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What changes did the American Revolution bring?
New social customs
Political Institutions
New ideas about society, government, and gender roles
Describe the domestic changes the Revolution brought
There are five main changes the revolution brought, primarily due to the impact of revolutionary ideals
Social structure
New ideas of social leveling: anti-aristocratic, pursuit of equality
Society of Cincinnati ridiculed
No primogeniture nor royal titles (Washington dubbed President)
Servitude drastically decreases
Emerging ideas of abolitioning slavery
New structures of government
anti-monarchy
pro-egalitarian
new political thoughts
Revolution impacted women
Republican motherhood - women were to be educated so they can instill republican values into their children
Same role, elevated status
New social role inspired by Revolution and Revolutionary Ideals (Enlightenment)
Disestablishment
Rise of freedom of religion
Separation of church and state
Churches were disestablished, no official state-supported religion
Virginia Stature for Religious Freedom of 1786
Describe the global impact the revolution had
It proved to other countries they could rebel against their oppressor and establish a successful government.
France
South America
Why do some consider the American Revolution as more of an accelerated evolution?
It changed many aspects of the U.S.; Changes in social structure, economic practices, and political institutions. New ideas regarding race, gender, and class emerged.
Why do some believe economic democracy was achieved before political democracy in the United Staes?
Indentured servitude basically disappeared
No use of titles nor primogeniture
Describe the economic state the U.S. was in after the Revolution. What were 3 major economic drawbacks that occurred due to the Revolution?
New class of profiteers (sold weapons to both sides) and destitute people (lost everything)
Runaway inflation
Average citizen was worse off due to debt and inflation
Although there was an increase in manufacturing (Americans could no longer buy British goods due to boycotts and war, so they made their own), the country still remained mostly agricultural. They did begin to trade with other countries and they chose to keep loyalist lands.
Describe early state constitutions
They were mostly written in 1776 and drew their authority from the people
Contained Bill of Rights
Weak executive and judicial branches
They feared tyranny and too much power
Avoided centralizing power
Most power in legislature branch
Law-maker
Property requirements for voting
Yearly elections for legislatures
The similarities in state constitution led to the development of the Articles of Confederation
What were the biggest problems the colonists faced after the war (5)?
Demobilization of Army
National debt
Inability to regulate foreign nor interstate commerce
No restrictions on states printing currency
Inability to force Britain to leave military installments in the Northwest Territory
Basically stems from the Articles of Confederation
Describe the Articles of Confederation. What were its weaknesses?
The Articles of Confederation was the U.S. first constitution that formed a confederation of states with a weak national Congress. There was no executive nor judicial branch.
Weaknesses:
It was made to have a weak Congress which could basically only deal with foreign relations and conduct war. Could conduct, issue, or borrow money. In reality, it couldn’t enforce any laws nor taxation, so it couldn’t actually regulate trade (neither between states nor foreign)
could not levy or collect taxes
could not regulate trade
could not enforce laws
Required 13/13 states to amend articles
9/13 states to enact laws
no judicial or executive branch
Describe the accomplishment the Articles had. What were its two major ones?
Won Revolution
Got states to cede western land and was able to handle it properly
Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest land owned by states was ceded and given to federal government which then divided and sold land.
Helped establish a precedent for public education
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Established how to administer Northwest territories and path hood to becoming a state.
First, land would be under temporary tutelage with appointed governors and judges
Temporary constitution and elect own government once voting residents reached 5,000
Once it reached 60,000 it could be admitted by Congress and become a state
Why was it a good thing the Articles were unworkable?
They helped define the rights of the people
They were able to be replaced by a stronger and more efficient government
What helped facilitate the need for a new constitution?
Shay’s Rebellion helped increase support for a new constitution for the fear of mobocracy/too much democracy. It was the conservatives and the wealthy landed people who wanted a stronger central government as they didn’t want there to be too much power in the hands of regular citizens, which they felt weren’t educated enough.
