Chap. 9: The Confederation and the Constitution; Objectives Compare the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution. To what extent was the American Revolution revolutionary?

The Great Debate - The Constitution Should the United States adopt the new Constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation? For: The Federalists - led by Washington, Hamilton, Madison, Jay and Marshall; including most commercial, seacoast, urban and upper-class groups Against: The Anti-Federalists - led by Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, and George Clinton; including many noncommercial, western, agrarian, and state-oriented interests.

Issue #1: Need for Change - Does the government of the Articles need to be replaced? YesNo Issue #2: Can a republic govern a large territory and a diverse population? YesNo

Issue #3: Will the new constitutional government create an aristocratic power in the presidency? NoYes Issue #4: Does the proposed Constitution protect the people’s liberty? YesNo

The Confederation and the Constitution Our first constitution, the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, had both weaknesses and strengths. Spurred by Shays’ Rebellion, the federal Constitution represented a moderately conservative reaction against the democratic and decentralizing effects of the Revolution and the Articles of Confederation. Its ratification had sparked dissent between the federalists and the anti-federalists.

The American Revolution was not a radical transformation, like the French or Russian revolutions, but it did produce political innovations and some social change in the direction of greater equality and democracy. Examples include separation of church and state, the abolition of slavery in the North, written constitutions, and a shift in political power from the east to the frontier.

I. A Revolution of Sentiments More of an accelerated evolution than revolution Social democracy stimulated No primogeniture Some property requirements for voting reduced Increased separation of church and state –Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom Egalitarian sentiments unleashed by revolution questioned slavery 1774: Congress called for complete abolition slave trade But new country could not risk disunity Although Abigail Adams fought for women’s rights, they did not get them Republican motherhood: mother instilling Republican “civic virtues” in children Cruel practices of slave trade

II. Constitution Making in the States Continental Congress in 1776 called upon the colonies to draft new constitutions Mass. called a convention to draft its constitution and submitted final draft to people for ratification Similarities –Written –Bill of Rights –Required annual elections –Weak executive and judicial branches –Legislatures given sweeping powers Will this be a problem? Yes! –Westerners having more of an impact A political shift in power

III. Economic Crosscurrents Royal and Loyalist holdings confiscated, eventually cut up into smaller farms –Helps spread economic democracy Much of England’s commerce reserved to loyal parts of empire so Americans forced to find new customers, make own goods Americans could now trade freely w/ foreign nations Inflation – prominent and rampant. Old rich lost money and new rich were viewed w/ suspicion.

IV. A Shaky Start Toward Union Would we be up to the task or would we fall on our face?!?! “Be careful of what you wish for— you just may get it!? People far from united Suspicious of any authority British manufacturing began flooding/dumping the American market with cheap goods But…the 13 sovereign sovereign states were basically alike in gov’t structure, functioned under similar constitution, had a heritage for self- government, and had good leaders

V. Creating a Confederation 13 states were basically sovereign, for they coined money, raised armies and navies, erected tariff barriers, and Vir. even signed a separate treaty w/ Fr. Articles of Confederation finished in 1777, but ratified by last state in 1781 –Main problem over western land (some states had western land, some didn’t) –Western land holdings sold to central govt. who would dispose of it for the common benefit and carve new equal states, thus ending controversy* Settlers moving west will thank new federal gov’t (See Northwest Ordinance of 1787) Currency of N.C.

Western Land Cessions to the US

VI. The Articles of Confederation: Our 1 st Constitution “Firm league of friendship” No executive branch Little judicial branch Each state gets one vote (unfair to more populated states) Certain bills acquired 2/3 approval An amendment, unanimous Weak because central govt. had: - no power over interstate commerce - no power to raise taxes (only voluntary) Yet there were some successes: - at least a start - held us together through the war - the handling of western lands