slavery outlawed in NW lands
Conclusions
 The
Articles of Confederation
accomplished exactly what its
framers intended:
–By creating a weak central gov’t,
the power of the states was
preserved & no tyrants emerged
–The weaknesses of the central
gov’t failed to meet the longterm needs of the new USA
Examining the
Articles of
Confederation
The Weaknesses of the Articles
 The
Articles of Confederation
served as the framework for the
U.S. gov’t from 1781 until 1789:
–Early in the “Confederation
Period,” the weakness of the
national gov’t was seen as good
because it eliminated tyranny
–Later, these same weaknesses
kept the gov’t from solving
serious national problems
The gov’t
request,
but not require,
Debt,could
Taxes,
& Inflation
states to send money to Congress
 The
U.S. was burdened with
$40 million in war debt in 1783:
–The Confederate Congress
could not ease the national debt
because it had no power to tax
–Congress printed $200 million in
new currency to pay off debt
but this led to massive inflation
–Creditors demanded repayment
of debts at market value
Trade Problems under the Articles
Connecticut levied heavier duties on
Massachusetts
Congress was
unable
create
a
goods
than ontoBritish
goods
favorable balance of trade:
This
especially
This
especially
hurt
–To
raise
revenue,
states
created
hurt the North
Southern planters
tariffs on goods from other states
–The lack of hard currency made
trade difficult
–Desire for cheap British goods
hurt infant American industries
–England prohibited its Caribbean
colonies from trading with USA
Economic
Washington kept
generals Problems
from overthrowing
the new government: "Gentlemen, you will

The
economic
stagnation
of
the
permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have
eraalmost
led to
uprisings:
not Confederation
only grown gray but
blind
in the
service of my country."
–The lack of tax revenue & failure
Shays’
proved
to be the
of
the Rebellion
gov’t to pay
soldiers
convincing
event
that
led
to
the
sparked
a
military
coup
in
1783
Constitutional Convention of 1787
called the Newburgh Conspiracy
–Property foreclosures led to
desperation & uprising farmers
in 1787 called Shays’ Rebellion
Shay’s Rebellion in Western
Massachusetts
Poor farmers in
western MA were
angered over high
taxes & prospect of
debtors jail
Daniel Shays led an
uprising & closed
debt courts &
threatened a federal
arsenal
Policy
Problems
CongressForeign
& the army
were too
weak to resist
 The
Articles proved inadequate to
interstateTreaty
& foreign
affairs:
John handle
Jay’s Jay-Gardoqui
was met
with
regional
resistance
& was rejected
in Congress
–When
Americans
did not
repay
legitimate war debts, Britain
kept troops in the Ohio Valley
–Spain refused to recognize the
southern U.S. border & closed
access to the Mississippi River
–Algerian pirates attacked &
enslaved American merchants
–States argued over river rights
Constitutional Reform
Thus,
American
political
ideology
states created
weak
state governors
& a weakfrom
Articles
Confederation
changed
theofbeginning
of the
American
Revolution
to theoflate
The problem
is an excess
democracy not period:
an excess of tyranny
Confederation
–InShays’
the 1770s,
American
political
Rebellion
will help prove
this pointsaw
to the
Founding
leaders
tyranny
asFathers
the
greatest threat to the USA
–But…by the mid-1780s, they
saw ordinary citizens who lacked
virtue as the greatest threat
Congress did
not
Merchants
in MA hired
Constitutional
Reform
have the tax funds
their own mercenary
 Byan
1787,
fatal to
flaws
of uprising
the
to send
army themilitia
end the
Articles of Confed were exposed:
–Shays’ Rebellion broke out
among desperate MA farmers
who faced losing their farms or
being sent to debtor’s prison
–Congress
called
for a meeting
Shays’
Rebellion
gave nationalists
like in
In
Sept 1786,Madison,
James
Madison
ledthe
Washington,
Hamilton
Philadelphia
to discuss
revising
the
Annapolis
Convention
to
urgency
to
call
for
a
stronger
national
gov’t
the
Articles
&
strengthening
the
discuss improving American trade
national gov’t
The Constitutional
Convention in
Philadelphia, 1787
The Philadelphia Convention
 Shays
Rebellion led to increased
support for a stronger central
They did NOT
intendattendance
to
government
& more
at
replace the Articles
the Philadelphia Convention
 In May 1787, 55 delegates from
all states (except RI) met to
discuss revising the Articles of
Confederation, but it soon
became apparent that something
more serious was needed
The
Philadelphia
Is this
a governmentConvention
of the people? Convention
Philadelphia
delegates
in Philadelphia
3
To amend
the Articles,made
all
important 13
(&states
illegal)
