forming a new government - mesa public schools - mesa, · pdf file ·...
TRANSCRIPT
Forming a New Government
Why Independent in the First Place?
Citizens wanted to limit the power of government
Lack of representation – “No taxation without representation”
Protect personal freedoms
Desired to be represented fairly and equally in the lawmaking process
English Laws
Trace back to Magna Carta-
Limit power of ruler
Representative govt. w/ Parliament in control
Greater rights for citizens
Enlightenment influences
English Bill of Rights protected rights
T. Paine – “the mind once enlightened…”
J. Locke – right to life, liberty, and property
Montesquieu – separate powers of govt. (3 branches)
American Models
Iroquois Confederacy: representatives from each nation chosen by matriarch
(women) to meet to discuss matters and vote on various decisions. Individual
nations had local council- how is this similar to government today?
The Virginia House of Burgesses- Met once a year to make laws that could
however be vetoed by the governor or the directors of the Virginia Company.
Mayflower Compact- formed a temporary government
State Constitutions:
Republic put people in power- elected governors
Limit govt. control & separation of powers
Suffrage – white males that paid taxes & were property owners
Articles of Confederation
Created a central govt. w/ limited powers
“Loose alliance” of states
Congress – make and pass laws
13 States – 1 vote per state
States – enforce laws
No President – weary of too much power
Articles of Confederation
WEAKNESSES:
Congress couldn’t impose taxes was the greatest
weakness
All states had to agree to pass laws
No executive branch to enforce the laws passed by
Congress
SHAYS REBELLION
War is expensive!
Continental Congress and states are struggling to pay back debts- high taxes on common people
Farmers: high taxes + debt led to many foreclosures
States would jail farmers that could not afford to pay their debts, take their land away
Revolt forces shut down the courts in Massachusetts
No courts = no foreclosures
A few miles form Shay’s farm- rebels come armed
2,000 rebels participated - the militia was sent in and squashed the rebellion
SHAYS REBELLION
Impact ~ Articles of Confederation was too weak – not working
Congress couldn’t raise taxes
No branch to enforce laws
All states had to agree to pass laws
Couldn’t regulate trade
Push for Change
Revisions to A of C – national conference held
No NE states or NC, SC, GA ~ Only 5 states attended
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Met intending to revise the Articles
Really James Madison brought a blue print for what would become the Constitution, “Father of the Constitution”
Madison also kept a very detailed account of what was taking place
12 states attended most of the meetings- Rhode Island refused to participate, opposed to strong central government
Split between large and small states…
VIRGINIA PLAN (LARGE STATES) (MADISON)
Strong national govt. w/ 3 branches
Legislative – passes laws
Executive – carries out laws
Judicial – interprets laws
Representatives based on population- larger
population, more representatives
Favored large states, so small states opposed
NEW JERSEY PLAN (SMALL STATES) (WILLIAM PATERSON)
Small states response to VA Plan
Three branches
One-house legislature: one state = one
vote
Federal govt. powers: taxes & regulate
commerce
THE GREAT COMPROMISE (ROGER SHERMAN)
Biggest issue is representation
Created a bicameral Congress based on population and equal representation
Upper house – Senate gets two reps per state (NJ plan)
Lower house – House of Reps. – based on population (VA Plan)
Three-Fifths Compromise - Southerners wanted slaves counted
Slaves were counted as 3/5 for purpose of representation in Congress
FEDERALISM
Federalism
divide power between fed/state govt.
Checks and Balances
limit the power of govt.
Each branch checks the other two branches
Congress passes laws but Pres. can veto
Judicial Branch determines if laws passed by Congress are Constitutional
FEDERALISTS VS ANTIFEDERALISTS
FEDERALISTS
supported the Constitution
Wanted a strong Federal
Govt.
strong in the North & Cities
Backed by G. Washington, B.
Franklin, J. Madison, A.
Hamilton
ANTIFEDERALISTSopposed Constitution
because it lacked a Bill of Rights
Wanted weaker Federal Govt. in favor of states rights
Strong in the South & rural areas
Backed by T.Jefferson. S. Adams, P. Henry, T. Paine
FEDERALIST PAPERS
Purpose was to rally support for ratification of
the Constitution (NY delegates)
Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison
and John Jay
Explained the advantages the Constitution
would bring
RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
Ratification for several states could only occur with the Bill
of Rights
Amends. 1-10 to insure basic civil liberties
The Federalists were better prepared than their opponents.
9/13 had to ratify to become, “Law of the Land”
June 1788 – NH was 9th state to approve
NY, VA, NC, and RI ratify later
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Unanimously decided to be first President
Makes precedents (examples) that future Presidents follow
Establish a Cabinet- Jefferson as Secretary of State, Hamilton Secretary of Treasury
Supported Bank of America
Policy of neutrality
Two term limit on Presidency
Established relations with Great Britain
Presidential farewell address- any regrets and where they think country should be headed in the future
POLITICAL PARTIES
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS
Led by Thomas
Jefferson
Small national govt.
(power w/ states)
Supported agriculture
Strict construction (b/w)
Opposed national bank
FEDERALISTS
Led by Alexander
Hamilton
Strong national
government
Supported
manufacturing/industry
Loose construction (grey)
Favored national bank
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
Govt. should assume all existing public debt from the war
The country needed a national bank
The nation’s economy should be based on industry and manufacturing
Needed to create govt. revenue – Taxes!
i. Tariff – tax on imported goods
ii. Excise “sin” tax – liquor, tobacco and luxuries
Compromise reached – moved the capital to Philadelphia, then DC
i. Southerners then agreed to state debt bill
HAMILTON’S ECONOMIC PLAN
Most controversial part of Hamilton’s plan:
Loose construction – loose interpretation of Constitution
i. Hamilton – “necessary and proper clause”
ii. Supported national bank
VS
Strict construction – strict interpretation of Constitution
i. Jefferson – “limit the power of govt.”
ii. Opposed national bank
President Washington signed the Bank Bill in 1791
WHISKEY REBELLION
Farmers objected violently to excise tax
Tax on whiskey, excess grain and wheat turned into whiskey,
whiskey used as a trading medium
Tax affected their pocketbooks - attacked tax collectors
2,000 rebels threatened Pittsburgh
GW and Hamilton led 13,000 troops to squash rebellion
Farmers scattered “without spilling a drop of blood”
WASHINGTON NEUTRALITY
Washington issued Neutrality Proclamation in 1793
i. U.S. would be friendly and impartial w/ France and Great Britain
ii. GW opted to stay out of French Revolution
Edmund Genet, French ambassador, openly defied Neutrality Proclamation
Used American ports to outfit French ships for war against British
Washington demanded France replace Genet
Diplomatic challenges
Jefferson resigned as Sec. Of State
British seized American ships & sailors imprisoned, as they were trading with France
Britain stirred up trouble in NW Territory w/ natives- arming Natives, occupying forts
JAYS TREATY
Chief Justice John Jay negotiated w/ British
Brits paid for damages to ships & left forts in NW Territory
No more impressments of sailors
Washington argued better a bad treaty with GB than no treaty at all
At this time Hamilton also resigned
Majority won in Senate and it was ratified
JOHN ADAMS PRESIDENCY
Won over Jefferson 71-68
Federalist
Jefferson is VP, they are rivals
XYZ AFFAIR
Part of Jay Treaty is not allowed to trade things with France- upsets France
So France seizes American ships
Adams sent 3 men to France to negotiate
France refuses to accept the men, sends 3 nobody's to deal with them
Americans angered by the treatment of their people, Adams labels the 3 French men X, Y, and Z
Undeclared war, some naval battles. French realized it was smarter to come to peace
ALIEN AND SEDITITON ACTS
Response to XYZ and resentment of foreigners
Foreigners must register w/ govt.
Allowed president to jail or deport “dangerous” foreigners
Prohibited criticism of public officials (FREEDOM OF SPEECH?)
Jefferson and Madison argued that acts were unconstitutional
Created deeper divide in Congress and the country
SUPREME COURT
No specified amount of Justices- been as low as six however since the late 1800s, there have always been nine
Appointed by President, confirmed by Senate
Justices hold office for life
Hear appealed cases from lower courts
Thousands sent to them however they only see around 150
Determines whether laws, rulings, etc are deemed Constitutional
JOHN MARSHALL
Appointed by John Adams
Set various precedents, served for 34 years
Supreme Court gives one final ruling, not
each individual
Most important case is Marbury v Madison
MARBURY VS MADISON
At the very end of Adams Presidency, he appoints William Marbury and justice of the peace in DC
Thomas Jefferson, the new president, refused to recognize the appointment of Marbury.
The normal practice of making such appointments was to deliver a "commission," or notice, of appointment. This was normally done by the Secretary of State. Jefferson's Secretary of State at the time was James Madison
Jefferson told Madison not to deliver it, making it void
Marbury sues Madison and the Supreme Court hears the case
One branch cannot force another branch to do something, however it establishes judicial review- the Supreme Court reviews what other branches do
FOUNDING FATHERS
JOHN ADAMS
Lawyer- defended Red Coats after the Boston Massacre
Sons of Liberty
Massachusetts delegate for Constitutional Congress
Worked on Declaration of Independence- one of only two to sign
and later become President
Worked on Treaty of Paris to help end the War
First Vice President to Washington- then became President after a
close win over Jefferson
Was able to keep US out of European problems- remain neutral
Died the same day as Jefferson July 4, 1826
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Publisher of Pennsylvania Gazette, spoke out against Stamp Act
Pennsylvania’s delegate to Continental Congress
Helped draft Declaration of Independence
Delegate to France, helped form Treaty of Paris
Only to sign ALL FOUR major documents- Declaration, Constitution, Treaty of Paris, Treaty of Alliance with France
Also was scientist- famous for work with electricity, made glasses- did not patent any of his inventions
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Lawyer, Virginia legislature, Virginia
delegate at Continental Congress
Primary author of the Declaration of
Independence
Secretary of State for Washington, Vice
President to Adams
Became third President
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
New York delegate to Constitutional conventions
Another author of Federalist Papers
Secretary of Treasury for Washington
Secretary of State for Jefferson
Died in a duel with Aaron Burr
Burr defeats father in law for Senate seat
Any time Burr runs for anything, Hamilton talks badly
Burr has enough and challenges him to a duel
JAMES MADISON
Virginia legislature, Continental
Congress
An author of some Federalist Papers
Took lead on creating Constitution
Became Congressman, then
Secretary of State for Jefferson
Became fourth President
GEORGE WASHINGTON
General of Continental Army in
American Revolution
First President of the United States
Unanimously decided
Set many precedents- what
were they??