The Republican Experiment
Trial and Error in Forging a New
Union
I. A Republican Crusade
• Ideological Foundations of a New Nation
--Liberty vs. Equality
--Republicanism vs. Democracy
• Desire for a pure, virtuous republican society free
of luxury and aristocratic pretense
• Desire for “relative economic” equality
• Growing sentiment north and south that slavery is
wrong
• Growing voice for women in politics
• Disestablishment of Colonial churches
II. . . . And yet, a Contradiction
• New nation characterized by a frantic scramble for
wealth
• Distribution of wealth more inequitable than ever
• No significant changes in property holding or
expansion of the electorate
• Cotton gin (1793) and the opening of the
Alabama/Mississippi frontier encouraged growth
of slavery
• Women gain no lasting political or legal power
III. Republicanism on the State
Level
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•
•
•
The struggle between tradition and change
New state constitutions
The novelty of written constitutions
A listing of natural rights in several of the state
constitutions
• Reduction of gubernatorial power
• Constitutions become more conservative over time
• Growing political voice accorded to the frontier
IV. The West: A Republican
“Problem” and “Opportunity”
• Easterners worried about the virtue of frontier folk
• Fear that this new nation would be too large for
effective, virtuous politics
• British haven’t left the west yet and Native
Americans represent obstacle to expansion
• Conflict between some states over western land
claims
• West allows for the possibility of an agrarian
republic
IV. Republicanism on the
National Level: Experiment #1
A. The Articles of Confederation
(1781-1788)
• Components of the
Articles
• Confederation government
brought order to the west
--Treaty of Fort Stanwix
(1784)
--Land Ordinance of 1785
--Northwest Ordinance
(1787)
B. Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation Government
• Economic
--Judicial Review of the
“Forcing Act” (1787)
--Shays Rebellion (1786)
• Military
--Newburgh Conspiracy
(1783)
--Joseph Brant
• Diplomatic
• Political
VI. Republicanism on the
National Level: Experiment #2
A. The Constitutional
Convention (Summer, 1787)
• James Madison:
“Father” of the
Constitution
• Motivation for and
Timing of the
Convention
• Who was and was not
there?
• Secrecy and Voting
B. Constitutional Controversy
and Compromise
• The Issue of State
representation in the
National Government
--Virginia Plan vs. New
Jersey Plan
--Connecticut Compromise
• The Issue of Slavery
• Key Ingredients of the U.S.
Constitution
• The concept of Federalism
• No Bill of Rights
incorporated in the document
C. Ratification of the New
Constitution
• Procedure for ratification
• Significance of the phrase,
“We, the people of the
United States”
• Proponents of the
Constitution = Federalists
• Opponents = AntiFederalists
C. Ratification of the New
Constitution (cont)
• The Federalist
Papers (1787-1788)
• Arguments
employed “pro”
and “con”
• History of the
ratification vote