During the Constitutional Convention, there were many debates and compromises. List the three main debates
New Jersey VS Virginia Plan
Electing the President
Slavery - 3/5ths Compromise
Talk about the Great Compromise and why its important
The Great Compromise combined both the New Jersey and Virginia Plan.
Virginia Plan
“Large State” Plan; bicameral Congress with both houses being decided by proportional representation (based on population)
New Jersey Plan
“Small State” Plan; Unicameral legislature that proposed equal representation regardless of population
The Great Compromise introduced a bicameral legislature with the Senate giving equal representation while the House was decided by proportional representation. Moreover, tax bills and revenue measures originate in the house.
Describe the Electoral College and the system
Basically can be summarized like this:
amount of senators + amount of representatives = electoral votes
If there was no popular majority, then the vote will go to the Senate, where each state held 1 vote
Indirect vote for President due to fear of common people (not educated enough, mobocracy)
Describe the Three-Fifths Compromise and why its important
This compromise basically counted slaves as three-fifths of a person. This was needed to decide how many representatives a state would get and how much taxes they’d pay. It’s important to note that this helped Southern states get more power as they could have more representatives due to the compromise.
What were a couple of things all delegates could agree on during the Constitutional Convention
They all generally believed they needed a stronger government with 3 branches and with checks and balances to limit power.
What two republican ideals did the Constitution stand firmly on?
The only legitimate government was based on the consent of the governed
Powers of the government should be limited by Constitution
Who were the federalists? What did they believe in and who were their leaders?
The federalists were for the ratification of the Constitution; argued that the checks and balances would safeguard people’s liberties
They were generally wealthier, manufacturers, commercial, lived in seaboards.
Primarily led by Hamilton
Who were the anti-federalists? What did they believe in and who were their leaders?
They were against the ratification of the Constitution, they feared encroachment of rights and believed it to be undemocratic, especially because the Constitution did NOT have a Bill of Rights, which guaranteed the rights of the people
They tended to be state’s right devotees, backcountry dwellers, small farmers, poorest classes, etc.
Led by Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry,
Antifederalists were likely to believe that sovereignty of the people resided in-?
The legislature
Federalists were likely to believe that sovereignty of the people resided in-?
Every branch; executive, legislative, and judicial represented the people
What did both antifederalists and federalists believe in?
Power had to be derided from the people.
Also, they both used newspapers in order to convince people to support or not support.
Why did New York and Virginia ratify the Constitution even though they were generally against it?
For both, 9 states had already registered their approvals for the government. This meant that it was already going to be imposed in the majority of the states. Neither wanted to be left out as they knew they couldn’t make it as solo states, they needed to be in a country. Moreover, for New York, the Federalist Papers were written. These helped lay down arguments for the ratification of the Constitution.
In this new age of democracy, why did American not seek the abolition of slavery?
Slavery was generally avoided since the founding fathers did not want to shatter the little unity the country had (divided since birth).
Slavery was an important economic institution for the South as they used them for plantations.
What was the Constitution?
The second Constitution of the United States. It is a written charter that provides a generalized framework with rules the country must follow. It lays out the fundamental law and what system of government it follows. It includes three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial branch which provide checks and balances between three to prevent any from being more powerful than the other.
What did the original Constitution not have?
A Bill of Rights
What does the Constitution do?
It differentiated between the national and state powers.
National
Coin money
Foreign affairs
Mail Service
War declaration
International trade
In-between state trade
State
Public Safety
Schools
Intrastate Commerce
Anything the national government wasn’t given the power to do
Both can tax
Three branches of the government
Executive
President
Legislative
Bicameral
Judicial
Federal court system
Give examples of the checks included in the Constitution.
Executive (enact laws)
Veto laws
Appoint supreme court judges
Legislative (make laws)
Impeach president
Undo veto
Overturn supreme court rulings
Impeach judges
Judicial (Interpret laws)
Overturn laws
Overturn executive orders
What is in the Constitution?
