Unit 4A Table of Contents: The
Constitution
Title/Description
Page #
Notes: “The Articles of Confederation”
1-2
Articles of Confederation Handout
3
Notes: “The U.S. Constitution”
4-6
Constitutional Flipbook
7
“Our Tripartite Government” Handout
Notes: “Ratification of the Constitution”
“Ratification of the U.S. Constitution” Handout
8
9-10
11
Bill of Rights Chart
Applying the Bill of Rights
Notes: “Basic Principles of the Constitution”
15
7 Principles of Government Worksheet
16
Notes: “SC’s Constitution”
18
“The Road to Statehood”
Notes: “Lowcountry vs. Backcountry”
21
Representation Letter
12
13
14-
17-
19
2022
New Nation Notes
US Gov’t Finances Graph
Comparing and Contrasting Federalists and
Democratic-Republicans
Foreign Affairs and XYZ Affair Notes
Alien and Sedition Act Handout
XYZ Affair Cartoon
War of 1812 Notes
War of 1812 Handout
Study Guide
34
23-24
25
26
27-28
29
30
31-32
33
P: 1-2
The Articles of Confederation
• First
system of government for the United
States
• The Articles became the ruling document of
the US and its intention was to create “a
league of friendship and perpetual union.”
• Adopted on November 15, 1777
• Made up of a preamble and 13 articles
Articles of Confederation
• After
the signing of the Dec Of Ind.
• Officially
established the first
national government for the United
States
• Effective
during the war when all
states agreed (beat the King)
• Not
effective after war….
Structure
• One
branch of government: Congress, which
was responsible for making national laws
• Each state had 1 vote in Congress
• No executive branch (President)
• No judicial branch
Decision Making
•9
of the 13 states had to approve a proposal
before it could become a law
• All of the states had to agree to change an
existing law
Money and Finances
• The Articles
of Confederation could not collect
taxes
• Had to ask the individual states for money
• Allowed to print and borrow money
• Each state could regulate trade with other
states
• Each state could tax its resident
Protection
• The Articles
of Confederation managed
agreements with other countries and Native
Americans
• Could appoint military officers
• Only the states could establish militias
Problems with the Articles of
Confederation
• Disagreements over interstate trade, currency
and taxes
• Government under the articles was too weak
S.C’s Charles Pinckney
• Pushed
for a strong central government
• Recommended amendments
• Attempted to get the other states to pay their
obligations to the national government
• Meeting in Philadelphia was called to amend
the Articles and strengthen the government
Classwork/Homework
Complete the Articles of Confederation
Handout
This goes on p. 3
This goes on p.4-6
• In
1787, delegates from each state met
in Philadelphia to discuss the
problems with the Articles of
Confederation
• After much debate, they decided to
just create a brand new constitution
Topics/Key Points from the Meeting
Purpose of the Meeting
• The
delegates
had to decided
whether to edit
the Articles of
Confederation or
write a new
constitution
Thoughts from S.C.
• S.C.
was in favor
of writing a new
constitution
because they
wanted to create
a stronger federal
gov’t
Representation in
Legislation
• The
states argued
on how
representation in
the legislature
should be
distributed
• Small states wanted
equal
representation
• Larger states
Thoughts from S.C.
• SC
supported the
Virginia Plan
• The Virginia plan said
representation should
be based on
population
• SC had a large
population so, they
wanted to support this
because it would
Issue of the President
• To
keep a strong,
executive office,
the President will
serve a term of 6
or 7 years
Thoughts from S.C.
• S.C.
supported this
• They also wanted
an “aristocratic”
republic in which
only property
owners could hold
office
Trade
Regulations
• A compromise
was
reached that
promised the
federal government
would not tax
exports or attempt
to regulate the
international slave
trade for at least 20
years
Thoughts from S.C.
• They
were concerned
that the national
government might try
to regulate trade
• They were against
this because they
exported their cash
crops and they feared
any control of the
international slave
trade
The Great Compromise
• Was
created to solve
the issue of
representation
• Created
a bicameral
legislation
Senate:
Based on
equal
representation
House of
Representatives:
Based on
population
Thoughts from
S.C.
