1. Ch. 6: A More Perfect Union 1775-1789
American History (CHA3U1)
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2. 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
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3. Constitution Signing
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4. 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
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5. 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
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6. 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
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7. 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
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8. 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
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9. 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
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10. 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
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11. Barbary Pirates
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12. 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.)
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13. Native Attacks
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14. 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
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15. 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
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16. 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
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17. 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
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18. Shay’s Rebellion
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19. 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
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20. 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
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21. 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
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22. Ratification Struggle
September 17, 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
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23. 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
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