1. The Republican Experiment: A New Political Morality
Chapter 6
The Republican Experiment:
A New Political Morality

2. A New Political Morality
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3. Defining Republican Culture
Republicanism—new core ideology
Uncompromising commitment to liberty and equality
Evangelical notions of high public morality
Post-Revolutionary divisions
Balancing individual liberty with social order
Balancing property rights with equality
Varying answers resulted in variety of republican governments
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4. Living in the Shadow of Revolution
Revolution introduced unintended changes into American society
Challenged hierarchical social relations
Raised fundamental questions about the meaning of equality
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5. Social and Political Reform
Cincinnati Crisis
Changes in laws of inheritance to erase feudal elements
Property qualifications for voting reduced
Capitols moved to enable better representation for frontier settlers
Separation of church and state
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6. African Americans in the New Republic
Abolitionist sentiment spread in wake of the Revolution
John Woolman
African Americans embraced Declaration’s stress on natural rights
African American intellectual success made it hard to deny their equality
Benjamin Banneker, math and astronomy
Phyllis Wheatley, poetry
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7. African Americans in the New Republic: Phillis Wheatley
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8. African Americans in the New Republic
Northern states
By 1800, slavery was legally dying in North
Racism and segregation remained
Southerners debated abolition
Some individuals freed slaves
Economic motives overcame republican ideals
Cotton gin breathed new life into slavery
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9. African Americans in the New Republic
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10. The Challenge of Women’s Rights
Pre-Revolutionary trend ended tyranny in the family
Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education
Women demanded the natural right of equality
Nurtured proper values through “Republican Motherhood”
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11. The Challenge of Women’s Rights
Women more assertive in divorce, economic life
Denied political and legal rights
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12. The Challenge of Women’s Rights: Abigail Adams
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13. The States: Experiments in Republicanism
Revolutionary state constitutions served as experiments in republican government
Insights gleaned from state experiences later applied to constructing central government
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14. Blueprints for State Government
State constitution writers insisted on preparing written documents
Precedents in colonial charters, church covenants
Major break with England’s unwritten constitution
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15. Natural Rights and the State Constitutions
State constitutions guaranteed natural rights:
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Private property
Trial by jury
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16. Natural Rights and the State Constitutions
Governors weakened
Elected legislatures given most power
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17. Power to the People
Procedure for adoption of Constitution pioneered by Massachusetts
Constitution written by a special convention
Ratification by referendum of the people
Dangers to the new constitutions
Population succumbed to material temptation and greed
Personal liberty threatened property
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18. Stumbling Toward a New National Government
War for independence required coordination among states
Central government first created to meet wartime need for coordination
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19. Articles of Confederation
John Dickinson’s plan for central government
Proposed cession of West to Congress opposed
Proposed equality in state representation opposed
Articles of Confederation severely limited central government’s authority over states
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20. Articles of Confederation
Each state had one vote
Could send two to seven representatives
No executive
No taxing power
Amendments required unanimity
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21. Articles of Confederation
In charge of foreign and Native American relations, military, and disputes between states
No western lands
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22. Articles of Confederation
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23. Western Land: Key to the First Constitution
Native Americans lost out when British left
Maryland’s ratification of Articles delayed for Virginia’s renunciation of western claims
1781—Virginia took lead in ceding western claims to Congress
Other states ceded claims to Congress
Congress gained ownership of all land west of Appalachians
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24. Western Land Claims Ceded by the States
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25. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Land Ordinance
Orderly division of land into sections and townships
One section set aside to finance school system
Land to sell for minimum of $1 gold per acre
Speculation
Manasseh Cutler and the Ohio Company
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26. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Created three to five new territories in Northwest
Population of 5,000 may elect Assembly
Population of 60,000 may petition for statehood
Bill of rights provided
Slavery outlawed
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27. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
South of the Ohio River
Settlement more chaotic
Daniel Boone and Kentucky
State of Franklin
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28. Northwest Territory
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29. Land Ordinance of 1785
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30. Strengthening Federal Authority
Dissatisfaction with Confederation
Economic recovery after the Revolution slow
People thought stronger central government would restore economic growth
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31. The Nationalist Critique
Restoration of trade with Britain caused trade deficit and hard currency shortage
Congress unable to address trade, inflation, and debt
Congress had no power to tax
Nationalists versus localists
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32. The Nationalist Critique
Failure to pay soldiers sparked “Newburgh Conspiracy” (squelched by Washington)
Failure of reform caused nationalists to consider Articles hopelessly defective
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33. Diplomatic Humiliation
Congress failed to get states to collect debts owed British merchants
In retaliation, British refused to evacuate Ohio River Valley
1784—Spain closed New Orleans to American commerce
John Jay to negotiate reopening Mississippi
Instead, signed treaty favoring Northeast
West and South denounced, Congress rejected Jay-Gardoqui Treaty
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34. “Have We Fought for This?”
