new the pursuit of equality--...

The Pursuit of Equality--background

Constitution Making in the States

Economic Crosscurrents

A Shaky Start Toward Union

Creating a Confederation--background

Second Continental Congress

13 sovereign states

Committee to create constitution

Need to ratify treaty with France

Articles of Confederation—1777

Western Lands

States ceded new land to central

government

New states would have = rights

Creating a Confederation—westward land

The Articles of Confederation: America’s First Constitution

Firm league of friendship

No executive branch

Unanimous ratification & amendment process

No power to regulate commerce

No power to enforce taxation

Significant step towards The Constitution

Landmarks in Land Laws

Land Ordinance of 1785

Old northwest sold to pay national debts

Divided into townships 6 miles square

Thirty-six sections (1 sq. mile each)

16th section—sold for public school

Orderly settlement in northwest

Landmarks in Land Laws

Northwest Ordinance--1787 New territories added in stages

1st--area subordinate to federal government, then…

60,000 people—it became state

Same rights as older states

Forbade slavery in Northwest territory

The World’s Ugly Duckling

The World’s Ugly Duckling

Britain No diplomatic minister to U.S. Navigation Laws Frontier trading posts & fur

trade Closed West Indies for trade

Spain Controlled mouth of

Mississippi Closed river to U.S. commerce

Claimed large area north of Gulf of Mexico (including Florida granted to U.S. by British)

Antagonized resentful Indians

France Demanded repayment

for war loans Restricted trade with

West Indies Pirates

Pey of Algiers Enslaved Yankee

Sailors U.S. too weak to fight

to poor to bribe

Or the world is just a mean ole’

bully!!!

The Horrid Specter of Anarchy

Shays’ Rebellion 1786 MA—backcountry farmers in debt

Wanted: lighten taxes, print paper $, suspend property takeovers

Several small skirmishes Shay’s followers crushed MA did pass debtor-relief laws

The fear of mobocracy & democratic despotism

Stronger confederation needed

And now for some entertainment…

And now for something less entertaining but

actually about the Constitutional Convention…

A Convention of “Demigods”

Patriots in Philadelphia

Notable: George Washington, James Madison (“Father of Constitution), Alexander Hamilton

Missing: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, John Hancock

Delegates

Conservative, wealthy, educated, young, experienced, & nationalists

Hammering Out a Bundle of Compromises

• “Large-state plan”

• Bi-cameral (two

houses)

• Based on population

• Large states

advantage

Virginia Plan

• Small state

plan

• Unicameral

• Equal

representation

New Jersey Plan


The Great Compromise Bicameral (two houses)

Upper House (Senate) —equal representation

Lower House (House of Representatives)—based on population

Tax & revenue bills must originate in the house


Sectional jealousy

South—wanted slaves to count for representation, but not taxation

North—wanted slaves to count for taxation, but not for representation

3/5 Compromise

Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation & representation

International slave trade would end in 1807

Safeguards

•Executive•Legislative• Judicial

3 Branches

of

Government

Safeguards

• Veto power

• Appoint judgeships

• Wage War

• Indirect election

• Electoral College

Executive

How on earth does that Electoral College Work?

Safeguards

• Write law

• House elected

directly

• Senate elected

indirectly through

state legislatures

• Power to declare war

Legislative

Safeguards

• Least developed

branch in the

constitution

• Federal judges

appointed for life

by executive

Judicial

Safeguards

How a Bill Becomes a Law

Clash of Federalists & Anti-Federalists

Ratification

new the pursuit of equality--...

Documents