1. Shaping a New Nation Chapter 5

2. Experimenting with Confederation –State governments –National government –Elected representatives Not direct democracy How to implement republican ideals? States: –Limited power of gov’t officials –Guaranteed rights Speech, religion, press –(Limited) Democracy “…remember the ladies…” Yes dear ;)

3. The Pursuit of Equality In general, liberty was emphasized over equality, however: Created in 1786 by Thomas Jefferson and others –Religion should not be imposed –Each person decided his/her own faith First –Founded by Philadelphia Quakers in 1775 The 1st Continental Congress called for the complete abolition of the slave in 1774 –Several northern states went further and either abolished slavery altogether or provided the gradual emancipation of slaves –No states south of PA abolished slavery http://societyofthecincinnati.org/ Equality? Society of the Cincinnati Continental Army officers formed an exclusive hereditary order

4. Constitution Making in the States The 2nd Continental Congress called upon the colonies in 1776 to draft new constitutions –MA called a special convention to draft its constitution and then submitted the final draft to the people As written documents, the state constitutions were intended to represent a fundamental law –Superior to the short-lived impulses of ordinary legislation *In the Revolutionary era, the capitals of NH, NY, VA, NC, SC, and GA were all moved westward

5. Creating a Confederation Shortly before declaring independence in 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft a written constitution for the new nation The finished product was the –Adopted by Congress in convinced France that America had a genuine government in the making –The Articles of Confederation was not ratified by all 13 colonies until “We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand.”

6. Articles of Confederation Strengths Weaknesses – – – – – –

7. Landmarks in Land Laws –Acreage of the Old Northwest should be sold, proceeds used to pay off the national  Congress could not directly levy taxes –Land that was largely unmapped and won from British

9. –Created the Northwest Territories and gave the land to the government Land could then be purchased by individuals Congress appointed governor and judges When a territory had 5,000 people, it could write a temporary constitution and elect its own government When a territory had 60,000 people, it could write a constitution and be admitted by Congress as a state With all the privileges of the 13 other states Landmarks in Land Laws

11. Problems with the Articles of Confederation