By 1785, the country seemed adrift
Washington: “Was it with these expectations that we launched into a sea of trouble?”
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35. The Genius of James Madison
By 1780s, recognition of shortcomings of small state republics
Ordinary citizens not virtuous enough for a republic
Majority did not preserve the property rights of the minority
Support for stronger central government
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36. The Genius of James Madison
James Madison persuaded Americans that large republics could be free and democratic
Competing factions would neutralize each other
The Federalist No. 10
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37. Constitutional Reform
May 1786—Annapolis Convention agreed to meet again, write a new constitution
Shay’s Rebellion, 1787
Tax revolt of indebted veterans
Symbolized breakdown in law and order as perceived by propertied classes
Crisis strengthened support for new central government
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38. Constitutional Reform: Shay’s Rebellion
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39. The Philadelphia Convention
Convened May 1787
Fifty-five delegates from all states except Rhode Island
Delegates possessed wide practical experience
Secrecy rule imposed
Vote by state, needed only a majority instead of nine states
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40. Inventing a Federal Republic: The Virginia Plan
Central government may veto all state acts
Bicameral legislature of state representatives
One house elected, the other appointed
Larger states would have more representatives
Chief executive appointed by Congress
Small states objected to large-state dominance
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41. Inventing a Federal Republic: The New Jersey Plan
Congress given greater taxing and trade regulation powers
Each state would have one vote in a unicameral legislature
Articles of Confederation otherwise untouched
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42. Inventing a Federal Republic: William Patterson
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43. Compromise Saves the Convention
Each state given two delegates in the Senate—a victory for the small states
House of Representatives based on population—a victory for the large states
All money bills must originate in the House
Three-fifths of the slave population counted toward representation in the House
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44. Compromising on Slavery
Issue of slavery threatened Convention’s unity
Northerners tended to be opposed
Southerners threatened to bolt if slavery weakened
Slave trade permitted to continue to 1808
“Great as the evil is, a dismemberment of the Union would be worse.” —James Madison
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45. Compromising on Slavery
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47. The Last Details
July 26—Committee of Detail formed to prepare rough draft
Revisions to executive
Electoral College selects president
Executive given a veto over legislation
Executive may appoint judges
Decision that Bill of Rights unnecessary
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48. We, the People
Convention sought to bypass vested interests of state legislatures
Power of ratification to special state conventions
Constitution to go into effect upon approval by nine state conventions
Phrase “We, the People” made Constitution a government of the people, not the states
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49. Whose Constitution? Struggle for Ratification
Supporters recognized the Constitution went beyond the Convention’s mandate
Document referred to states with no recommendation
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50. Federalists and Antifederalists: Federalists
Supported the Constitution
Name suggests they supported less of a strong central government than they did
Well-organized
The Federalist Papers
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51. Federalists and Antifederalists: Antifederalists
Opposed the Constitution
Distrusted any government removed from direct control of the people
Suspected the new Constitution favored the rich and powerful
Their ideas later reflected in the age of Andrew Jackson
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52. Federalists and Antifederalists: Progress of Ratification
No clear correlation between social status and support for Constitution
Succeeded in winning ratification in eleven states by June 1788
November 1789—North Carolina ratified
May 1790—Rhode Island ratified
Americans closed ranks behind the Constitution
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53. Ratification of the Constitution
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54. The Elusive Constitution: Search for Original Intent
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55. Adding the Bill of Rights
The fruit of Antifederalist activism
Adding Bill of Rights forestalled Second Constitutional Convention
Purpose was to protect individual rights from government interference
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56. Adding the Bill of Rights
Rights included:
Freedom of assembly, speech, religion, the press, and bearing arms
Speedy trial by a jury of peers
No unreasonable searches
First ten amendments added by December 1791
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57. Adding the Bill of Rights
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58. Success Depends on the People
Some Americans complained that the new government had potential for despotism
Others were more optimistic and saw it as a great beginning for the new nation
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