The Declaration of
Independence Set a
standard for Democracy in
the States and Popular
Sovereignty was the
guiding rule for the state
Constitutions… All of them
Reduced the power of the
Executive branch… laying
much of the authority in the
hands of the Legislative
branch and giving western
Yeoman farmers more
representation
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The Pennsylvania
Constitution was the
Most democratic,
Having abolished
Property
qualifications, and
granting all tax paying
men the right to vote
and hold office. It Also
created a one house
legislature
(Unicameral) where
the Governor could not
exercise veto power.
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Pennsylvania
set up an
extensive
system of
elementary
education and
citizens could
not be
imprisoned for
debt.
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The Revolutionary war
inspired some women to
engage in politics. Abigail
Adams demanded equal
legal rights for married
women, and criticizing her
husband , John, for
emancipating all nations…
while retaining absolute
power over wives. Only
the New Jersey
Constitution granted
voting rights to property
owning women (until
1807).
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Many founding fathers
feared “too much
democracy” . John Adams
criticized Pennsylvania’s
unicameral legislature and
recommended a
BICAMERAL Legislature
because he felt that would
give CHECKS &
BALANCES. He & others
feared popular vote would
encourage the poor to Use
their numerical advantage to
tax the rich and “ vote all
property out of the hands of
you aristocrats…”
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Under the Articles
of Confederation
each state kept its
sovereignty and
independence
and this created
all sorts of
problems
Movement Westward created problems for congress because
Westerners might try to create States on their own and
demand admission to the confederation, or worse, form
colonies that might be dependant on Foreign nations such as
Spain, France or England. An Orderly plan for admission was
created by three land Ordinances: the Ordinance of 1784
which called for the admission of states as soon as the
population was as big as the smallest state. Land Ordinance of
1785 which required lands be surveyed with a rectangular
grid system, the L.O. 1785 also admitted new states as equals
to the original states. The Northwest Ordinance
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The War had destroyed American Merchant ships, cut
the export of tobacco and other products , and
England was dumping low priced products on the
U.S. Market which killed domestic manufacturing,
and the navigation acts of England stopped trade in
West Indies. but the biggest problem Was the
printing of a worthless currency to pay off
huge war debts!
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Massachusetts tried to be responsible in printing money
but this forced them into the other extreme… High
taxes. Wealthy Merchants had Speculated on State debt
Certificates, buying them at less than face value and
demanded the state pay them quickly at face value. In
order to do this the state raised taxes and Farmers who
were unable to pay taxes had their Farms seized and
sold to pay the taxes. Captain Daniel Shays led a
rebellion to protest these Seizures, marched into Boston
and forced the courts to close, but Merchants put
together an army to put down the rebellion.

Even before Shays Rebellion ,
Nationalists were demanding the
Articles be revised for a stronger
Central government. A meeting in
Annapolis was called but only a
handful of delegates showed up.
Hamilton & Madison planned another
Convention in Philadelphia for the
next summer. Shays Rebellion and the
promise of Washington’s attendance
improved the chances of this
convention being successful in
strengthening the Articles enough to
control foreign commerce and impose
taxes.

Nationalists were able win
passage of a congressional
resolution calling for the
REVISION of the Articles of
Confederation… But the first
thing to happen at the
Philadelphia convention was the
appointment of Washington as
chairman and to vote for a
“closed door” policy so that
everything discussed in the
convention was to be kept secret,
to forestall popular opposition.
The next thing to happen was the
presentation of the VIRGINIA
Plan, (Written by James
Madison) which completely
threw out the articles.
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Madison proposed a bicameral legislature with both
houses being elected by the popular vote… this took
away a lot of power from state governments but gave
a voting advantage to the more populous states such
as Massachusetts, New York & Virginia .
Small States opposed this idea and William Paterson
proposed an alternative called the NEW JERSEY Plan
which had a unicameral legislature giving each state
one vote.
Finally a solution was proposed
by Roger Sherman called the
GREAT COMPROMISE aka The
CONNECTICUT Compromise
which changed the Virginia
plan so that 1 house, the Senate
represented the States with two
votes each, and the lower
House would represent the
people by population…. The
compromise barely passed.
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The other issue that created much strife in the convention
was Slavery. Some, like Gouverneur Morris ,wanted to
abolish slavery. But the Southern States threatened to
leave the convention if any laws restricted slavery.
Slavery was in the constitution 3 times but never
mentioned by name.
 Art 1 sec 2 3/5s compromise 3/5s of slaves counted for purposes
of Representation and Taxation
 Art 1 sec 9 Importation of slaves shall not be prohibited prior to
1808 (20 years)
 Art 4 sec 3 Slaves escaping from one state to another (even free
states) shall be returned to their master

By September 17, 1787 the Constitution was
ready to present to the country: it would give
the national government broad powers over
taxation, military defense, interstate commerce
and external commerce (trade). But before it
could go into effect it had to be ratified by 9 of
the 13 states, ( a departure from the Articles
which required 13 of 13 states to ratify
changes).

In the Federalist Papers #10 Madison
Maintained that the Constitutional
Government, BECAUSE OF ITS EXTENSIVE
SIZE, prevent factions from becoming
dominant and tyrannical.
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To Persuade Massachusetts , Virginia & New
York to ratify the Constitution, Leading
Federalist promised that a BILL OF RIGHTS
would be added to the constitution….
Madison created the Bill of Rights in the first
congress as the first ten amendments to the
constitution.
Washington is elected the first president
George Washington created a Cabinet …
advisors in charge of a bureaucracy under the
Presidents control…. Thomas Jefferson
secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton
Secretary of Treasury , & Henry Knox Secretary
of War

Hamilton wanted the Federal Government to
Assume the State’s debts because he thought it
would help unify the states and because it
would build support for the federal
government… Jefferson thought the States
should pay their own debt but they
compromised… Hamilton got the Debt
assumption & Jefferson got the Capital Moved
to the South (Washington DC)
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Hamilton wanted to build a national bank that
would help the federal government’s finances
and help control state banks… He Justified this
under the Elastic Clause (Art 1 sec 8)
Jefferson Thought that this was not necessary
or Proper and that this power should remain
with the States. He indicated the 10th
Amendment States Rights as his constitutional
Authority… George Washington Agreed with
Hamilton and his constitutional argument and
Signed it into law.
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Jefferson Believed in a great Agrarian society
created by the sweat of hard working and
prosperous farmers. Farms spreading across
the Western territories.
Hamilton envisioned a great self sufficient
Industrial America.
Jefferson Supported the French Revolution
Saying a little blood shed every now and then
is good for democracy.
Hamilton feared the French Revolution and
modeled his ideas on the English.


The War between Britain and
France was an economic boom
for The U.S. because both sides
bought supplies and this
helped the American economy
rebound from the previous two
decades.
While many Wealthy
Americans were aghast at the
Bloodshed of the Revolution,
Many others, primarily
Artisans, praised the
egalitarianism of the French
Republicans and founded clubs

In 1794 , treasury sec.
Hamilton implemented an
excise tax on Spirits (alcohol,
primarily whiskey)… This
hurt Farmers in the Western
parts of Pennsylvania,
Kentucky & Tennessee
because these farms had no
way of getting their corn to
market before spoilage, many
turned their corn into whiskey
which traveled much better
and sold at a higher price. The
tax raised the price and cut
demand, so Farmers rebelled
against tax collectors, and
carried the French slogan, “
liberty, Equality, & Fraternity”
But President Washington
raised an army , squelched the
Whiskey Rebellion, and
deterred future secessionists
movements in the frontier.

Britain is boarding American
merchant ships and confiscating
“French goods” . There are other
unresolved issues from the
Revolution. John Jay is sent to
England to negotiate a treaty.
(Alexander Hamilton Informs the British what
the U.S. Main goals are, thus undercutting Jays
bargaining chips… Jefferson does the same
thing with the French) In the end the
British are required to withdraw
from forts in the TransAppalachian West and end aid to
native tribes in the region, But the
British maintain the authority to
board American Ships and
confiscate French property. The
U.S. agrees to full payment of all
prewar debts to British merchants
The treaty barely passes.

Parties were firmly formed by
1796 election With John Adams
winning under the Federalist
party and Jefferson running as
the Democratic Republican.
Because Jefferson came in 2nd he
became Vice President. Adams
continued Hamilton’s pro British
policies and became irate when
the French Navy seized
American Ships, French Agents
“XY&Z” solicited a bribe to stop
French Seizures and in response
congress cut off trade with
France and authorized Privateers
to seize French Ships.

The undeclared war against
France provoked domestic
protest, especially among
Irish Immigrants. The
Federalist Congress reacted
harshly. To Silence critics the
administration enacted the
Naturalization act, which
increased the residency
requirement from 5 to 14
years, The Alien Acts which
authorized the deportation of
unwanted foreigners, & the
Sedition Act which outlawed
the publication of malicious
attacks on the President or
congress.

In the election of 1800 the Federalists
had chosen John Adams and Thomas
Pinckney Again and the Republicans
had Chosen Thomas Jefferson and
Aaron Burr again, the Alien &
Sedition acts had apparently hurt the
Federalist position and Jefferson and
Aaron Burr won… but the
Constitution did not provide for
political parties and because
Democratic Republicans voted
equally for Jefferson and his Running
mate there was a tie between Aaron
Burr and Jefferson. A tie goes to the
House of Representatives which was
still Federalist dominated. Aaron
Burr decided to keep silent and
hoped that the Federalists would
make a deal to make him president.
The House voted more than 30 times,
When Alexander Hamilton told
Federalists to vote for Jefferson
because he had more integrity than
Burr… Rather than vote for Jefferson,
several Federalists abstained from
voting, allowing Jefferson the
Presidency.

Hamilton was successful
in unseating him. The 2nd
time was in 1801 when
Burr tied with Jefferson
and Hamilton Published
nasty remarks about Burr
in order to convince
House Federalist not to
vote for Burr. The 3rd
time Burr was Running
for Governor of New
York in 1804 and
Hamilton Accused Burr
of being a part of a New
England Conspiracy to
secede New York and
New England from the
Union thus spoiling his
chances for
Governorship. Burr
could take it no more and
Challenged Hamilton to a
Duel. Hamilton was Shot
in the duel and died the
next day.
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This Power point Addresses almost every
question on the test…. There are some
Questions on the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights not included… be aware.