The Impact of the
American Revolution
on American Society
Benjamin Banneker & Phillis Wheatley
Postponing Full Liberty
 The
Revolution was limited in its
extension of rights & failed to
abolish slavery, grant universal
male suffrage, or apply equality to
women; But…
 …it introduced the ideal of
freedom and equality that future
generations would use to make
these ideals a reality
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:
–Colonies became individually
sovereign states governed by
written state constitutions
–A national gov’t needed to be
adopted to provide basic
services like treaties & 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
The United States, 1783
Defining Republican Culture
 But,
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?
Defining
CivicRepublican
virtue is now Culture
a necessity
 Americans
set out to create a
republican form of government
after independence was declared:
–Gov’t with no king or aristocracy
–With power held by the citizens
 Even though all previous
republics had failed, Americans
were optimistic this would be an
“uncompromising commitment to
liberty & equality”
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 states 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
–Negotiate treaties, handle Indian
affairs, oversee an 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.…"
Western Lands
 The
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
Western Lands
 Virginia
took the lead to solve the
“West problem” by ceding its
western claims to the national gov’t
–Other states, especially NY,
Withceded
the newtheir
gov’twestern
finally ratified
1781,
landsintoo
Congress created the Departments of
–By
1781,
Congress
the
War,
Foreign
Affairs, &(not
Finance
states) gained control over all
lands west of the Appalachians
 With dispute over, Maryland was
the last state to ratify the Articles
Don’t forget Indian lands too
Indian Land Cessions:1768-1799
Western
Land
Claims
Ceded
by the
States
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
Because
ofUnited
the 1785
& 17871783
Prospectors
intoStates,
Kentucky
& Tennessee
Thepoured
ordinances, the Northwest territories
Bywere
1790,well
the region
was&
plagued
organized
orderlyby land claims
& counterclaims that generated lawsuits for years
The
USA in
1787
Territories south of the Ohio River
received less attention from Congress
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 in
Shays’
Rebellion
nationalists
like
In May,
Jamesgave
Madison
led the
Philadelphia
to discuss
revising
Washington,
Madison, Hamilton
the
Annapolis
Convention
to
discuss
theimproving
strengthening
the
urgency
toArticles
call for American
a&stronger
national
gov’t
trade
national gov’t
The Constitutional
Convention in
Philadelphia, 1787
The Philadelphia Convention
 Shay’s
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 inTo
Philadelphia
madeall3
amend the Articles,
13 statesdecisions:
had to agree
important (& illegal)
–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
Three Branches of Government
What did
Congress look
like after the
Great
Compromise?
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
Federalism
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”
Only Congress
can of
make
Key Ideas
thelaws,
Constitution
declare war, create taxes
The “elastic clause” gives
Congress implied powers
to make laws seen as
“necessary & proper”
The Senate ratifies
treaties & confirms
judicial appointments
Key Ideas of the Constitution
The president can only
recommend legislation to
Congress but can veto bills
The president oversees
the bureaucracy
Key Ideas of the Constitution
The only court mentioned
in the Constitution is the
Supreme Court
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
Ratification of the Constitution
Adding the Bill of Rights
 To win
ratification,
Federalists
If 1776
was the 1stthe
American
agreed to addwas
a Bill
Revolution…1787
the of
2ndRights
revolution
– 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