UNIT 2 NOTES
THE CONSTITUTION
State Claims to Western Lands
WESTERN EXPANSION

Westward expansion continued during and after
the Revolutionary War

During the Revolutionary War states and Congress
had recruited soldiers with promises of land


They needed Indian lands to fulfill those pledges
Secessionists movements arose in the 1780s
when neither Congress or state governments were
able to solve western problems
Northwest
Territory
USA
■Grid system was created by
Thomas Jefferson…
■Structured and organized
policy
Northwest
Territory
land
■Allowed
for a peaceful
purchase of land.
■Promoted an orderly expansion
westward..
■Confederation
Congress
convinced states who claimed
land out west to cede their land
to the US Govt.
■US Govt. was to come up with
a fair and reasonable land
policy…..Unlike the Proclamation
of 1763….
An addition to the Land
Ordinance of 1785
Northwest
Territory
Congress sold land in large
blocks, 40, 80, 160, 320 and
640 acres.
$1 to 2$ an acre to help
pay debt.
Encouraged settlers to form townships.
New states formed would be = to original 13
Influx of settlers causes violence with Indians
Guaranteed settlers “unalienable rights”
Ohio
1ST STEP
2nd STEP
3rd STEP
WHEN PEOPLE FIRST
SETTLE IN THE AREA:
5,000 FREE ADULT
MALES:
60,000 SETTLERS:
Congress appoints a
governor and three
judges to govern the
territory
Landowners elect a
congress to make laws
and raise taxes with
approval of governor. 1
representative is elected
to the US Congress who
can debate but not vote.
Becomes a state, with its
own government and
constitution. New states
admitted with same
rights as the original
states. No more than 5
states can carved out of
this area.
The Northwest Ordinance encouraged ideals of the DOI and republicanism (representative democracy)
religious freedom, protection of liberty and property, encouraged education, admitted new states and no
slavery.
EARLY GOVERNMENT

The new challenge became – could the new country
create a unified national government?

Congress was only a loose collection of delegates from
13 separate colonies


Many thought of the Congress only as a wartime necessity
Most Americans thought of themselves as citizens of
states and not a nation
•Our first constitution (law of the land)
and attempt to create a democratic
government based on the ideas of DOI .
•Written by 2nd Continental Congress
during War and took effect in March
1781… Becomes the Confederation
Congress
A/C CHART
Confederation Government
govt. of loosely organized states
Each state independent and conducted their own
affairs
Created a weak national govt. which had little
powers to solve US problems
Would unite in times of crisis.
“Treaty of Cooperation between the states”
Major Problem
Could not tax,
regulate trade or
enforce its laws
because the
states held more
power than the
National
Government.
Why?
Feared a
government like
King George
THE TROUBLED 1780s
THE DIFFICULT 1780’S
 The
economy was in the tank and failed to
rebound
 Personal,
debt, and national debt were
serious
 Out
of this rose the demand to replace or
fix the Articles of Confederation
DEBT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM

Americans were still heavily dependent on
British goods

Private debt became a problem
 states
debt

could not address due to their own steep
Farmers faced with the loss of crops livestock
and their farms looked to state governments for
relief
 instead
states passed heavier taxes
Foreign Debt
$11,710,000
State Debt
We owed France, Spain and other countries
who helped us with the Revolutionary War.
Individual states owed citizens who
loaned money to their state.
$21,500,000
Federal Domestic Debt
$42,414,000
$80 Million
US Govt. owed soldier’s for
fighting in the war, debts to
British and Loyalists.
WHO ARE NATIONALISTS?
NATIONALISTS

By the 1780’s a group called the nationalists wanted
to strengthen the national government

They felt a weak national government would create chaos

Feared that the U.S. would not command respect from
the rest of the world

However, most Americans felt it was better to have
disorder and mistakes than be under the rule of
tyrants
SOLUTIONS
THE ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION

In 1786, Nationalists held a convention to
discuss economic problems
 Convention

held in Annapolis, Maryland
The goal was to develop a federal plan for
regulating interstate and foreign trade
 Only
12 delegates showed by they came to one
important decision

