Unit 1: Foundations of the United States Government

Foundations of the United States Government and the Articles of Confederation

  • Initial Formation of the Federal Government: The United States federal government was established following the identified weaknesses and failures of the Articles of Confederation.

  • State Sovereignty: A defining characteristic of the Articles of Confederation was that individual states retained their sovereignty. This arrangement resulted in very little power being generated at the federal level.

Structural Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

  • Absence of Executive and Judicial Powers: Under the Articles of Confederation, the government structure was severely limited:

    • There was no executive branch.

    • There was no judicial branch.

    • The government consisted solely of a legislative branch.

  • Limitations of the Unicameral Congress: The legislative body was a unicameral (one-house) congress with restricted authority:

    • Regulation of Trade: The congress lacked the power to regulate trade between the various states.

    • Taxation: There was no ability to levy taxes at the federal level.

  • Impact of No Chief Executive: The absence of a chief executive made it extremely difficult for the United States to establish and maintain an "open system."

The Shift Toward a Stronger Central Government

  • Shays' Rebellion: This event served as a critical signal that a stronger federal government was necessary. It demonstrated that the current system was failing and that the country was not working effectively.

  • The Federalist Perspective:

    • Leaders such as Alexander Hamilton and others identified as Federalists argued for the necessity of a strong central government.

    • While Shays' Rebellion was a primary catalyst, there were multiple signals indicating that federal power needed to be improved.

The Constitutional Convention and the Great Compromise

  • The Debate Over Representation: During the Constitutional Convention, the largest point of debate concerned representation—specifically, how citizens should be represented within the new governmental system.

  • The Great Compromise: Discussions led to the creation of a bicameral (two-house) system to balance the interests of different states. This system consists of:

    • The Lower House (House of Representatives): Representation in this house is based strictly on the population of the state.

    • The Upper House (Senate): Representation in this house is equal for every state, regardless of size or population.

Anti-Federalist Concerns and the Bill of Rights

  • Opposition to the Constitution: The Anti-Federalists were those who opposed the new Constitution, fearing it granted too much power to the central government.

  • The Requirement for Civil Liberties: Anti-Federalists maintained that they would only sign and support the Constitution if there were explicit protections for civil liberties.

  • The Ratification Agreement: In order to reach an agreement for ratification (the formal approval of the Constitution), it was decided that a Bill of Rights would be added to the document.

Compromises Regarding Slavery

  • The Twenty-Year Clause: To ensure the support of Southern states, a compromise was reached stating that slavery could not be abolished for a period of at least 2020 years.

  • The Three-Fifths Compromise: This specific agreement addressed how enslaved populations would be counted for the purposes of both taxation and political representation:

    • Enslaved individuals would be counted as 35\frac{3}{5} (three-fifths) of a person.

    • This allowed Southern states to increase their representation in the House of Representatives based on their slave populations.