Constitution

October 21 Homework Notes

  • Alexander Hamilton - New York lawyer. Advocated for a stronger national government to raise taxes.

  • James Madison - Persuaded the Virginia legislature to hold a national convention to overhaul the national government. Only five states sent representatives, but the following one had more support because of Shays Rebellion.

  • Also established that a central government consisting of a “supreme Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary” was necessary

  • Virginia Plan - Plan for two legislatures with both having representation based on population.

  • New Jersey Plan - Plan for one legislature where each state had equal representation.

  • The Great Compromise - Eventually decided to have two legislatures, one with equal representation (Senate) and one with population-based representation (House of Representatives).

  • Federalism - Division of powers between national and state governments.

  • Separation of Powers - Different branches of government did different things.

  • Checks and Balances - Branches of government can check each other’s power.

October 22 Class Notes

  • Congress under the Articles of Confederation controlled international diplomacy, resolving states’ disagreements, and the creation of a national army by requesting troops.

  • Congress couldn’t regulate interstate commerce, there was no national system of courts, it could only request taxes, couldn’t have a unified currency, and any changes required a unanimous vote.

  • 1780s Economic Crisis - US demand for farming from the Revolution fell, so the farmers who bought land and equipment during the war now had debt without much income.

  • Shays Rebellion (1786-1787) - Massachusetts had debtor laws, where those in debt would be imprisoned if they failed to pay. This angered many farmers. 

    • Daniel Shays was one farmer who felt that the legislature in Massachusetts didn’t represent the farmers in the west. He and other farmers held meetings and eventually decided to gather arms to make their voice heard.

    • The farmers tried to storm the Springfield Armory, but were stopped when a militia funded by Bostonian traders put them down.

October 22 Homework Notes

  • Federalists - Supporters of the Constitution. Supporters included Ben Franklin, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

    • The Federalist Papers - Series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay defending the Constitution.

  • Antifederalists - Didn’t like the Constitution. Supporters included Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams. Specifically wanted a bill of rights for all citizens.

  • George Washington was elected as the first president and John Adams was his vice president, since at the time, the second-place candidate became the vice president.

  • Bill of Rights - First ten amendments to the Constitution. Placed limitations on the government. Many of the amendments were vague, so they have been interpreted in many different ways. The judicial branch was never specified and the cabinet positions and offices weren’t mentioned.

  • Republicans - Believed that the government should be rural and agrarian. Supporters include Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

  • Alexander Hamilton - As secretary of the treasury, he wanted to combine all the states’ debt and allow bonds to be sold over them. He also wanted a national bank. His “Report on Manufactures” outlined how the US could prosper with a strong manufacturing sector. He also enacted an excise tax that was narrowly passed.

  • First Party System - Preliminary phenomenon where neither side admits it is acting as a party, nor would either concede the right of the other to exist.



  • Federalists = Strong national government, big national institutions such as the national bank, focus on manufacturing and trade.

  • Republicans = Small national government, small institutions, focus on rural and agricultural growth.