They decided to organize another convention in
Philadelphia in 1787
THINGS CHANGE

Before the next convention could take place an
important event occurred that would boost
support for the Nationalists cause
SHAYS
Daniel Shays
1785 to 1787, unfair taxes, debt and foreclosure
Farmer’s rebellion to overthrow Mass. Govt.
In early 1787 a group of small farmers protested against the
Massachusetts govt.
Why? They were in debt, their homes being repossessed and
unfair taxation.
They were led by Daniel Shays, a former army captain in the
Revolutionary War.
The purpose of the rebellion was to prevent foreclosures by
keeping the courts from sitting until the next election.
Shay’s Rebellion was put down by private army paid for by wealthy
merchants from Boston led by Benjamin Lincoln
The AOC was unable to put down the rebellion with a national
guard or army.
EFFECTS OF THE REBELLION

The event converts many into nationalists who had
until then opposed strengthening the central
government

It demonstrated to American leaders that steps had to
be taken to strengthen the national government

The convention in Philadelphia in 1787 was well
attended by 12 states (R.I.)
•The Constitutional
Convention was a large
meeting held in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
at Independence Hall from
May of 1787 to Sept. to
1787 where 55 delegates
representing their states.
•They came to revise,
change or throw out the
AOC and write a new
Constitution.
Issues of representative government would be argued at
Constitutional Convention

Virginia Plan proposed
by the larger states

Establish a bicameral
Congress.



People elect 1 house
That house elects 2nd
house
Representation in both
houses based on state
population

New Jersey plan
proposed by small states

Establish a unicameral
Congress



Each state to have 1 vote
Equal representation
States equally represented
similar to the Articles of
Confederation
THE GREAT COMPROMISE

Great Compromise (Roger Sherman)




The legislative branch would have 2 houses of Congress
In the Senate each state, regardless of size, would have 2
representatives
In the House of Representatives, the number of seats would
be determined by state population
Compromise approved in July 16, 1787
•2nd major argument
between the delegates
was how to create an
executive (president)
which didn’t resemble
King George III
•How would they be
chosen?
Created an Electoral College
•Placed a “check and balance” on the people’s vote but
tried to keep “representative democracy” in principle.
Historical Background
1.
Why was the Electoral College created by the Framers?

Created as an alternative to either popular election or Congress electing the
President.

Each state chose electors---based on the number of representatives each
states has in Congress.
2. Electoral vote was state to state---One vote per candidate.

Electors vote with the “will” of the people from the state they
represented……….but not required.

Candidate with the most votes became President; runner-up became Vice
President.
3. In case of a tie, the House of Representatives elected the President.
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej4T_y4ov_
k&list=PL50p5uqvRz3YfhU1GclVxq9e_EDJowq
28&index=17&feature=plpp_video
•4th major argument
between the delegates was
over slavery.
•Southern states wanted
their slaves to be counted as
part of their population
because it would give them
more representation in
Congress.
•Northern states wanted to abolish slavery
•Southern States would have left the Constitutional
Convention if there was an attempt to abolish slavery.
•Northern states agreed to the
3/5’s Compromise only if the
South abolished the Slave
Trade by 1807 and agreed to
NW Ordinance
•Agreement was made….North
was hoping slavery would
eventually fade away and die
out .
•This was their step towards
Georgia’s Population
White = 300,000
Slaves = 100,000
3/5’s of 100,000
3/5’s of 100,000 = 60,000
300,000 + 60,000 =
Total Population = 360,000
which would be counted
towards representation in
Congress.
APPROVAL

After further debate, the convention approved the final
draft of the United States Constitution on September 17,
1787.

