Pre-Revolutionary AmericaCompeting ideals & economic interests5 factions of colonial societyNew EnglandSouthern plantersRoyalists – royal officeShopkeepers, artisans, & laborersSmall farmers1760’s – British Government had financial problemsFrench & Indian warBritish Navy provided shippingBritish forced to find new revenue sourcesSought to impose modest taxes on colonists1764 – Stamp Act & Sugar Acttax on sugar, molasses, & other commodities“No taxation without representation!”Colonial elite splitPlanters & merchants joined shopkeepers & farmersBoycott goodsLeading to Declaration of Independence1770’s – radical factions pushed for an end to British rule1773 – East India Company granted a monopoly on the tea trade1773 – Boston Tea PartyRoad to RevolutionBoston Tea Party – set in motion a cycle of retaliationPort of Boston was closed to WesternersColonist Isolation – needed to form a committee1774 – First Continental CongressAssembly of people from all partiesConsider the possibility of independence1776 – Second Continental CongressDeclaration of IndependenceEnlightenment era: Hobbes & Locke“Man has a natural light – bigger than government”“Right to liberty, property, and a right to order”Articles of Confederation (1777-1789)United States first written constitutionMain goals of the Articles:Limit the power of the central governmentNational & state government sovereignNo presidentNational government vested in CongressBut very few powers to exerciseEvents that led to the ConstitutionArticles of Confederation= hopelessly impracticalLimited powerChronic bankruptcy & currency inflationGridlock in governmentNo means for resolving conflictNo federal armyState militiaShay’s RebellionThe Second FoundingAnnapolis Convention (1786)Constitutional Convention (1787)International embarrassmentNational weaknessPeople are talking about leaving AmericaFundamental flaws in Articles of ConfederationEveryone sends one representativeExcept RI – don’t think this is going to workMain principles of the Constitutional ConventionRepublicanismIndirect/direct democracySeparation of powersAvoid authoritative governmentChecks & balancesEmpowered yet checkedBicameralism – Congress has 2 chambersHouse & SenateCompromise to ConstitutionHow to form the legislation?Virginia plan: states would have delegates proportionate to population or wealthNew Jersey plan: each state would have equal representationConnecticut (Great) Compromise: equal representation in the Senate, proportional representation in the HouseVarious Plan of AppointmentThree-Fifths CompromiseSouth = more representatives in the HouseNorth = does not see this is as good3/5ths Compromise90% of the nations slaves reside in the 5 states – 30% of the total population5 southern states/8 northernSlaves outnumbered non-slaves 10:1South dominated CongressGreat Compromise & the 3/5ths CompromiseReinforce the unity between the merchants & the farmersLegislative BranchHouse (2 years)Directly elected by the peopleGain popularity for the new ConstitutionStaggered elections: avoid “excessive democracy”Senate (6 years)Elected by the legislative (this changes later)AuthorityCollect taxesBorrow moneyRegulate commerceDeclare warMaintain an army & navyExpressed powers – specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress & to the PresidentElastic clause – laws that “necessary & proper”Not granted to federal = reserved for stateMajor issue between federal & state debates laterExecutive BranchEstablishment of PresidencyEnergy of executive – avoid stalematePowerAccept ambassadors – “recognize countries”Negotiate treaties – requires approval from CongressGrant pardon & reprievesAppoint major departmental figuresVeto powerJudicial BranchSupreme courtResolve any conflict betweenFederal & stateCitizens of different statesJudicial review – declare actions unconstitutionalLifelong appointmentPresidential appointment/approved by CongressNational Unity & PowerThe Constitution had to allow states enough freedom to pursue their own policies & unify the nation enough to have a common economySates were given tremendous leeway, but were asked to respect contracts made in other statesSupremacy clause – Constitution stands supreme over state lawsThe Fight for RatificationFederalists:Favored a stronger central governmentFederal control over the economyGovernment by elitesAntifederalists:Favored the balance of power being with the statesLeaders who shared the economic interest of the peopleGOV LECTURE J21 01/21/2015Pre-Revolutionary America-Competing ideals & economic interests-5 factions of colonial societyoNew EnglandoSouthern plantersoRoyalists – royal officeoShopkeepers, artisans, & laborersoSmall farmers -1760’s – British Government had financial problemsoFrench & Indian waroBritish Navy provided shipping-British forced to find new revenue sourcesoSought to impose modest taxes on colonists-1764 – Stamp Act & Sugar Actotax on sugar, molasses, & other commodities-“No taxation without representation!”-Colonial elite splitoPlanters & merchants joined shopkeepers & farmersoBoycott goodsLeading to Declaration of Independence-1770’s – radical factions pushed for an end to British rule-1773 – East India Company granted a monopoly on the tea trade-1773 – Boston Tea PartyRoad to Revolution-Boston Tea Party – set in motion a cycle of retaliation-Port of Boston was closed to Westerners -Colonist Isolation – needed to form a committee-1774 – First Continental Congress-Assembly of people from all parties-Consider the possibility of independence-1776 – Second Continental Congress-Declaration of Independence-Enlightenment era: Hobbes & Lockeo“Man has a natural light – bigger than government”o“Right to liberty, property, and a right to order”Articles of Confederation (1777-1789)-United States first written constitution-Main goals of the Articles:oLimit the power of the central governmentoNational & state government sovereignoNo presidentoNational government vested in CongressBut very few powers to exerciseEvents that led to the Constitution -Articles of Confederation= hopelessly impracticaloLimited power oChronic bankruptcy & currency inflationoGridlock in government-No means for resolving conflictoNo federal armyoState militiaoShay’s RebellionJ23 01/21/2015The Second Founding-Annapolis Convention (1786)-Constitutional Convention (1787)oInternational
View Full Document