It lays out the system of the government in 7 articles
Preamble - purpose and goals of the Constitution
Article 1 - Legislative (Congress)
Has the power to regulate taxes and trade
Article 2 - Executive (President)
How to elect president, powers they have, qualifications, and removal
Commander of chief of military, veto laws, appoint judges
Article 3 - Judicial (Supreme Court)
Organization and jurisdiction of federal courts
Articles 4-7
Relationship b/w federal gov and states
How to amend
How to elect and impeach
Bill of Rights (first ten amendments) added
Describe the shifts (changes) that occurred from the Articles of Confederation and Constitution
Federal power > state
Federal power able to tax and enforce taxation
New federal court system
President
Easier to amend
Federal regulation of interstate trade and foreign trade
What didn’t change from the shift between Articles and Constitution?
Type of government stayed the same (republic)
Some individuals didn’t have any rights
Slaves
Native Americans
Many individuals retained same rights
Women couldn’t vote; no new rights
Property requirements for voting
What were the two ways amendments could be proposed in the Constitution?
New constitutional convention requested by 2/3 of states
2/3 vote of both houses in Congress
The first ten amendments of the Constitution are commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights. Write a brief summary of these rights
Freedom of speech, religion, and press
Right to bear arms and be trialed by a jury of peers
Right to assemble and petition government
Prohibit cruel and unusual punishments
Prohibit arbitrary government seizure of private property
9th Amendment
Declared it wasn’t denying other rights not mentioned
10th Amendment
Any rights not given to government were meant for the people/state
What was the 12th Amendment and why was it important?
Adjusted the Electoral College; Both the president and vice president had to be from different states
Describe the role of slavery in the Constitution
Generally protected, even if not mentioned by name. Could not be banned until 1801.
Think of the Three-Fifths Compromise
What problems did the new country face well into the 1780s-1800s?
Lack of unity - much divisions
Not well economically - still in debt
Still very weak, lack of allies
Describe Hamilton’s economic policies
Funding at par
pay off debts at face value
Revive public credit
Stimulate business and trade by favoring the wealthy in trade, trickle down to classes
Assumption of national debt
Tie the wealthy to the government, not states
maybe help with unification
National Bank
Stimulate business
Print paper money
Loans
Provide strong and stable economy
Generate Revenue through tariffs
Protect infant industries
Promote change from agriculture to commercial
Excises taxes were controversial
Hamilton VS Jefferson’s interpretations for the Constitution
Jefferson
“Strict Construction”
What the Constitution did not permit, it forbade
Literal interpretation of the Constitution; word-for-word, if it isn’t on there then it can’t be done
Hamilton
“Loose”
What the Constitution did not forbid, it permitted
Looks at what the Constitution could imply; if it isn’t denied, it can be done
What two factors led to the development of political parties?
Hamilton’s economic policies
Foreign Affairs, AKA French Revolution
How were foreign affairs handled in the new country under our first two presidents
Washington
Proclamation of Neutrality
Jay’s Treaty
John Adams
XYZ Affair
Quasi-War with France
Convention of 1800
What did the Convention of 1800 do?
Dissolved U.S. and French treaty from the American Revolution. Difficulties Americans experienced from this alliance led to opposition against foreign affairs
What was the Whiskey Rebellion? Why was it important?
An uprising in southwestern Pennsylvania by whiskey distillers against the Whiskey tax. It was put down by Washington, who raised a militia. Proved the government had the right to enforce laws and taxation.
What were some cultural changes that occurred during 1754-1800?
Began to view themselves different from British
Common Sense
Declaration of Independence
Change in Political structure
Republican
Stronger national government
Hamilton’s economic policies
Beginning of development of an industrial economy (no more mercantilism)
Articles of Confederation
Constitution
Technology
Introduction of new manufacturing technology
What were some cultural continuities that occurred during 1754-1800?
Not all people were given rights
Slavery protected
Slave trade
Three-Fifths Compromise
Women same role
Native Americans generally not cared for
Displaced and mistreated
Note
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