had decisions:
to agree
–The Articles of Confederation
were to be completely replaced
–Nothing from the meeting was to
be printed or spoken to the public
–Every state got 1 vote but all
decisions needed a majority
vote (not 9 of 13 states) to pass
 The
Inventing a Federal Republic
 Delegates
incorporated 4 major
principles into this new gov’t:
–Limited gov’t—even though a
stronger gov’t was being created,
citizens’ liberty is protected
–Republicanism—the people
vote for their leaders
–Separation of powers—three
branches with defined powers
–Federalism—the national gov’t
shares power with state gov’ts
Inventing a Federal Republic
Madison  William Paterson
presented the
presented the
Virginia Plan: SmallNew
statesJersey
objectedPlan:
to
–Congress
given
–Bicameral
this large-state
dominance
power to tax
legislature
–Each state had
–Larger
states
The large
states
one vote in a
had more
listened
politely then
unicameral
representatives
overwhelmingly
voted against
it
legislature
–Create
a chief
–But Articles
executive
mostly
appointed by
untouched
Congress
 James
known
as the
TheAlso
Great
Compromise
“Connecticut” Compromise”
 Roger
Sherman helped resolve
Victory
for the small
the differences
between
the states
large
& small states
Victorybyforproposing
large states the
Great Compromise
Only the House of Reps
–Congresscould
would
be a bicameral
introduce
tax bills
legislature (House & Senate)
–Each state was given 2
delegates in the Senate
–House of Representatives was
determined by state population
The 3/5 Compromise
 Problems
still remained between
the northern & southern states
regarding how to count population
size (do slaves count?)
 The Three-Fifths Compromise
settled the issue:
–Three-fifths of the slave
population could be counted
toward representation in the
House of Representatives
Compromising with Slavery
 Despite
the contradiction slavery
posed, Southerners threatened to
leave the USA anytime the slave
question was discussed
 As a compromise for the South,
the slave trade could continue to
1808 & runaway slaves returned
“Great as the evil is, a dismemberment
of the Union would be worse.”
—James Madison
The Last Details
Including
ideas
tyrannical:
 In 1787,
a once
finalconsidered
draft included:
Presidential power to appoint judges &
–Electoral
College
to
vote
for
the
presidential veto power over Congress
president to “filter the masses”
–System of checks & balances
among the 3 branches of gov’t
–President would serve for 4
years rather than for life
 Delegates decided against a
Bill of Rights because most state
constitutions already had them
James Madison helped broker many of the compromises that
made the Constitution possible & is referred to as the “father
of the Constitution”
Federalism—state gov’ts &
the national gov’t both have power
The supremacy clause establishes the
Constitution (not the states) as the
"the supreme law of the land"
A state law cannot contradict a national law
The Struggle for
Ratification
The Struggle for Ratification
 The
delegates in Philadelphia
knew that ratification of the new
Constitution would not be easy:
–They had no authority to change
the Articles of Confederation
–They did not inform the public of
their ongoing decisions
–They fundamentally altered the
relationships between the states
& the central government
Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
 Supported
 Against ratification
ratification of the
–Distrusted
of
a
Constitution
Authored
by that
Madison,
gov’t
 Were wellHamilton,
&
Jay
removed
power
Anti-Federalists
argued
organized &
from
the
hands
for
more
protection
of
educated
individual
liberties
of
the
people
 Used Federalist
–Claimed
the
new
Papers to argue “The
Constitution is
for ratification
itselfConstitution
a Bill of Rights”
favored the
 Had the support
upper class
of the media
Adding the Bill of Rights
To win
ratification,
theRevolution…
Federalists
If1776
was the
1st American
agreed
to add
a Bill ofRevolution
Rights
1787
was the
2nd American
– With this protection of citizens’
liberty, all 13 states agreed to
ratify the Constitution
– Constitution became the official
the law of the land in 1789
 After bitter fight, most Americans
chose to support the Constitution
Discussion Question
 Which
of the following ideas was
most important to the framers of
the Constitution in 1787?
–Federalism
–Separation of powers?
–Checks and balances?
–Republican democracy?
–Gov’t limited by the people?
 Which is most important today?
 Essential
Question:
–In what ways did the Constitution
deviate from the gov’t under the
Articles of Confederation?
–What were the Federalist and
Anti-Federalist critiques
regarding the new Constitution?