•S.C. supported this
Three Fifths Compromise
• The
question arose
during the Great
Compromise if slaves
should be counted
towards a state’s
population
• The
solution to this
question was the Three
Fifths Compromise
• Each
slave would be
counted as 3/5 of a
Thoughts from S.C.
• Did
not support the three
fifths compromise
• They
wanted their ENTIRE
SLAVE POPULATION to
count towards
representation
Establishment of a 3
Branch Gov’t
Thoughts from S.C.
• Great!
Executive
Branch
Judicial
Branch
Legislative
Branch
They
supported it
• This created a
system of checks and
balances which
means that no one
branch had too much
power
Classwork and Homework
Classwork Assignment: Complete a
flipbook on South Carolina’s perspectives
during the Constitutional Convention
Homework Assignment: Complete the
Tripartite Government Handout
This goes on p. 9-10
S.C. Ratifying Convention
• After
the Constitution was written, it was sent
to each individual state for them to vote on
whether to approve the document or not
• SC voted to ratify the Constitution
• More Federalists in SC than Anti-Federalists at
the meeting held to decide whether to approve
it or not
Federalists
• Supported
the US
Constitution
• Mostly
men from the
Lowcountry
• Wanted
a strong
federal gov’t
• Felt
that a stronger
gov’t would help w/
foreign affairs
Anti-Federalists
• Against
the
Constitution because
they feared a strong
federal gov’t
• Didn’t
want the elite to
have too much power
because they feared
that they would abuse
it
• Mostly
men from the
Backcountry who
Things You Might Need to Know
for the Test
• Henry
Laurens: President of the Continental
Congress
• Charles Pinckney: Submitted a plan during the
Constitutional Convention. Many of his ideas
(43) were used in the US Constitution
• Ex: The words Senate, House of
Representatives and President……
• Big Head! He said that he did a lot, but other
people disagree and doubt it!
•The
4 Representatives from SC
who attended the Constitutional
Convention were:
• John
Rutledge,
• Pierce Butler,
• Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
• Charles Pinckney
Classwork and Homework
Classwork: Glue the Bill of Rights Handout on p. 11.
The complete the Bill of Rights Worksheet
Homework: Complete the Ratification Handout
This goes on p. 14-15
Classwork and Homework
•Complete
the 7 Principles of the
Constitution Handout
This goes on p.17-18
What
is
a
Constitution?
Outlines the rules and
•
laws for a particular
government
• Once the colonies
decided to rebel
against Great Britain,
they needed to create
their own individual
constitutions to run
their new states
S.C.’s First Constitution
• S.C.
created their first constitution before the
Declaration of Independence was even signed
• Remember….SC was originally a royal colony.
This meant the King and one of HIS governor’s ran
the colony
• When the colonies began having trouble with
Great Britain, SC decided to create a “temporary"
constitution until the problems could be resolved
Committee
of
99
15 merchants , 15 artisans, 69 planters
•
• Government in fact not by
• Royal Governor was still
law
in S.C.
• Made the Provisional Congress
• Most representatives from low country
• Set up army
• Issued currency
• Committee to enforce non importation
• Commissioned the writing of the Articles
Confederation
of
Not everyone was a
fan…
• Backcountry was not happy with this committee
and congress
• Low country went to seek peace
• Treaty
of Ninety Six= backcountry agreed to
remain neutral in the fight with Great Britain
S.C.’s New Government/Constitution
•Lowcountry had more representation in the government than the
Backcountry
•After the DofI was written, a few changes were made to the state
constitution:
1. President would now be called a governor
2. Representation would be more equally distributed
SC Representatives
Representin’
• SC’s
representative played very important roles in the
Congress…
• Only
one of the 13 colonies to fully meet its financial
obligation to the continental congress
• Henry
Laurens (who lived right down the road at Mepkin
Plantation, now called Mepkin Abbey) was the President of
the 2nd Continental Congress.
Classwork/Homework
• Complete
the handout, “the Road to Statehood”
This goes on p. 20-21
Why they don’t get along
socially….
• There
was tension between the 2 groups during
the American Revolution. Many lowcountry
PATRIOTS were fighting against upcountry
LOYALISTS
• Lowcountry
viewed the upcountry as uncivilized
because of the type of people living there. The
lowcountry also thought they were socially better
because of their financial success
Why they don’t get along
economically…….
