LESSON 5: US CONSTITUTION US HISTORY

LESSON 5 STANDARD THE STUDENT WILL EXPLAIN SPECIFIC EVENTS AND KEY IDEAS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION 1. EXPLAIN HOW WEAKNESSES IN THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND DANIEL SHAY’S REBELLION LED TO A CALL FOR A STRONGER CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. 2. EVALUATE THE MAJOR ARGUMENTS OF THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS AND FEDERALISTS DURING THE DEBATE ON RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AS PUT FORTH IN THE FEDERALIST PAPERS CONCERNING FORM OF GOVERNMENT, FACTIONS, CHECKS AND BALANCES, AND THE POWER OF THE EXECUTIVE, INCLUDING THE ROLES OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND JAMES MADISON. 3. EXPLAIN THE KEY FEATURES OF THE CONSTITUTION, SPECIFICALLY THE GREAT COMPROMISE, SEPARATION OF POWERS (INFLUENCE OF MONTESQUIEU), LIMITED GOVERNMENT, AND THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY. 4. ANALYZE HOW THE BILL OF RIGHTS SERVES AS A PROTECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL AND STATES’ RIGHTS. 5. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AND JOHN ADAMS; INCLUDE THE WHISKEY REBELLION, NON-INTERVENTION IN EUROPE. AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES (ALEXANDER HAMILTON).

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION WERE WRITTEN DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND SHOWED AMERICANS’ FEAR OF A STRONG GOVERNMENT THE ARTICLES CREATED A GOVERNMENT WITH NO EXECUTIVE BRANCH, NO POWER TO TAX, COULDN’T REGULATE TRADE, AND FAILED TO CREATE A NATIONAL CURRENCY THE STATE GOVERNMENTS WERE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT THE WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES AND THE VULNERABILITY TO FOREIGN ATTACK LED FOR MANY TO SUPPORT A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE ARTICLES)

WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

SHAYS’ REBELLION DANIEL SHAYS LED OVER 1,000 ANGRY FARMERS AND ATTEMPTED TO OVERRUN A FEDERAL ARSENAL IN MASSACHUSETTS THE REBELLION WAS STOPPED SHORT BY THE MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA HOWEVER IT SET THE PRECEDENT FOR MOB RULE SHAYS AND THE OTHER FARMERS WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEY WERE LOSING THEIR FARMS TO FORECLOSURE DUE TO THE HIGH STATE TAXES  TAXES WERE HIGH TO PAY FOR WAR DEBT WITHOUT THE POWER TO TAX, AMERICA’S WEAK FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD NOT REPAIR THE ECONOMY SHAYS REBELLION AND OTHERS LIKE IT FORCED GEORGE WASHINGTON AND OTHERS TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STRONGER NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

SHAYS REBELLION CONT… MAY OF 1787 GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IN PHILADELPHIA THE CONVENTION WAS HELD IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION UPON MEETING, FOUNDING FATHERS DECIDED THAT THE ARTICLES WERE NOT REPAIRABLE AND CREATED A FEDERALIST FORM OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES

SHAYS’ REBELLION

FEDERALISTS V ANTI-FEDERALISTS AFTER THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN THE STATES HAD TO RATIFY, OR ACCEPT, IT AFTER THE CONSTITUTION WAS PUBLISHED A GROUP OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS BELIEVED THAT THE CONSTITUTION MADE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOO STRONG AND THAT IT ELIMINATED STATE POWER ANTI-FEDERALISTS ALSO STATED THAT THE CONSTITUTION DID NOT DESCRIBE THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED TO THE STATES AND TO EACH CITIZEN

FEDERALISTS V ANTI-FEDERALISTS FEDERALISTS, SUPPORTERS OF THE CONSTITUTION, SUCH AS JAMES MADISON, ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND JOHN JAY WROTE A SERIES OF PAPERS CALLED THE FEDERALIST PAPERS THE FEDERALIST PAPERS WAS A SERIES OF ESSAYS THAT LAID OUT ARGUMENTS DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION AND SHOWING THAT IT STRENGTHENED THE GOVERNMENT PAPERS 6-9: POINTED OUT THAT THE FACTIONALISM OF THE CONFEDERATION WEAKENED THE UNION PAPER 39: MADISON ARGUED FOR A REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT PAPERS 47-51: USED MONTESQUIEU’S IDEAS OF SEPARATION OF POWERS AND CHECKS AND BALANCES TO SHOW THAT ONE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT COULDN’T GET TOO POWERFUL

FEDERALISTS V ANTI-FEDERALISTS TO COMBAT THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS IDEAS THAT THE CONSTITUTION FAILED TO ADDRESS STATES’ RIGHTS AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS  FEDERALISTS PROMISED TO SUPPORT A BILL OF RIGHTS UPON RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION THE FEDERALIST PAPERS, THE PROMISE OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS, AND THE EFFORTS OF THE FEDERALISTS CONVINCED A MAJORITY OF THE STATES TO RATIFY THE CONSTITUTION BY 1791

FEDERALISTS V ANTI-FEDERALISTS

THE GREAT COMPROMISE STATE REPRESENTATION IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE WHILE TRYING TO RATIFY THE CONSTITUTION LARGE STATES WANTED STATE REPRESENTATION BASED ON POPULATION SMALL STATES WANTED EACH STATE TO BE REPRESENTED EQUALLY THE GREAT COMPROMISED CREATED A BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE 1. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: REPRESENTATION BASED ON POPULATION 2. SENATE: EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR ALL STATES

