Unit 4 Part 1 (ch. 3 lesson 3) Building Strong State & National Governments 8-2.6, 8-3.1, 8-3.2

LOWCOUNTRY VS UPCOUNTRY Explain the tensions between the Upcountry and the Lowcountry of South Carolina, including their economic struggles after the Revolutionary War, their disagreement over representation in the General Assembly, the location of the new capital, and the transformation of the state’s economy.

Lowcountry vs Upcountry Upcountry Traders & woodsmen Viewed by the Lowcountry as Uncivilized Many of the Upcountry folk were subsistence farmers who didn’t own slaves Most worked their farms themselves since they did not have large plantations. Lowcountry The Lowcountry included Charleston and the Atlantic coast of the state. The Lowcountry was the first area settled in the state Plantation owners in the area grew rich from rice and indigo. The Lowcountry was dominated by planter elite Their economic well-being and social status depended on their slave holdings and large plantations. Both groups were impacted by the Revolutionary War as was their relationship as Lowcountry Patriots fought backcountry Loyalists. After the Revolution, the Backcountry would be called the Upcountry.

Political Issues Between Lowcountry & Upcountry Political representation was a major source of tension. – Although there was a larger white population living in the Upcountry, most of the political power rested in the Lowcountry. Lowcountry planters resisted giving the Upcountry equal representation because they feared the Upcountry farmers didn’t support slavery. After the invention of the cotton gin made cotton a cash crop in the Upcountry they needed more slave labor. As the numbers of slaves in the Upcountry increased, the willingness of the Lowcountry to share power increased as well. In the compromise of 1808 representation was to be based equally on the white population and the amount of taxable property (including slaves). Great Stories pp – Those areas that had the most slaves continued to have the most control over the legislature. Since both the Lowcountry and the Upcountry had more equal amounts of slaves, they also now had more equal amounts of political power.

S.C.’s Capital Moves Also, Charleston was the capital of S.C. and legal business was transacted there allowing the Charleston to have a greater governmental influence. Upcountry people objected to having to travel so far to do business in the capital so in 1785, counties and county courts were created. In 1786 the S.C. capital was moved to Columbia, which was in the center of the state and equally accessible to the Upcountry and the Lowcountry Just as the national capital was moved to the more central location at the District of Columbia These measures helped ease, but did not eliminate, political tensions between the Upcountry and the Lowcountry (Read Great Stories pp )

Colonial Charleston Seibels House c 1796: Oldest in Columbia Drayton Hall c Oldest Plantation open to the public in the country

Economic Issues Both groups suffered economically as a result of the war. During the war years, fighting ravaged the countryside and slaves, livestock, and goods were taken by the British. Also, poor crop yields made it even more difficult to recover economically. Difficulties would continue until the early 1800s when cotton became a new cash crop. These tensions continued after the Revolutionary War ended because the economy was slow to improve.

Economic Suffering Mercantilism and economic protection with England while S.C. was a colony went away as S.C. became part of an independent U.S. The planters had a lot of debt in England which they could not pay back. The new U.S. & state governments were unable to pay farmers for the goods they lost during the war.

S.C.’S NEW GOVERNMENT & THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Explain the role of South Carolinians in the establishment of their new state government and the national government after the American Revolution.

The General Meeting Creates The Provincial Congress S.C. formed its own government before the Revolution began. The General Meeting elected a Committee of 99, merchants, artisans and planters, to be the government during the war. Most of the residents of the city obeyed the Committee of 99. November 1774, the General Meeting called for the election of delegates to a Provincial Congress. The Lowcountry had the most representation. What did The Provincial Congress do? – They raised an army – Issued currency – Created a committee to enforce nonimportation – Commissioned the writing of a constitution that would eventually be approved as the Articles of Confederation.

Backcountry is Unhappy Not everyone in S.C. was happy with the new government, especially the people of the backcountry. To make peace, the provincial government sent a delegation to the backcountry In The Treaty of Ninety Six, the backcountry agreed that they would remain neutral in the fight with Great Britain. Later the Provincial Congress sent a force to defeat the loyalist militia from the backcountry.

The S.C. Constitution Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, S.C. adopted its first constitution, which established an independent state government. It was written by the provincial government and was the S.C. government until the issues with England were solved. The S.C. constitution had a two house legislature. – The lower house was elected by the people – The upper house elected by the lower house. – The president, who was elected by the legislature, had the right to veto laws. Lowcountry representation > Backcountry representation A second constitution was written after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and it changed a few things. – The president of S.C. would be called the governor – The Backcoutry got a little more representation – The Church of England was no longer the official church of S.C.

S.C. & The National Government The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. S.C. was the only one of the thirteen states to fully meet its financial obligation to the Continental Congress. Henry Laurens, from S.C. served as president of the C.C. and later on the committee that negotiated the Treaty of Paris for the government under the Articles of Confederation.