Lowcountry makes their money based on the plantation
•
system. Their success is dependent on slaves
• The upcountry economy is based primarily on
subsistence farming. Most farmers in the upcountry
don’t rely on slave labor
• Because the upcountry doesn’t use slave labor, it
worried the lowcountry that they wouldn’t support
slavery in the gov’t
• Lowcountry had the advantage of growing rice as a
cash crop
Why they don’t get along
politically….
• Key word here is REPRESENTATION
• The
more representation you had in SC gov’t, the
more say your area had
• The people of the lowcountry had little respect for
the upcountry. They made more money so, they felt
the power in gov’t should reside with them
• Small white population + tons of money= Control of
SC gov’t
•The
upcountry disagreed with the
lowcountry’s idea of representation in
gov’t
•They also didn’t like traveling to
Charleston for legal business
How they ended up
uniting…..
Let’s move the state capital: In order to ease
political tension between the 2 groups, the
state capital was moved to Columbia. It was
located in the middle of the state and easily
accessible for both groups
2. Let’s create counties and county courts
1.
3. Finally, lets invent the cotton gin:
Cotton gin + slave labor + Can grow cotton
anywhere= Major cash crop for the Lowcountry AND
the Upcountry
• Now
the upcountry can compete financially with the
lowcountry (more representation in gov’t)
• Lowcountry
doesn’t have to worry about the
upcountry getting rid of slave labor
• Everyone
is happy
Classwork Assignment: This goes on
p. 22
• Write
a letter to your state representatives
petitioning for more representation for either the
Upcountry or the Lowcountry. In the letter, you will
argue reasons why your area (Lowcountry or
Upcountry) should receive additional representation.
You should also include counterarguments as to why
the opposing region does not deserve more
representation.
This goes on p. 23-24
Georgie Porgie
• Once
the Constitution was ratified, George Washington was
elected as the first President of the United States.
Ol’ Ham Bone
• Alexander
Hamilton was appointed as Secretary of
the Treasury
Ol’ Hammy has a plan
• Hamilton
wanted an economic policy to strengthen
the national government.
• His
plan had 4 main parts:
1) Federal Govt. would pay the
nations war debt
• Hamilton
wanted the US Govt. to pay the US debt
left over from the Am. Rev.
• The
US had borrowed a LOT of $$ during the Am.
Rev.
• Hamilton
believed the nation should pay all the $$
back and pay it back fast.
The $$ the US owed
• US
needs $$ for Am. Rev.
• US sells bonds (says they will be paid back with
interest)
• People start thinking US is not going to pay the
bonds back
• People start selling bonds to speculators for less
than their value
• Result = US start getting “bad credit”
2) The US should pay back
the States war debt
• The
States had spent a lot of $$ on the war.
• Some
states (like SC) where lots of fighting took place had
spent more than others.
• Hamilton
wanted the US Govt. to pay the State’s war debts.
$
3) A National Bank
• Hamilton
wanted a National Bank that could issue
bank notes ($$) and collect taxes.
4) A high protective tariff
• Hamilton
wanted a high tariff (tax) on foreign
imports.
• Felt
this would encourage Americans to produce the
things they needed instead of importing them from
foreign countries.
Lets get this “Party” started!
•2
groups (parties) developed in response to
Hamilton's 4 point plan.
• The FEDERALIST led by Hamilton – these guys like
Hamilton's plan
• The
Democratic-Republicans (Republicans for short)
led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison –
these guys do not like Hamilton’s plan.
In this corner….
The Federalists led by Hamilton
Verses…
The Democratic-Republicans (Republicans)
led by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson
The Parties Continued…
• Most
Federalists were from New England however,
the Lowcountry Elite in SC tended to support the
Federalists also
• The
Upcountry of SC supported the DemocraticRepublicans
• Most
South Carolinians like the idea of the US
“assuming” the states’ war debt…remember, SC has a
bunch of debt
• Most
• They
Democratic-Republicans opposed assumption
worked out a deal….The DemocraticRepublicans agreed for the nation to “assume” state
debts and the Federalists agreed to move the US
capital to banks of Potomac River (Washington D.C.)
