The New Nation Part 1

Overview of the Outline: Creating the United States, The New Nation

  • Timeframe of Study: Late 1770s to Early 1780s
    • Corresponds with the Revolutionary War, focusing on political challenges and government formation.

The Articles of Confederation

  • Definition

    • First constitution of the United States, designed to create a loose confederation among the 13 states post-independence.
    • Established to maintain a weak national government in contrast to powerful state governments.

  • Historical Context

    • Articles were drawn up beginning in 1776 following the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) and were enacted in 1777.

  • Structure of Government Under the Articles

    • Single Branch Government: A legislature known as the Confederation Congress.
    • Representation: Each of the 13 states was represented in Congress by a delegation of 2 to 7 individuals; however, voting was structured as one state, one vote.

  • Voting Requirements

    • Simple majority (7 out of 13 states) required for routine Congress decisions.
    • Major decisions, like declaring war or peace treaties, required a two-thirds majority (9 out of 13 states).
    • Amendment process required unanimous consent from all states and their individual governments, making it inflexible and challenging.

Issues with the Articles of Confederation

  • Weak National Government

    • There was a deliberate effort to ensure that the states retained greater power than the national government, as a response to colonial experiences with British tyranny.
    • National government was seen as remote and potentially tyrannical.

  • Operational Challenges

    • Congress often struggled to meet a quorum (at least 7 states present) to conduct business, worsened by the ongoing Revolutionary War.
    • Congress was often forced to relocate due to British control of Philadelphia and other areas.

  • Financial Limitations

    • The national government had little capacity for raising revenue, only allowed a land value tax determined by individual states.
    • Lack of centralized authority made tax collection ineffective, leading to financial crises for the national government.

Development of State Constitutions

  • Instruction to States

    • Following independence, states were encouraged to draft their constitutions based on popular sovereignty.

  • Structure of State Governments

    • Most states established republican systems of government.
    • Common practices included unicameral or bicameral legislatures, with significant power vested in legislatures and limited powers given to governors to avert tyranny.

Voting Rights in Early U.S. Government

  • Overview of Restrictive Voting Practices

    • Property Requirements: Most states imposed property prerequisites to vote, correlating voting rights with socioeconomic class. Higher property ownership was often required to hold public office.
    • Race Restrictions: While race-based restrictions existed, they were less entrenched in the early years; by 1790, some states like Massachusetts allowed black men to vote under property requirements, but the Naturalization Act of 1790 began to restrict citizenship to free white persons only.

  • Gender Limits in Voting Rights

    • Women were generally excluded from voting, with a brief exception in New Jersey for a small number of women due to property ownership before their disqualification in 1807.

The Issue of Slavery and Equality

  • Contradiction in Ideals

    • The language of equality and liberty from the Declaration of Independence clashed with the ongoing practice of slavery.
    • Early state constitutions grappled with this contradiction, leading to different patterns of emancipation.

  • Gradual Emancipation

    • Instituted first by Pennsylvania in 1780, allowing children born to enslaved mothers to be freed at age 28, which extended slavery for years without truly abolishing it.

  • Regional Dynamics Regarding Slavery

    • Northern states began to eliminate slavery (e.g., Massachusetts through court cases), whereas Southern states remained dependent on slavery for economic survival, creating a stark divide.

Conclusion

  • Summary of Key Points

    • Articles of Confederation created a weak national government intentionally to avoid centralized tyranny.
    • Significant challenges existed in governance, financial practices, and political representation within the states during the Revolutionary period.
    • As the young nation developed, inconsistencies arose regarding voting rights, race, gender, and the practice of slavery, setting the stage for future conflicts in American history.

  • Future Discussion

    • The next discussion will focus on the crises facing the Confederation and the push towards forming a new governmental structure.