THE GREAT COMPROMISE

SLAVERY SLAVERY WAS ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC DURING THE RATIFICATION PROCESS SINCE POPULATION WAS FACTORED INTO STATE REPRESENTATION STATES WITH A LARGE SLAVE POPULATION WANTED SLAVES TO COUNT  NORTHERN STATES RESISTED BOTH SIDES COMPROMISED AND IT WAS AGREED THAT A STATE COULD COUNT THREE-FIFTHS OF THEIR SLAVES TOWARD THEIR POPULATION IT WAS ALSO AGREED THAT THE SLAVE TRADE COULD CONTINUE FOR 20 MORE YEARS AND THAT NORTHERN STATES WOULD RETURN RUNAWAY SLAVES TO THEIR OWNERS

SEPARATION OF POWERS EVEN THOUGH THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION PROVED A FAILURE MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL FEARED A STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN RESPONSE TO THOSE FEARS THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION CREATED A LIMITED GOVERNMENT WITH DIVIDED POWERS BARRON CHARLES DE MONTESQUIEU: A FRENCH POLITICAL THINKER THAT GREATLY INFLUENCED THE IDEA OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED TO US CITIZENS BY THE CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS LIMITED THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT

SEPARATION OF POWERS POWERS WERE DIVIDED 2 WAYS IN OUR NEW GOVERNMENT 1. POWER WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS 2. POWER WAS DIVIDED INTO 3 BRANCHES WITH CHECKS AND BALANCES 1. EXECUTIVE BRANCH: PRESIDENT (ENFORCES LAWS) 2. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: CONGRESS (MAKES LAWS) 3. JUDICIAL BRANCH: SUPREME COURT (INTERPRETS LAWS)

SEPARATION OF POWERS

CHECKS AND BALANCES

BILL OF RIGHTS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THE COLONIES REVOLTED AGAINST THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DEALT WITH THE FEELING THAT PARLIAMENT ABRIDGED COLONIAL RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS ANTI-FEDERALISTS FELT A STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WOULD DO THE SAME AND REFUSED TO RATIFY THE CONSTITUTION UNTIL A BILL OF RIGHTS WAS PROMISED THE BILL OF RIGHTS WAS RATIFIED BY APRIL 1792

BILL OF RIGHTS THE FIRST NINE RIGHTS DEAL WITH KEY INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS RIGHT OF FREE EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY, PROTECTIONS AGAINST SELF-DISCRIMINATION, AND THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY A CIVILIAN JURY THE TENTH AMENDMENT LIMITED THE POWER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT  RESERVED ANY UN-ENUMERATED RIGHTS TO THE STATES

BILL OF RIGHTS

PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND POPULAR FIGURE OF THE TIME, WAS ELECTED THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DURING HIS PRESIDENCY WASHINGTON SET THE STANDARD ON SEVERAL KEY ISSUES 1. HE CREATED A CABINET (ADVISORS): THOMAS JEFFERSON – SECRETARY OF STATE, ALEXANDER HAMILTON – SECRETARY OF TREASURY 2. NON INTERVENTION IN EUROPE: WASHINGTON REFUSED TO HELP FRANCE IN A WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN, INSTEAD TALKED BRITAIN INTO FORGIVING PRE-WAR DEBTS AND LIFT TRADE RESTRICTIONS  USHERED IN A TRADE BOOM WITH BRITAIN 3. CONGRESS TAX: CONGRESS PASSED A TAX ON LIQUOR TO PAY STATES DEBTS FROM THE REV WAR WHISKEY REBELLION: THIS TAX HIT SMALL WHISKEY MAKERS ESPECIALLY HARD  SOME WHISKEY MAKERS TOOK ARMS TO PREVENT TAX COLLECTORS FROM COLLECTING, WASHINGTON LED A LARGE MILITA FORCE AND PUT DOWN THE REBELLION

POLITICAL PARTIES POLITICAL PARTIES BEGAN BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THOMAS JEFFERSON AND ALEXANDER HAMILTON FEDERALISTS (HAMILTON) – WANTED TO EXPAND THE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT TO STABILIZE THE NATION AND ITS ECONOMY DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICANS (JEFFERSON) BELIEVED THAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT MUST LIMIT ITS POWER TO THOSE AREAS DESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION WHEN WASHINGTON ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULDN’T SEEK A 3 RD TERM THESE TWO GROUPS BEGAN TO FIGHT FOR CONTROL  A 2-PARTY SYSTEM OF TODAY WAS BORN DURING HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS WASHINGTON GAVE A WARNING ABOUT THE DANGERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES (FACTIONS)

PRESIDENCY OF JOHN ADAMS THE ELECTION OF 1796 WAS A BITTER CONTEST BETWEEN JOHN ADAMS AND THOMAS JEFFERSON, ADAMS WON BY A SLIM MARGIN ADAMS PRESIDENCY WAS PLAGUED BY CONFLICTS INVOLVING FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN  THIS CRIPPLED THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AND DREW CRITICISM FROM JEFFERSON’S SUPPORTERS IN ORDER TO HELP ADAMS, THE FEDERALIST CONGRESS PASSED THE ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS 1. INCREASED CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS SO JEFFERSON COULD NOT RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY 2. ATTEMPTED TO STOP ANY CRITICISM BY LIMITING SPEECH AND PRESS RIGHTS IN REACTION TO THE ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS, JEFFERSON AND MADISON ARGUED IN KENTUCKY AND VIRGINIA THAT A STATE COULD IGNORE A FEDERAL LAW THAT IT OPPOSED --< THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE STATES’ RIGHTS CONCEPT