The Critical Period
I
Basic problems of periodization
Labels for study and convenience vs. overgeneralization
A personal Observation about the Critical Period
If conditions had not been bad, the Federalist champions
of a stronger government would not have made the immense
effort to prepare and promote the new Constitution. If conditions
had not been tolerable, the numerous foes of the proposed
federal constitution would not have gone to such great effort to
defeat it.
II
Basic Contributions of the Government under the Articles
of Confederation
1.
Started a government from scratch
2.
Brought focus, unity and purpose to resistance
3.
Won the war against superpower
4.
Negotiated the peace [Treaty of Paris, 1783]
5.
Obtained cession of lands from the states
6.
Land Laws
Land Ordinance 1785, organized settlement
Northwest Ordinance, 1787
states come in equal to old states
slavery prohibited
free worship, trial by jury, public education
7.
Brought US through this “critical period”
8.
Established world’s 1st democratic republic
9.
Showed flaws of a weak central government, valuable
lessons, but problem of states’ rights vs. central government
remains.
III
Problems Mount under the Articles
1.
Weak government lacks the power to compel
obedience
Absolute majority for amendment of Articles
9/13 to pass a law
Problem of representation [what is a majority? eternal
problem]
More like league of friendship with state sovereignty
Problems in foreign affairs
Mediterranean pirates
Restoring commercial relations
unable to enforce treaties
Spanish threat in South
Navigation of the Mississippi, New Orleans
deposit
British in northern posts
Indians
British “flooding” or “dumping” in US markets
[commercial warfare]
2.
financial problems of debt [virtually bankrupt and
therefore unable to borrow], couldn’t coin money, no uniform
currency, states issuing currency, dependent on asking states
to contribute, poor credit rating abroad and with citizens,
increasing chaos bad for all business
3.
commercial warfare between states, chaos with
international commerce [no power to negotiate trade
agreements]
4.
lack military power [disbanded] to enforce laws
[Shay’s rebellion}, soldiers march on capitol forces Congress to
flee, Newburgh conspiracy, other mob outbursts
5.
Loyalists property and claims
IV
Charles Beard. The Constitution was conceived and carried
through [unconstitutionally] by men whose financial interests
had been adversely affected under the Articles of Confederation.
The Beard Thesis.
Define Critical
4. Forming or having the nature of a turning point; crucial or
decisive.
5.a. Of or relating to a medical crisis. b. Being or relating to a
grave physical condition especially of a patient.
6. Indispensable; essential.
7. Being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency.
8. Fraught with danger or risk; perilous.