Guided Notes 8-2.6: Explain the role of South Carolinians in the establishment of their new state
government and the national government after the American Revolution.
General Meeting
 Elected a Committee of 99 that became the de facto government
 Royal governor was still in Charleston, but most South Carolinians obeyed the
Committee of 99
 November 1774, the General Committee called for elections of delegates to a Provincial
Congress
 Representation was disproportionally from the Lowcountry
Provincial Congress
 Raised an army
 Issued currency
 Created a committee to enforce non-importation and commissioned the writing of a
constitution that was eventually approved as the Articles of Confederation
 Not everyone in SC agreed with the Provincial Congress, especially people in the
backcountry
 Provincial government sent a delegation to the backcountry to try and make peace
 The Treaty of Ninety Six- the backcountry people agreed they would remain neutral in
the fight with Great Britain
 Later, the Provincial sent forces to the backcountry to defeat the Loyalist militia and
silence the opposition from the backcountry
SC’s First Constitution
 SC adopted its first state constitution making it an independent state before the
Declaration of Independence was signed
 Written by the provincial government to serve as a foundation for government until the
disagreements with England could be resolved
SC Government Set-up
 SC’s First Constitution
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Two house legislative (lower house elected by the people, upper house elected by
the lower house)
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President elected by the legislature (power to veto laws)
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Lowcountry had more representation than the backcountry
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A second constitution was created after the signing of the Declaration of
Independence (minor changes)
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President was now the state Governor, slightly more equal representation, & the
Church of England was no longer the official, state supported church
Role in New National Government
 Continental Congress acted as the first national government
 SC was the only colony out of the 13 who met all financial obligations to the Continental
Congress
 South Carolinian Henry Laurens served as President to the Continental Congress, &
later on the committee that negotiated the Treaty of Paris for the government under the
Article of Confederation
After the signing of the Declaration
 The Articles of Confederation were written to become the first national government
 SC ratified the articles quickly, but other states waited till a deal of western land
ownership had been reached
 Articles of Confederation were modeled on the Continental Congress, giving each state
one vote
 With war over & state agreement wavering led to an unsuccessful national government
Problems with the early Government
 Debt was a major problem for the national government
 Disagreements over interstate trade, currency, & taxes made the Confederation
government too weak to meet the needs of the new nation
Charles Pinckney
 Early advocate for a strong national government
 Served as chair on the committee of the Confederation Congress that recommended
amendments to strengthen the government under the Articles of Confederation
 Tried to encourage other states to pay their obligation to the national government
 Shay’s Rebellion caused other states to call for a meeting in Philadelphia to amend the
Article of Confederation & strengthen the national government