Chapter 6 Constitution and the New Republic
Review The Articles had flaws: – Weak executive branch – No taxing power – No regulation of interstate commerce – Lack of universal monetary system FAIL
Question Which of the following would most likely support the Articles of Confederation? a.Former members of the Continental Army b.Those who feared ‘big government’ c.Those who were bankers and merchants d.Individuals who feared unregulated government
Conventions Virginia (1785): 4 reps (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania) Annapolis, Maryland (1786): 5 states represented Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1787): 12 states represented; not RI
Prompt “Americans in the 1780s generally distrusted the government and feared the officials would seize every opportunity to abuse their powers.” WHY?
Amending the Articles Representation – Based on population – Connecticut Plan (Great Compromise): calls for a bicameral Congress Two houses
Amending the Articles Commerce (trade) – Commercial Compromise: Congress will regulate interstate and foreign trade; tax imports, prohibits taxes on exports
Amending the Articles Presidential Power – Veto: override Congress on law proposal – 4 year term TRIVIA: What president caused Congress to set a term limit? – Electoral College: 538 voters; must have at least 270 to win an election While watching the video, figure out: 1.How many electoral votes does a state receive? 2.Whose vote does the college represent?
Amending the Articles Slavery – Three-Fifths Compromise: counted 3/5 of the slave population for representation purposes; it also played an important role in state taxes
Federalists/ Anti-Federalists Ratification was opposed by the anti- federalists – FEDERALIST=wants strong central gov’t – ANTI FEDERALIST=doesn’t want strong central gov’t Notable Anti- Federalist: Patrick Henry Notable Federalist: George Washinton, Ben Franklin James Madison & Alexander Hamilton
Federalist Papers and Ratification Propaganda – James Madison, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton Ratification – DE, NJ, PN (1 st to accept) – Bill of Rights was a “key factor” for many states to join: NH, VA, NY
Bill of Rights Drafted by James Madison; first 10 amendment to the Constitution (1789) Q: Which of the following freedoms is not guaranteed in the 1 st amendment? a.Speech b.Protest c.Petition d.Privacy e.Assembly
1 st President April 30, 1789: Washington takes oath Not truly our “first president”: John Hansen (1782), Elias Boudinot (1783), Thomas Mifflin (1784), Richard Henry Lee (1785), Nathan Gorman (1786), Arthur St. Clair (1787), and Cyrus Griffin (1788)
Federal Court Congress has the power to create federal courts with lesser powers “Supreme Court Justices” are appointed by the President Initially there were “5 associate justices; 1 supreme justice” – Congress added justices to correspond with the growing number of judicial circuits (lesser courts): seven in 1807and nine in 1837
Financial Stability Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, instated a financial program: 1.Pay off national debt 2.Impose high tariffs on imported goods to create more revenue for the nation 3.National bank to print money *Although the Constitution did not grant Congress the power to create a national bank, Hamilton decided that a bank was “necessary and proper.”
Which of the following was heavily taxed when imported to the colonies? a.Lumber b.Produce c.Textiles d.Silk e.Whiskey
The Federalist Party was identified with all of the following EXCEPT: a.Powerful central government b.Necessity of organization of government c.Creating state governments under the federal government d.Allowing states to create some individual provisions e.Allowing states to determine tax rates
Which member of Washington’s cabinet created the financial and economic plan adopted by the first administration? a.Madison b.Jefferson c.Hamilton d.Adams e.Monroe