Government After the
American Revolution
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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.
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

General Meeting
Provincial Congress
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Raised an army
Issued currency
Created a committee to
enforce nonimportation and
commissioned the
writing of a constitution
that was eventually
approved as the Article
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 Sixthe 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

Provincial Congress
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’s First Constitution

SC’s First Constitution
◦ Two house legislative (lower house elected by the
people, upper house elected by the lower house)
◦ President elected by the legislature (power to veto
laws)
◦ Lowcountry had more representation than the
backcountry
◦ A second constitution was created after the signing
of the Declaration of Independence (minor
changes)
◦ President was now the state Governor, slightly more
equal representation, & the Church of England was
no longer the official, state supported church
SC Government Set-up
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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
The Muppets Reenact the
Continental Congress
Role in New National Goven’t
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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
After the signing of the Declaration
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

Problems with the early govn’t
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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
Shays' Rebellion (6:17)
Charles Pinckney