Ch. 6: A More Perfect Union 1775-1789 American History (CHA3U1) 4/22/2019

Introduction state and national gov’ts established under the Articles of Confederation, but new national gov’t weak Strong central authority needed to keep the republic intact  Constitution created 4/22/2019

Constitution Signing 4/22/2019

Sec. 1: Gov’t in Transition New state gov’ts  bicameral (two house legislatures) similar to colonial gov’t Distrust of strong executive power made state governors weak with only 1 yr terms and no veto powers Citizenship Restrictions  only white male property owners could vote George Washington 4/22/2019

Sec. 1: Gov’t in Transition Religious Freedom  Southern colonies disestablished Church Of England but New England still gave tax support to Congregational Church States still discriminated based on gender, race, religion & economic standing, but trial by jury & freedom of the press existed 4/22/2019

The Articles of Confederation 1777  Congress completed A of C 1781  A of C ratified after 4 yrs of dispute over western land claims by Virginia when British General Cornwallis’s army moved towards Virginia 4/22/2019

Sec. 2: The Confederation National Gov’t Ineffective  power to tax & regulate trade denied No executive branch to carry out laws & no federal courts to interpret laws No money or real power over states left the Confederation Congress too weak to govern properly 4/22/2019

Foreign Relations Treaty Violations  British and Americans did not carry out the terms of the Treaty of Paris 1783 with the British not abandoning their northern forts American Trade Suffers  American ships were banned from the West Indies and only allowed into English ports with the products of their home states 4/22/2019

Foreign Relations Trouble with Spain  Spanish unhappy with the Treaty of Paris 1783 that gave the Americans all the land to the Mississippi R Spain controlled New Orleans & refused to follow the Treaty of Paris boundary inciting Natives to attack American settlers in the disputed areas 4/22/2019

Foreign Relations Strained Relations with France  French gov’t disappointed that there wasn’t more trade with America after the high cost of helping America against the British Barbary Pirates  unprotected by the British, North African states captured American ships that didn’t pay a tribute 4/22/2019

Barbary Pirates 4/22/2019

Settling the West “The West” was the next area of settlement Late 1700s area of settlement just west of the Appalachian Mts Congress (National Gov’t) could not meet the needs of settlers (protection from Natives, Spanish control of Miss. R.) 4/22/2019

Native Attacks 4/22/2019

Settling the West Talk of Secession  G. Washington made trip to Tennessee & Kentucky  observed that they could withdraw from the Union Land Ordinance of 1785  more orderly method for settling public land north of the Ohio River i.e. surveys, townships 4/22/2019

Settling the West The Northwest Ordinance of 1787  region bounded by the Ohio R., Great Lakes, Miss. R. divided into 3 territories  whenever 5000 adult male citizens settled in a territory they could set up a territorial gov’t like a British colony, but no slavery Same rights as original 13 colonies Territory  60,000 people  statehood 4/22/2019

State Disputes Boundary and Tax Disputes  Vermont claimed by NY, NH, MA Penn & Conn almost went to war States taxed each others products Each state had their own currency 4/22/2019

Shay’s Rebellion Daniel Shay led a farmers rebellion in Mass against the state gov’t because farmers were losing their farms to debt Rebellion caused great alarm among those who believed in orderly gov’t Showed need for strong central gov’t 4/22/2019

Shay’s Rebellion 4/22/2019

Sec. 3: Toward a New Constitution The Philadelphia Convention  May 24, 1787  12 of the 13 states sent 55 delegates (e.g. Washington, Franklin, Madison) to work out a plan for a stronger central gov’t 4/22/2019

The Virginia Plan The Virginia Plan  James Madison from Virginia the first delegate to arrive  came with a draft of a new framework of gov’t Constitution of the United States would be based on Madison’s Virginia Plan 4/22/2019

Conflicting Plans Representation – dispute between large and small states  Great Compromise – lower house rep. based on pop. & upper house rep. equal for all states Economic Interests  North / South “three-fifths compromise” for rep & taxes 4/22/2019

Ratification Struggle September 17, 1787 39 of the original 55 delegates signed new Constitution 11 of the 13 states would ratify the Constitution (July 1788) Votes were close as many Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution fearing it gave too much power to the Federal gov’t 4/22/2019

Conclusion Constitution would provide an excellent guide for the federal gov’t and allow America to prosper with a strong, but accountable federal gov’t 4/22/2019