The Critical Period

The Good! A more egalitarian society  Many states reduced property requirements for voting  Trade organizations flourished  Inheritance laws upgraded to eliminate primogeniture  The Anglican Church was de-Anglicanized - Protestant Episcopal Church Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom by TJ outlawed the established church (Anglican) in Virginia  Slavery challenged – abolitionist movement started Large loyalists lands were taken & divided up *Economic democracy came before political democracy  Women republican motherhood – mothers would teach their kids civic virtue – democracy depended on the public to do their part

Expansion of Democracy – New State Constitutions  Continental Congress asked states to draft new Constitutions  State Constitutions increased republican virtues  Massachusetts used a special convention & the people would ratify the new constitution – became the basis for the national Constitutional  Created contracts  Outlined the governments’ powers  Authority from the people  Bill of Rights - Why?  Legislature had most of the power  Weak executive & judicial branches  Why?  State capitals move to the west is proof that what group of people started to have more political power.

Northwest Territory  Land Ordinance of 1785 – land to be sold to pay off debt  Townships of 6 sq,.miles with each to have school. It brought order to land ownership of the west.  Northwest Ordinance of 1787  Territories can b/c states with 60,000 people  No slavery!

The Bad – Economic Problems Nonimportation agreements caused manufacturing to increase before the war Still mainly agricultural No longer trading with Britain, but could trade with all other nations Inflation High debt

Foreign Affairs Great Britain should complete disdain for America – Why? No ambassador No trade with GB or its colonies in the West Indies GB still had trading posts on US Soil Spain controlled entry to the Miss River & Florida France wanted its debt repayed and cut off trade with its west indies islands Pirate problems in North Africa

Articles of Confederation Only one branch – legislative 1 vote per state ¾ of states needed to pass a bill Unanimous for amending Congress had no control over commerce Congress could not tax, but they could ask the ask the states for money As bad as it was, it was important b/c it kept the union of states together.

Shay’s Rebellion – Farmers in Massachusetts upset about new state taxes. Take up arms led by Daniel Shays. Tax collectors are attacked. Banks and courthouses are targeted to stop farm foreclosures. – Massachusetts puts down the rebellion with its own militia – Then Massachusetts repeals the taxes. – Who should be running the government, the elected or the mob? Who knows what’s best for the country?

Constitutional Convention Summer 1787 A. Causes States passed tariffs on commerce from other states States, on their own, made trade agreements with other countries States issued paper money causing inflation

Attendees 55 delegates from 12 colonies – No RI George Washington – President of the Convention Very Conservative group – many of the liberal leaders of the revolution (Jefferson, Adamses, Paine) are absent. Patrick Henry refused to go – “I smell a rat!” Not one delegate was from the poor or even lower middle class. Concerned with the economy of the “nation”, not some much with democracy, but they desperately wanted to safeguard the nation. To do that they knew they needed to make changes. Stronger national leadership was needed, and the “mob” would not be leading the country. Universal manhood suffrage was something to be feared.