Hist 1501 1st Edition Lecture 15Outline of Last Lecture I.State Constitutions A. PennsylvaniaB. MassachusettsC. Articles of ConfederationII. Challenges to Confederation:A. Disbanding the army B. Impost C. Newburgh Conspiracy D. Indian ConflictsIII. Northwest Ordinance (1787)A. Shays Rebellion (1786)Outline of Current Lecture IV. Constitutional ConventionA. A republic without virtueB. Designing the Federal GovernmentC. RepresentationD. Checks and balances V. Slavery and the ConstitutionA. Slave tradeB. 3/5 clauseC. Fugitive Slave ClauseThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.D. State-level emancipation: liberty vs propertyE. Post-Nati EmancipationF. Voluntary ManumissionVI. RatificationA. “We the people”B. Federalists v.s antifederalists C. Bill of RightsCurrent Lecture•Wasn't intended to be a democratic revolution but had a democratizing affect and everyday people wanted more of a voice•Democracy was threatening get out of control without a federal government to put checks and balances on uprisings•Most states had dysfunctional governments and it would be hard to get all the states to work together•Nationalists believed they needed to reform the Articles of Confederation togive more power to congress (like taxing and importing)•Questioning ultimately leads to the constitution by 1787•Over the summer of 1787 55 delegates from 12/13 states went to Philadelphia to reform the Articles of Confederation (wealthy and influentialpeople)•About 90% of white Americans were farmers and only 2/55 delegates were farmers so it wasn't representative •30/55 delegates are owed money from Congress-personal interest and motivations•Name George Washington as the president of the convention (figure head gives it legitimacy)-he is respected and seen as good by the people so it gives them legitimacy•Didn’t want anything getting out while deliberating because they don't want outside pressures •Until it is ready to be seen by the public they burn the minutes and close the windows and doors•Agreed right away that they are disregarding the Articles of Confederation and starting over •Large Population states wanted proportional representation and smaller wanted equal regardless of population and size •Some want to increase centralized power, others are wary of it•North v.s South on slavery•All delegates agreed the Articles of Confederation were fatally flawed and needed stronger centralized government with checks and balances•Americans were self-interested so a republic wouldn't work-new form of republicanism•Assume Americans will always be self-interested•Small homogenous groups worked for small groups and that wasn't the US•If large republics break out and form smaller fractions based on their self-interests they will all serve as checks and balances on one another and wont be too powerful•Many Americans were recognizing there was benefits and values to the British System•House of Representatives will be done through direct vote and based on population-a step towards democracy•The Senate was a concession to the States and a step away from democracy and the state will choose its delegates•The electoral college is a step away from democracy and will choose the president •More robust and stronger central government-not taking away from the states•The constitution is a political government based off compromises and trading •Demonstrated by the issue of slavery-new at this point in moral terms•The institution of slavery was questioned with talks of liberty and freedom •By the end of the war not that Americans said it was a good thing•Jefferson believed slavery was dangerous to a republic-teaches tyranny •Mason wanted to cut off international slave trade-benefits him and Virginia because they had too many slaves so they could profit by selling to other States•South Carolina wont sign constitution if it undermines slavery•Constitution says the importation of slaves cant be stopped until at least 1808•Slaves would count as 3/5 a person for population for representation•Fugitive Slave Clause: If a slave ran away to another State the state has to send them back to their plantation•The words “slave” and “slavery” were not included in the constitution and dance around the word so it will be easier to get rid of later and make it easier to sell to the public•Slavery had to be felt with at the State-level until the 20 years had passed •Problem: they couldn't abolish slavery because they were property so they couldn't take away property rights•Only Vermont outright abolished slavery (wasn’t an original State)•In Massachusetts the courts declare slavery incompatible with their Constitution (same with New Hampshire)•Pennsylvania took the lead in finding a way out of slavery•Post-Nati Emancipation: once the law was in effect it said that slave holderscouldn't claim people born July 4, 1781 or later as slaves but these children could be slaves until they were 17 and then they were to be freed•Slavery was set on the way to extinction by around 1830•South of Pennsylvania even post-nati emancipation was seen as too radical•Voluntary manumission: Slave owners could free their slaves if they wantedto (Virginia)-about 10-20000 slaves were freed-repealed in 1806•In lower south slavery was too important to society and economy so nothing was done-even the talk about this was too