RATIFICATION




Each state would call a special convention to approve it
Would go into effect as soon as 9/13 states accepted it
This was key to success of the union, create a popularly
sovereign government that was legal with all states agreeing
to it
Main supporters of the Constitution were called
Federalists – would have to use persuasion, not force to
win approval
Federalists
A strong national govt over the states was
needed to protect “life, liberty, property and
the pursuit of happiness”
Constitution was a “sound” document
which “limited” the power of the national
govt.
•George
Washington
• Ben Franklin,
•John Adams,
Gave it power to settle problems within
•James
Madison
Appealed to more the wealthy, business
•Alexander
Hamilton
the country.
owners and educated.
Anti-Federalists
The national govt was too powerful and it
would take away your right to “life, liberty,
property and the pursuit of happiness”
•Patrick Henry
The constitution was a threat to the
“rights” we fought for in the Revolution
•Thomas
Jefferson
States” should have more authority than
•Sam Adams
the national govt.
Feared representative democracy was
threatened because our rights were not
protected.
Appealed to the common man, farmers
and less educated
The
Federalist
Papers
•The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 essays written by
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay which supported the Constitution
and convinced Americans that a stronger national government was needed.
•Most comprehensive body of political thought produced by the revolutionary generation
•Madison argued a large republic is far more stable than a small one
•small factions could gain power and trample rights, constant scramble for power
•Constitution forbids hereditary rule
•Supported the Constitution and a strong central
government
FEDERALIST PAPERS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBBhfTabIC
I&list=PL50p5uqvRz3YfhU1GclVxq9e_EDJowq2
8&index=16&feature=plpp_video
WHY THE FEDERALISTS WON
The Federalists had several advantages over the anti-Federalists. These included:
(1) The Federalists
drew on the
widespread feeling
that the Articles of
Confederation had
serious flaws.
(2) The Federalists
were a united, wellorganized national
group, while the
anti-Federalists
tended to consist
of local politicians
who did not
coordinate their
activities on a
national level.
(3) The Federalists
had an actual
document and plan
which they could
defend. The antiFederalists had no
constructive plan
of their own to
offer.
(4) The Federalists
had the support of
George
Washington, a
respected
Revolutionary War
hero.
Delaware, New Jersey, and Connecticut quickly ratified the Constitution. In June 1788,
New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution.
For the Constitution to become
law 9 of 13 states had to
ratify it. Shown below is
the ratification process:
1. Delaware 30 – 0
2. Pennsylvania 46 – 23
3. New Jersey 38 – 0
4. Georgia
26 – 0
5. Connecticut 128 – 40
6. Massachusetts 187–168
7. Maryland 63 – 11
8. South Carolina 149 – 73
9. New Hampshire 57 – 47
10. Virginia
89 – 79
11. New York
30 – 27
12. North Carolina 194 – 77
13. Rhode Island 34 - 22
FEDERALISM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH40aAy1A
sg&list=PL50p5uqvRz3YfhU1GclVxq9e_EDJow
q28&index=11&feature=plpp_video
Delegated
Powers given to
national govt
Expressed
Implied
Power to tax
Make treaties
Coin money
Establish Post Offices
Raise a military
Declare war
Admit new states
Interstate highways
Fund NASA
Regulate naturalization
Recognize new countries
Copyright/Patents
DIV OF POWERS
Concurrent
Powers shared
by all 3 levels
Make/enforce laws
Maintain courts
Collect taxes
Borrow money
Charter banks
Protect welfare of people
Call out the militia
Reserved
Powers given only to
the states
Provide for education
Establish local govts
Protect public safety
Build state highways
Raise a state militia
Issue licenses
Incorporate businesses
Regulate trade in state
Set speed limit
Create counties/cities
Decide death penalty
Marriage definition
First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
in 1791
Rights and freedoms won in the
Revolution are preserved and
protected…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
FREEDOM of Religion, Press,
Speech, Assembly, Petition
RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR
ARMS
No QUARTERING of soldiers in
peacetime
NO UNREASONABLE SEARCH
and SEIZURE
PROTECTION of ACCUSED
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
RIGHT TO A SPEEDY, PUBLIC
TRIAL BY JURY
TRIAL BY JURY IN CIVIL SUITS
NO EXCESSIVE FINES or
CRUEL PUNISHMENT
POWERS RESERVED TO THE
PEOPLE
POWERS RESERVED TO THE
STATES
BILL OF RIGHTS AND AMENDMENT 27

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EN2g9vchU