US History: Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation (77-81)

Articles of Confederation (77-81)

• America's 1st govt

• too weak

• no power to tax, states were stronger, only 1 branch (legislative)

• no national military

Shays' Rebellion

• unpaid soldiers from MA wanted $

• led by Daniel Shays

• govt had no military to put it down

• revealed that a new govt must be formed

• art. of con. didn't understand states' problems

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• a law that established a procedure for the admission of new states to the Union

• positive result of articles

• slavery banned in nw territories (Ohio, Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana)

1787 Constitutional Convention

Pennsylvania, George Washington

• articles of confederation failed goal: to make a stronger, central govt

• 52 delegates from 13 colonies' goal: change the art. of . con.

const created three branches

Federalists

supported a strong, central govt and a new const.

• led by James Madison (4th Pres & Father of the Const.), Alexander Hamilton

• they wrote the federalists papers to support const

Anti-Federalists

• were afraid of a strong govt, they supported the states

• wanted a "Bill of Rights" added to the const. to protect ind. rights "Freedom of Speech" etc.

Bill of Rights

• antifederalists

• 1st amendments to const. and backbone of freedom

• twenty seven total amendments

Virginia Plan

• large state plan

• 3 branches of government

• two houses of Congress

• Bigger states have more votes _ Population determines representation bicameral

Great Compromise

_ Two houses of Congress

• Lower House - based on population (House of Representation)

• Upper House - Based on "EQUAL" (senate)

3/5 th's Compromise

• 3/5ths of each slave counted as one person _ Every 5 slaves counted as 3 people

Legislative Branch

• congress

• makes laws

• override veto

Executive Branch

• president

• veto power

• executive order

Judicial Branch

• supreme court

• enforces laws

• declare laws unconstitutional (judicial review)

Separation of Powers: Check and Balances

• ensures one branch doesn't dominate another

Separation of Powers: Preamble

We the People begins the preamble to the const

• people are sovereign

Separation of Powers: Federation

• const based on federation

• relationship b/w federal and state govts

POTUS #1

• George Washignton

• 1789-97 (2 terms)

• stepped down from position

• sets many precedents

• only president unanimously elected

• federalist

• received every vote in electoral college

George Washington's Precedents: Cabinet (group)

• Alexander Hamilton (treasurer)

• built up monetary system

• gw's right hand man

• died in a duel

• had us assume leftover war debt to obtain credit, trade of w/ virginians

• Thomas Jefferson (sec. of state)

Henry Know (war)

George Washington's Precedents: Built the Nation

• added "So Help Me God" to presidential oath

George Washington's Precedents: Resignation

• stepped down after 2 terms

Whiskey's Rebellion

Virginia famers making whiskey from corn

• alexander Hamilton taxed(exized) on farmers

• led to protests among farmers (1500)

• WA showed up w/ 15,000 soldiers

Election of 1800

• Thomas Jefferson defeats incumbent John Adams

• 1st new party (democratic republican)

• doubles the size of U.S. w/ Louisiana Purchase (1802, from France, 15 million)

• new border to rockies; major port city of new Orleans now in US hands; great for trade and business

Lewis and Clark Expedition

• Meriwether Lewis secretary for T.J.

• sent by POTUS (Thomas Jefferson) to map out the west via Louisiana territory & pave the future for US expansion (2 years)

• make relations w/ Natives, find new waterways

• discovered many new animal and plant species

• native American tribes' life changed

Thomas Jefferson: 2nd Term

• troublesome for T.J.

• conflict w/ England and France

• orders Embargo Act ( restricts trade w/ both countries)

• hurts U.S. business tremendously

Thomas Jefferson

• pro france

• II amend. vice pres not incumbent

• anti federalist

POTUS #4 James Madison 1808-1816

• his wife first lady (rescues portrait of GW)

• right hand man to TJ

• War of 1812 vs Britain (again)

• doubles size of army, added several ships to Navy

• led army in battle

War of 1812

• caused by British impressment (kidnapping US soldiers)

• blockading U.S. shipping; Madison got Congressional War Declaration(narrowest vote in history)

• no new territory gained by either side, however, WH burned down and other parts of DC

War of 1812: Battle of New Orleans

• U.S. wins major battle, while Treaty of Ghent signed

• emergence of America (nationalism)

• boom in technology, economy, canal erie

Fort McKenry - successes, inspires national anthem, leads to treaty

POTUS #5 James Monroe (2 terms)

• last founding father

• cotton gin- Eli Whitney "Era of Good Feelings" b/c of no war

• Madison's secretary of state

"Era of Good Feelings"

• economic boom time in US

• Erie Canal: increased US business, shipping from Midwest to east coast

• Monroe introduces interchangeable parts from IR

Henry Clays; "American System"

• improved US roads, canals, better banks, and a high tariff(tax on imports), did NOT tackle slavery

• senator

Monroe's Doctine

• forbids any future European colonization in W. Hemisphere, MAJOR step for U.S. powers

20th century, Spanish America, Panama Canal, blocks Soviet ships from Cuba

Missouri Compromise

• MI enters union as a slave state

• maine as a free state

Slavery

• Washington and Jefferson thought slavery would die out

Ratification

Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

revision

the act of rewriting something

New Jersey Plan

• small state plan

• One house of Congress

• All states have one vote

• Equal representation

• unicameral

1787 Constitutional Convention

to revise the Articles of Confederation in Philadelphia, PA

James Madison

Father of the Constitution

Alexander Hamilton

Secretary of Treasury under Washington - deal with economic plan

Geogre Washington

Commander of the Continental Army presided over convention

William Paterson

proposed (suggested) the New Jersey Plan

Edmund Randolph

proposed (suggested) the Virginia Plan

Roger Sherman

proposed (suggested) the Great Compromise

Representation - slave counted as people

South

Taxation - Slaves considered property (counted for taxes)

North

Preamble to the Constitution

Introduction to the U.S. Constitution , establishing the goals and purposes of government

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution (ratification)

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution (ratification)

Favor a Federal System with power divided between state and federal government

Federalists

Who were your Federalists:

Large landowner, merchants, artisans, and coastal farmers

feared a weakening of the state/ a too strong central government and wanted a Bill of Right

Anti-Federalists

Who were your Anti-Federalists:

western farmers

The five weakness of the Articles of Confederation

• Lack of power in the document, Weak Central Government

• No money / power to tax

• boundary and border disputes

• states blaming each other

• No respect from other countries(France, Germany and others)