Chapter 8 - The Critical Period and the Formation of American Values

Republic

• The US being a democratic republic showed its values of political wisdom + self-gov’t
• People vote for representatives who then make + enforce laws
• ^^The law states that the ruler of a republic, or president, must be obeyed by everyone as part of a social contract^^
• Citizens must be moral + responsible

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Civic Virtue

• If citizens work together for a common good, democracy can thrive
• Citizens must work for + sacrifice for society’s well-being

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American Dream

• ^^Geographical + social mobility^^ ^^allowed Americans to be more successful than their parents^^
• Opportunities + intelligence could lead to huge success
• However, there was the risk of people in higher classes slipping backward
• Freedom from oppression allowed Americans to pursue their dreams
• People were able to live a longer + more comfortable life in US

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Yeoman Farmers

• Made up the bulk of population
• Free/cheap land allowed them to push west as subsistence farmers
• Land fever + hopes of the American Dream led to high migration west
• Thomas Jefferson believed that rural Americans are key citizens

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Critical Period

• 1783-1789
• Ratification of the Articles of Confederation and later the ratification of the US Constitution
• Unless the states could find a way to be unified, a central gov’t was impossible
• ^^Constitution would allow the Founding Fathers to create a more lasting form of gov’t^^

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Articles of Confederation

• Ratified in 1781
• Created a “league of friendship” among the states
• CONS: No taxation + bad economic controls + no currency + no executive branch
• PROS: States gave western land claims to gov’t as income
• Revisions to the Articles were made at the Annapolis Convention + the Constitutional Convention

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Order of the Cincinnati

• 1783
• ^^Secret society of Revolutionary War officers^^
• Washington prevented the formation of a noble class in society

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Land and Northwest Ordinance

• 1785 - Land Ordinance is passed
• 1787 - Northwest Ordinance is passed
• Organized western lands
• The land from the Ohio River Valley to the Great Lakes was surveyed + sold
• Supported education
• Banned slavery from territory

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Penitentiary

• ^^Prisons for criminals to be penitent (repent for sins)^^
• Criminals were forced into solitary confinement with Bibles
• Targeted to improve lives of all citizens
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens pushed for no European capital punishment in the US
• Eventually a reformed criminal justice system included less executions + more penitentiaries

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Republican Motherhood

• 1776
• Societal reform at home
• Mothers were nurturing future responsible citizens
• Placed greater importance on children

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Cult of Domesticity

• ^^Believed that republican motherhood was stifling to American women and forced them into domestic roles^^
• Feminists believed that women don’t belong in the home

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Tariffs

• Taxing imported goods
• Making imported manufactured goods more expensive allowed domestic manufacturers to compete
• States were allowed to put tariffs on other states
• Northerners wanted strong protective tariffs
• Southerners disliked tariffs and didn’t want them at all

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Shays’ Rebellion

• 1786-1787
• Massachusetts didn’t have paper currency + refused to help farmers against Native American attacks
• ^^An armed rebellion under Daniel Shays almost captured the federal arsenal at Springfield^^
• Eventually the gov’t put down the rebellion + captured Shays
• The incident provided an incentive to strengthen fed. gov’t

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Constitutional Convention

• 1787 - Meeting in Philadelphia
• James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington
• The Constitution was influenced by the Enlightenment + the Founding Fathers’ personal experience
• Focused on the idea of compromises + checks & balances
• 1788 - Ratified US Constitution

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James Madison

• Understudy of Thomas Jefferson
• ^^Drafted Virginia state constitution + Virginia Plan + Bill of Rights^^
• 1789 - Enters House of Representatives
• Secretary of State + President
• Wrote notes on Constitutional Convention

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US Constitution

• Biggest achievement of Revolution
• Preamble
• Provided the foundation for a stable gov’t + guided American people
• Able to be amended

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New Jersey Plan

• Created by William Patterson of New Jersey
• Small-state plan
• Citizens would elect the president BUT he would have no veto
• ^^Suspicious of larger states + strong central gov’t^^
• Equal representation of all states (regardless of size)
  • Angered larger states with more citizens to represent

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Virginia Plan

• Created by James Madison
• Influenced US Constitution
• Benefitted larger states

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Enumerated Powers

• ^^The powers granted to the Federal government, and specifically Congress, which are mostly listed in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution^^
• Each article enumerates key duties for each branch of gov’t

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Elastic Clause

• Opening for expansion of federal power
• “Necessary and proper” clause
• Used heavily by Alexander Hamilton

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Checks and Balances

• ^^Government branches hold each other in check^^
• Had both support + opposition
• However, it was later realized to be necessary

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The Great Compromise

• 1787
• Created by Roger Sherman of Connecticut
• ^^US Senate would have 2 senators from each state (equal representation)^^
• House of Representatives would have representatives based on population

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Ratification

• States asked to approve new Constitution
• Special state conventions
• 1788 - 9th state ratified Constitution and it became the “supreme law of the land”

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Three-Fifths Compromise

• 1787
• ^^Count ⅗ of slaves in Southern states for representation in House of Representatives^^
• Indirectly sanctioned slavery

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BIG PICTURE

• Independence → Optimistic outlook + unique society
• American life - Optimistic + expected better life
• Articles of Confederation - Difficult to unify states
• US Constitution - More power for fed. gov’t + autonomy for states
• Compromise - 3 branches + large & small states + northern & southern states

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• Trenton and the Patriot Cause
  • George Washington + Continental Army crossed Delaware River to attack British camp @ Trenton on Christmas
  • Provided supplies + boosted morale + many soldiers re-enlisted
• Patriot Women during the Revolution
  • Wartime sacrifices - Fewer goods, higher prices, more sacrifice
  • More work - Take over husband’s/father’s work while @ war
• Loyalists
  • Professed loyalty to the Crown
  • Threatened & treated badly after Revolution
  • Fled to England, Canada, Caribbean → Left behind possessions

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