Henry Laurens

The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation was created after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and were fully ratified in This was the national government during and immediately after the war. S.C. ratified the Articles quickly, other states didn’t until a compromise was reached over the ownership of western lands which eventually were controlled by the Confederation The government under the Articles of Confederation was modeled on the Continental Congress with one vote for each state. The Articles were effective during the war when all of the states had a common goal

Issues with the Articles of Confederation The Confederation was less effective once the war ended Disagreements over trade, currency, and taxes proved that the Confederation government couldn’t meet the needs of all of the states. South Carolinian Charles Pinckney was an early advocate for a stronger national government. Pinckney recommended changes that would strengthen the Articles of Confederation and he also tried to persuade other states to pay their debts to the national government. When a backcountry rebellion in Massachusetts [Shay’s] raised the fear of an uprising, other states called for a meeting in Philadelphia to change the Articles and strengthen the national government.

Ticket Out the Door! Directions: Write your name and core at the top of the sticky note. Then answer the following two questions, numbering each answer. Place sticky note on the board as you go out the door. Good luck! 1.Give two reasons why the Articles of Confederation were to weak and had to be replaced. 2.What document eventually became the government of the United States?

S.C.’S ROLE IN THE NEW NATIONAL GOVERNMENT Explain the role of South Carolina and its leaders in the Constitutional Convention, including their support of the Three-Fifths Compromise and the Commerce Compromise as well as the division among South Carolinians over the ratification of the Constitution.

SC’s Role in the Constitution South Carolinians played a role in the writing of the Constitution in The Philadelphia Convention was called to solve the problems of the government under the Articles of Confederation. Delegates from S.C. took positions on all of the subjects that were debated. South Carolina’s delegates to the Constitutional Convention most likely would have wanted to representation in the new government to be determined by the population and wealth of the state.

Issue 1: Amending the Articles or writing a new constitution? S.C.’s Position: the S.C. supported the establishment of a stronger national government in a new constitution Did it happen? Yes!

Issue 2: How should the government be organized? S.C.’s Position: S.C. supported the creation of a 3 branch government with a legislature, judiciary, and executive [The Virginia Plan]. This allows for checks & balances which means one branch can’t become more powerful than the other branches. Did it happen? Yes! 98CbbMk 98CbbMk

Issue 3: How was representation to be determined in the new legislature? S.C.’s Position: S.C. supported the plan that based representation on population supported by large states [The Virginia Plan] rather than the plan that called for equal representation of the states that was supported by the smaller states [New Jersey Plan]. This would give South Carolina and other populous states more voice in the new government. Did it happen? No!

Issue 4: What about The Great Compromise? S.C.’s Position: S.C. supported the Great Compromise [Connecticut Compromise] that provided for equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. This is our current system for the Legislative Branch of government. Did it happen? Yes!

Issue 5: Should slaves be counted in the population to determine how many representatives are allowed in The House of Representatives? S.C.’s Position: S.C., as a slaveholding state, wanted slaves to be counted. Northern states, many of which were emancipating (freeing) their slaves in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, did not. Did it happen? Kind of! (3/5 Compromise)

Issue 6: How did S.C. feel about the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as 3/5 of a person instead of a full person and resolved Issue 5? S.C.’s Position: South Carolina did not support the Three- Fifths Compromise. Did it happen? Yes!

Issue 7: Would a stronger national government attempt to regulate trade? S.C.’s Position: South Carolina delegates were concerned about this issue. They objected to any regulation of exports since S.C. exported its cash crops and they feared any control of the international slave trade through a tax on imports. A compromise was reached that promised that the federal government would not tax exports or attempt to regulate the international slave trade for at least 20 years. This agreement is known as the Commerce Compromise.

Issue 8: How strong should the president be? S.C.’s Position: S.C. supported a strong executive with a term of six or seven years, rather than the 4 year term included in the final document.

Issue 9: Who should be able to run for office? S.C.’s Position: As representatives of the elite, S.C. advocated an aristocratic republic in which only property owners could hold office. Did it happen? No!

Issue 10: Were the S.C. delegates happy with the U.S. Constitution? S.C.’s Position: Yes. Although S.C. delegates did not get everything they wanted in the Constitution, they were satisfied with the new document and returned to South Carolina to lobby for its ratification. 0g 0g

Federalists vs Anti-Federalists Federalists Alexander Hamilton In S.C. they were from the Lowcountry elite (such as Charles Pinckney) Wanted a strong government that could be influential in foreign affairs and establish better trade relations to restore economic stability. The Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution b/c the Anti-Federalists were upset that the Constitution got passed. This was done by the First Congress. Anti-Federalists Thomas Jefferson In S.C. they were from the Upcountry Opposed a stronger federal government Felt they had enough trouble influencing their own state government They feared that the elite would have too much power and abuse the rights of the individual Wanted a Bill of Rights added They worried that the national government would be located to far away for many people

The anti-Federalists were outvoted and South Carolina ratified the Constitution, thus making it the 8th state to join the United States of America.