The National Bank
Controversy
• The
biggest controversy between parties = National
Bank
• Democratic-Republicans said the Constitution should be
interpreted strictly (exactly what is written in the
Constitution)
• Federalists said that Congress had been granted the
authority to make all laws that were necessary and
proper
• They felt a National Bank was necessary for the power
to tax and to control commerce (trade)
• Washington
sided with the Federalists and signed
into law a bill creating the First National Bank
• Democratic-Republicans
• They
opposed this
also opposed the protective tariff…..they
wanted a republic of farmers and shopkeepers (not
manufacturers)
The U.S. Government’s Finances,
1789-1791…This goes on p. 25
90
80
Total Money
Owed
($81, 497, 000)
Federal and State
Debts
$77,228,000
70
60
Total Revenue
($4,418,000)
50
40
Government
Operating
Expenses
$4,269,000
30
20
10
0
Money Owed
Revenue
This goes on p. 27-28
Foreign Policy
• French
Revolution-1789
• Democratic-Republicans
supported French
people in overthrow of their king
• Federalists did not support the French
Revolution
• When France declared war on Great Britain, the
Federalists sided with the mother country
hoping to secure more trade
Keep Me Out of This……
• Washington
• The
issued a “proclamation of neutrality”
US tried to stay out of the Napoleonic Wars
• The
new president, John Adams, sent 3 US
representatives to negotiate peace with France
• Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney was one of the
representatives
Those Sneaky French…
• US
Reps met with 3 “secret” French reps, who called
themselves, X, Y and Z
• X,
Y and Z asked the Americans for a bribe
• Charles
• He
Cotesworth Pinckney was super angry
replied, “No, no, no, not a sixpence”
• This
became known as the XYZ Affair
• The
XYZ Affair brought the political parties into even more
conflict
• The
Federalists prepared for war while the DemocraticRepublicans vilified President John Adams in their
newspapers
• Angry
at this insult, Federalists passed the Alien and
Sedition Acts designed to limit the growth of the
Democratic-Republicans and to silence their newspapers
Alien and Sedition Act
• The
act limits what you can say about the government and
allows the President the right to expel foreign citizens who
were believed to be involved in any plots against the
government
• Several
newspaper publishers were jailed including
Thomas Cooper (libraries and Clemson and USC were
named for him)
• Democratic-Republicans
called the Alien and Sedition Act
an attack on freedom of the press
• Jefferson
and Madison wrote the Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions saying that states had the right to nullify an act
of Congress if it was found unconstitutional
• Ex: Alien
• These
and Sedition Act
resolutions became a foundation of the states’ rights
doctrine (later promoted by John C. Calhoun and put into
practice in the first nullification controversy and later in
secession)
This goes on p. 31-32
Here we go again!
• The
War of 1812 was between the US and Great
Britain.
• In
a lot of ways, G.B. was acting like the Am. Rev.
had never even happened!!! Even though the British
had lost the Am. Rev….. They STILL treated the US
like THEY were in charge and could still “boss us
around”.
Nationalism
• The
sense of pride in one’s country, its people, its
institutions and government
• Patriotic
glue that holds people in a nation together
• Nationalism
was born in resistance to Great Britain during
the American Revolution
• Continued
to bring Americans closer together by violations
of the rights of American ships by both Great Britain and
France
• Pros
of Nationalism: inspires unity and helps a
diverse group of people accomplish great things
• Cons
of Nationalism: insists on fighting every nation
in which there is a quarrel
American Revolution Part 2?
• The
British began stopping American ships, seizing
cargo and forcing American soldiers into the British
navy….that is called impressment.
• In
1812, Congress declared war on Great
Britain….known as the War of 1812
War Hawks
• John
C. Calhoun-Congressman from South Carolina
• Supported
the War of 1812…..basically he wants the
US to fight Great Britain again.
A Near Disaster
• The
British captured Washington, DC in 1814 and
burned the White House and other public buildings
Nationalism Increases
• Battle
of New Orleans: General Andrew Jackson (future
President) and a ragtag American force aided by a few pirates
defeated a large, well-trained British army
• Nationalism
increased after this battle
• Many
felt that they won the second battle for American
independence
• http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=134491
• The
war was basically a draw
• A treaty
was signed but nothing was really
accomplished for either side