A Framework for Government

A New Nation After declaring independence, the big challenge faced by the Second Continental Congress was to establish a central government. In 1777, delegates wrote the Articles of Confederation.

Articles of Confederation 1 st Constitution of the United States The articles established a “firm league of friendship” between the states & created a Congress with each state having one vote. The Articles gave the new national gov’t the power to declare war, make peace, & sign treaties.

Problems with the Articles of Confederation It created no separate executive department to carry out & enforce the acts of Congress, no power given to Congress to raise an army, & no national court system to interpret the meaning of laws. By 1787, it was clear that the Articles of Confederation were not strong enough to govern the new nation.

Tough times in the new nation America now extended to the MS River, with claims for land between the Appalachians & the MS River made by several states. Moreover, America was in debt, with no ability to resolve its financial woes.  The federal government could ask for money from the states, but could not tax. Also, the issue of slavery divided the states.

Tough times lead to…. Times were hard for America’s farmers— many were unable to sell their goods & pay the heavy taxes states levied against their land to pay each state’s war debt. Many farmers landed in jail—their lands seized by the states to pay their debts. Many farmers viewed the actions of the gov’t as a new form of tyranny.

Shay’s Rebellion In January 1787, Daniel Shays, along with some 1,000 farmers, attempted to storm the federal arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts (MA).  He was a war veteran, carried lots of debt, & he felt he was the victim of too much taxation. To some, the rebellion showed the government was too weak to govern the new nation.

Constitutional Convention Delegates met in Philadelphia in  1/2 of the delegates served in the Continental Congress & 1/3 had served in the war. Disagreements over representation led to multiple plans proposed (Virginia, New Jersey) and multiple compromises (3/5 and Great)

Key Features of the Constitution The Great Compromise  2 Houses (bicameral legislature): House of Representatives (based on population) Senate (equal representation) Three-Fifths Compromise  3 of every 5 slaves were counted for both representation and tax purposes

Ratification Nine out of 13 states had to approve the Constitution—this occurred in 1789 Federalists: supporters of the Constitution (Alexander Hamilton, James Madison) Anti-Federalists: wanted to add a Bill of Rights to protect individual states’ rights (Thomas Jefferson) The Federalist:  collection of 85 essays that summarized the arguments for immediate ratification  written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay

Bill of Rights The first 10 amendments to the Constitution were added in 1791 The amendments protected individual rights  Examples: Freedom of speech Right to bear arms Right to a trial by jury

The New Constitution Called For… Federalism: power divided between federal (national) government and the states  The Constitution would be the Supreme Law of the Land Popular Sovereignty: rule by the people Separation of Powers: power divided among 3 branches of government  Executive  Judicial  Legislative

It Also Called For… Checks and Balances: each branch of government has the ability to limit the power of the other branches to prevent them from becoming too powerful

George Washington Elected as 1 st President of the United States Task = take the words of the Constitution and turn them into an effective U.S. government Needed a cabinet to help with Presidential responsibilities  Thomas Jefferson: Sec. of State  Alexander Hamilton: Treasury Department  Henry Knox: Sec. of War

Financing the Government Tariff of 1789: required importers to pay a percentage of the value of their cargo when they landed it in the U.S Sold Bonds to pay for Revolutionary War  paper notes promising to repay money after a certain length of time with interest Alexander Hamilton proposed the creation of a national bank so Congress could manage its debts and issue paper money Bank of the United States established in 1791 for a 20 year period

The Whiskey Rebellion In 1791, Hamilton urged Congress to pass a tax on the manufacture of whiskey The tax enraged farmers who often used whiskey to pay their debts In 1794, rebellion erupted in western Pennsylvania Farmers terrorized tax collectors, stopped court proceedings, robbed the mail and destroyed whiskey distilleries

The Whiskey Rebellion cont. In August 1794, President Washington sent 15,000 troops to crush the Whiskey Rebellion Significance: showed the power of the Federal government and the strength of Washington’s presidency

Washington’s Foreign Policy Shortly after Washington’s inauguration, French Revolution began in France War spread to Great Britain, who fought against the French Americans were divided over how to react, but Washington stated that the United States would remain “friendly” and “impartial” towards both powers = NON-INTERVENTION

Rise of Political Parties Federalists - Led by Alexander Hamilton - Favored strong national government - Loose interpretation of the Constitution - Wanted to put power in hands of the wealthy Democratic- Republicans - Led by Thomas Jefferson - Favored strong state governments - Strict interpretation of the Constitution - Power should be given to all landowners, regardless of wealth

Practice Question 1. What did the Whiskey Rebellion show about George Washington? a. He lacked the ability to forge foreign alliances b. He was a strong president who was willing to use federal troops when necessary c. He could not efficiently govern a nation because he was not well-respected d. He strongly believed that political parties should govern the nation

Practice Question 2. The three-fifths compromise sought to prevent a. States with high slave populations from dominating the House of Representatives b. The Senate from becoming too powerful within the bicameral system c. The Constitution from ultimately being ratified d. Antifederalists from winning the debate over federalism

Practice Question 3. Limited government, a system of checks and balances, a separation of the powers in government, and government based on the will of the people, form the foundation for a. Northwest Ordinance b. United States Constitution c. Articles of Confederation d. Declaration of Independence