1. The Americans won the Revolutionary War, but what challenges did they have to deal with after the war ended? (page 99) Governments and individuals had large debts. Farmland, plantations, businesses, and industries had been destroyed. The new national government was weak and ineffectual.

2. Why didn't American leaders create a stronger central government? (99-100) Americans were afraid of creating a new version of Britain’s strong central government, so they deliberately went in the other direction, giving more power to the states.

3. Name the powers the Articles of Confederation granted to Congress and explain why these powers weren't very effective. (100) Congress was given the power to make and borrow money, sign treaties with the Indians, appoint military officers, and create a postal system. However, Congress did not have the power to tax the states or supervise trade. Without tax money, the national government couldn’t pay soldiers or buy supplies for the army. Another problem was that each state had only one vote, and 9 out of 13 votes were required to make decisions. A unanimous vote was necessary to change the Articles of Confederation. The new national government wasn’t able to provide needed services, manage interstate relations, or deal with other countries in a powerful way.

4. If you were creating a brand new nation, how would you set up the government? Why? (99-100) Answers will vary. Share yours.

5. What problems did state government leaders in South Carolina face, and how did they handle them? (page 100) South Carolinians struggled with debts, and there was concern about what to do with the Loyalists and British merchants who remained in Charles Town. The government of South Carolina incorporated Charles Town, making it self governing. The people there set up a city council and renamed the city Charleston. After two years, the remaining Loyalists were asked to leave. The state government printed $6.9 million in paper money and offered loans to help with the debt situation. In addition, they arranged for debtors to be able to pay their debts in land or put off paying. The state government moved the capital from Charleston to Columbia, which was more centrally located and therefore more representative of the entire state.

6. What events helped state leaders in the new nation recognize that a stronger central government was needed? (pages ) The British government kept their forts in the Ohio River Valley, violating the Treaty of Paris. The Spanish began barring American boats from traveling up the Mississippi River. Both the British and the Spanish were apparently stirring up Indians to attack American settlements. When the local government in western Massachusetts seized farms and imprisoned some indebted farmers, a group of 1,200 farmers stormed the courthouse and attacked a state arsenal, causing the leaders of other states to worry about similar acts of lawlessness. Trade between states was another problem.

#7. At the Constitutional Convention, what was the difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan? What was finally adopted, and why? (page 103) Both plans were about state representation in national government. The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature with representation in both houses determined by state population. Naturally, the larger states liked this plan. The smaller states preferred the New Jersey Plan, which called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation from each state. The "Great Compromise" was the Connecticut Plan which blended the two approaches to create today's Congress - a bicameral house with representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation for each state in the senate.

#8 What role did South Carolina delegates play in the Constitutional Convention? (page 104) South Carolina delegate John Rutledge was chairman of the Committee of Detail and helped draft the first version of the Constitution. Charles Pinckney - nephew of Eliza Lucas of indigo fame - was very outspoken during the convention. He proposed his own plan, which included certain points that were added to the final Constitution. His cousin Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (Eliza's son) served on two committees that negotiated key compromises. South Carolinian Pierce Butler argued for a fugitive slave cause to be included in the Constitution.

#9 Describe two compromises and a clause regarding slavery that were added to the Constitution. Why did Southern delegates push for these items to be included in the new government? (pages ) Many delegates wanted to end slave trade, but delegates from South Carolina, Georgia, and other Southern states objected. The decision was made to allow the Atlantic slave trade to continue for another 20 years. Another question had to do with whether slaves could be counted as part of the population of a state for determining political representation. The 3/5ths Compromise said that each slave could be counted as three-fifths of a person. Finally, the fugitive slave clause was added to the Constitution. It said that slaves must be returned to their masters even if they had escaped to free states. These issues were very important to delegates from the South, who wanted to preserve the institution of slavery.

#10 Why do you think the other delegates agreed to include the compromises and the clause that supported slavery? (pages ) Answers will vary, but students should recognize that delegates from the northern states wanted to get an effective national government up and running. They knew that if they pushed too hard on the slavery issue, southern delegates would refuse to support the new Constitution.

#11 What is the purpose of having three branches of government with a system of checks and balances? (page 106) The Founding Fathers were afraid that a single branch of government would grow too powerful, like the British king. By dividing the power of the national government into three branches, no one branch could become too powerful. The system of checks and balances give each branch of the government ways to keep the other two branches from abusing their power.

#12 Why wasn't the Constitution adopted immediately after the convention, and what finally helped is achieve ratification? (page 107) Nine of the thirteen states had to vote on it. Not everyone wanted the new Constitution, though. Two groups argued about it throughout the new country. Those who wanted the Constitution were called the Federalists, and those who did not want it were called the Anti-Federalists. The Constitution was ratified (approved) after Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights.