Problems Facing the New Nation

• After the bold move by the Americans…declaring independence…we now had to form our own government

• American people drew on a large and varied history of ideas to form the new government

• The Magna Carta 1215…kings subject to law• The English Bill of Rights…parliament is

supreme

• Americans also used town meetings and House of Burgess to set up[ local governments

The ideas of John Locke and the Enlightenment….only by consent of the governed are we governed

The colonies had also previously designed their own constitutions….Connecticut 1639

Some banned slavery and allowed women the right to vote.

• Massachusetts is the oldest state constitution in effect still today…1780

• Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom…declared that no person could be forced to form any religious opinion

• Remember that under British rule, only white land owners could vote…

• Some states attempted to allow all people suffrage….but those rights were quickly revoked

• Second Continental Congress…appointed a super committee…. Committee of Thirteen

• Articles of Confederation…A of C• A of C called for only 1 branch of government…

the legislative branch• Uni- cameral ….the would be no judges and no

president• The leg. Branch had no authority to tax • They could only ASK for taxes and

troops….states did not have to comply.

• The AofC was ratified on 15 Nov. 1777 by Congress….sent to each state, for them to pass.

• Conflict of the western lands slowed the process down…finally gained approval in 1779 by everyone but Maryland…

• Maryland wanted more of the now available western lands

• They refused to sign until an agreement was made…Jefferson assured that the new lands would be divided.

• The Land Ordinance Act of 1785 ordered that the land be divided up into townships…36 sq miles. Then divided into 36 lots, each 640 acres each. One lots was to be maintained for schools, and one for a veteran’s home.

• The North West Ordinance of 1787 described how the territories that are now Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin would be admitted into the Union.

• The Ordinance ordered the a governor be put in place, selected by Congress, and that no forced servitude be undertaken. This would end slavery in all of the new territories…but the problems are far from over.

Study Guide

• Magna Carta• English Bill of Rights• The first form of U.S. government• Land Ordinance Act of 1785• Mayflower Compact• Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom• Suffrage• Articles of Confederation• Slavery• Colonies…constitutions during the Revolution

More Trouble …

• It was very hard for America to enforce her treaties from Paris 1783

• Remember that America had no army, could only ask for troops

• England refused to leave the forts along the frontier and the Great Lakes…The Brits dared America to use force to remove them

Trade with Britain

• England made trade with America very difficult

• Imposed very high taxes…or tariffs

• To cover the high cost of business, merchants raised prices that the consumer had to pay…led to a slow down in a new economy

Trade with Spain

• Spain controlled the Mississippi,…how?

• Spain would not allow ships to exit the Gulf with good and the negotiations fell apart

• “ Our federal government is but a name; a mere shadow without substance.”

• Many felt the US needed a strong full time army

Post AofC

• With markets closed, farmers had no way to move their produce to market.

• Craftsmen had no way to ship their goods.

• “The Revolution has robbed us of our trade with the West Indies.” – James Madison

Why?

The Dis-United States

• Many states began to only trade with their interest in mind…no unity.

• States began to look for new trading partners…France, China, and the Netherlands

• Despite the war…Great Britain was still the biggest trading partner of the U.S.

• Soon trade problems between the states and other countries caused severe debt and weak economies to plague the states

• Because the Confederate Congress had no regulatory power…they could not regulate interstate commerce. States began to trade in their interest, and the U.S. economy failed.

• A meeting to try and improve the AofC was called…..

• States began to produce large amounts of money, to help pay the bills they were incurring… this led to inflation. High prices with decreased value of currency.

• After the war, GW had moved back to his farm in Virginia…peace and quiet!

• With the formation of the Constitution, it was agreed that the US needed a President, and everyone agreed GW was the man.

• Presidents are elected by an Electoral College• Electoral College is more of a process than a building!• The EC is a group of delegates from each state, equal to the

number or congressmen that state has/both HoR members and Senate

• These men travel to the Capital to cast the official vote for the state they represent…they usually do, but they are not required to follow the popular vote…they can cast the EC vote how they choose.

GW is the Man

• He was a war hero remember?• Elected • Only time ever since• GW admitted he did not know what he should

do…he was the first president• He was setting precedent…something that is

new that will be followed from now on• He gathered a cabinet to help him…leaders of

each unit of his cabinet called a secretary…not to be confused with phone answering office types

• Alex Hamilton was Sec of treasury• Tommy Jefferson was Sec of State• Henry Knox was Sec of War• Sammy Osgood was postmaster• The Government set up the Judiciary Act

of 1789…three levels of courts• GW felt the stability of a government was

based on the execution (following) of its laws

Chapter 7

• Judiciary Act of 1789…set up three distinct levels of federal courts.– District Courts– Court of Appeals– Supreme Court

• People wanted different things:• Most of US was rural…they wanted to be left

alone!• Those in the cities…NY and Philly, wanted

simple trade laws that would allow their business to grow

• Manufacturers…people who make things, wanted protection from cheating trade practices of other countries

• The capital of the new US was in NY,Ny

Important Terms

• Citizenship- 2 ways– Main way is to be born on US soil. Or have

American parents. Called NATIVE BORN– OR---- You can immigrate…move into the US

from another country. By following a few guidelines and passing a citizenship test you are made a citizen….Naturalized…YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING BUT BE POTUS OR VPOTUS.

• As a citizen YOU have RESPONSIBILITES….

1. Follow the Law2. PAY TAXES3. BE AN INFORMED VOTER4. MALES AT THE AGE OF 18 MUST

SIGN-UP with Selective Service1. This is in case of the need to DRAFT

soldiers.

New York Stock Exchange

• An agreement between business men, signed under a tree at the corner of Wall Street and Broad.

George Washington and the First Days

• GW had established his government. He used CABINETS as helpers. Cabinets are part of the EXE. Branch.

• Secretaries are appointed by POTUS and must be approved by the SENATE( part of Congress)

• Remember earlier who the first Cab. Sec. were.

The Nation had a huge debt

• Why?

• Because of War…and… Trade problems after the war.

• To pay off the debt… Hamilton suggested sell BONDS… basically Bonds are

• I.O.U.s issued by government.

Difficult Times

• The U.S. had a large war debt…a national debt• The government was attempting to apply tariffs

to American made whiskey• Bonds were sold to recoup some of the money.

A bond is a loan to the government from the citizens. It is repaid at a guaranteed rate

• Questions about a national bank came up.• Hamilton felt the government should get into the

banking business, in order to manage the debt

Thomas Jefferson

• Thought this was an abuse of the governments power

• Hamilton justified the bank with the idea of Loose Construction

• The government can take reasonable actions that the Constitution does not forbid

• Jefferson said the elastic clause said Necessary….not convenient

• President Washington and the Congress agreed with Hamilton and the Bank of the United States was formed.

The French Revolution 1789

• Removed King Louis XVI from the throne

• Marie Antoinette

• Where the guillotine was invented

• Encouraged by the American Revolt

• France also had high debts from supporting the colonies…taxed citizens

• Some Americans supported neutrality

The Neutrality Proclamation

• The U.S. would refuse to get involved in any European conflict….the beginning of isolationism

• When did isolationism end?

Problems with Neutrality

• France wanted help on the high seas…wanted the U.S. to man privateers…ships for hire

• This would violate the N. Policy• Jefferson wanted to help the French• Hamilton wanted to help the English• Jefferson said Washington was allowing

Hamilton to run the White House…he resigned

• British began to capture ships carrying food to the W. Indies…some were American merchant ships…called impressment. Made Americans very sad

• Neither side wanted another war…Jay’s Treaty helped relax tensions…for awhile.

• American citizens were very angry…wanted to punish the British

Spain

• There were also problems with Spain.

• Dispute over the U.S./ Spanish border

• Spain also had restricted access to N.O.

• U.S. Ambassador Pinckney and Spanish leader Godoy (goh-thoy)

• Pinckney’s Treaty set the boundary between Spain at the 31 N

• Reopened N.O.

• The U.S. continued to move N.W. despite indian protest

• The British were behind supplying the indians with supplies and guns

• Little Turtle was the leader of the indians• The natives had won many battles• Gen. Anthony Wayne took over control of the

U.S. forces• He defeated the indians at the Battle of Fallen

Timbers…called that because of a tornado

• Treaty of Greenville ended most hostilities

• Treaty stated that travelers would be safe from attack and that the indians would receive 20000 worth of goods

President Washington

• A true commander –in-chief

• Whiskey Rebellion…people in Pennsylvania refused to pay taxes on whiskey. Called themselves…..

• The New Sons of Liberty

• Washington himself led a regiment to crush the rebellion

• As he left office he had a warning…– Be careful of debt– Be careful of political divisions– Stay out of Europe.

More Issues

• John Adams is now president.• It would be very hard to follow in the foot steps of

Washington• The nation had failed to heed Washington’s advice…we

now had political parties.• The Federalist…headed by Hamilton…wanted

government power• The Democratic- Republican party…headed by Tommy

Jefferson…wanted?• Very little government power• Differences were regional…or where people lived

Adams as President

• Some loved Adams and his hard work

• Others thought he was a let down compared to the hero that was Washington

• His first big test…An unnamed conflict

• Some had wanted to help the French during the French and British conflict

• The U.S. refused to help and that caused tensions

• Adams sent diplomats to France to smooth things out

• The French diplomats demanded 250000 in order to sign a SHIPPING TREATY

• The diplomats for America refused and came back to America…reporting that Diplomat X,Y, and Z demanded money

• Outrage against the government ensued….people wanted war, but Adams continued to try peace.

• The Democratic-Republicans began to bad mouth the Adams Administration

• This led to the Alien-Sedition Acts• This law said that it was illegal to speak out against the

government.• This violated the Bill of Rights• The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions decried this

policy and it was not reinstated

The Jefferson Era

• Election of 1800• First time power had shifted peacefully• Adams and Pinckney…Federalist• Jefferson and Burr…Democratic-Republicans• Adams claimed Jefferson was too French and

would cause another revolution• Also Jefferson was big in science and

philosophy…Adams claimed he was against religion

• Jefferson claimed Adams wanted to be king.• Jefferson reminded the public of the Alien and

Sedition Acts• It was a close race…Jefferson won, but a

problem came up.• 2nd place was too close, and 2nd place was the

v.p.• Ultimately this conflict led to the 12

amendment…making the vp separate on the ballot

Jefferson’s first days

• He walked to the inauguration…he didn’t believe in fancy carriages

• He promised a smaller government

• He promised to do the will of the people

• He cut the military in an effort to reduce spending

• He began to rid the country of taxes…like the whiskey tax

His Government

• Only a few hundred employees

• Jefferson felt the government should only do three things

• Protect the boarders

• Deliver the mail– Collect customs

Marbury v. Madison

• When Adams left office, he appointed several judges to the judiciary…this way the Federalist would have their men as judges

• Marbury, the Justice of the Peace under Adams, didn’t deliver the complete paperwork on time. It was after midnight on the last day of Adams presidency

• Madison…Jefferson's sec. of state, refused to appoint them

• This would lead to a landmark case…still debated today• Marbury decides to sue Madison….C. Justice John

Marshall agrees to hear the case.• Jefferson and Marshall often argued…who would win?

• John Marshall decided that only certain cases should be heard/tried by the S. Court….and this was not one of them.

• Marshall was trying to avoid conflict with the Jefferson Administration…it worked

• This led the precedent of Judicial review…• In short this J.R. means the S. Court can

try laws and decide if they are constitutional