Chapter #9: The Confederation and the Constitution 1.

The Articles of Confederation, the first government set up after the American Revolution, was structured out of fear of a too-strong government. Therefore, the Articles were very weak on purpose. 2. Two things showed the Articles as being too weak to the point of being sterile: (a) it could not regulate commerce and the money situation was growing dim fast and (b) Shays Rebellion frightened many to the possibility that mobs might just take over and the government might be too weak to stop them. Due to these reasons, the Constitutional Convention was held. 3. The Constitution was written as something of a balancing act between strengthening the government, yet making sure it doesnt get too strong to take over. The resulting government was indeed stronger, but also a system of checks and balances were put into place to ensure no one branch becomes like the king had been. 4. After some negotiating, mostly with the promise of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution was ratified. IDENTIFICATIONS: John Lockes Second Treatise of Government John Locke's Second Treatise of Government stated the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and property and that government existed solely to protect those rights. It states his disagreement with the ideal of divine right to rule and proposes the idea of a social contract that exists between a government and its citizens. If the government fails to uphold the rights of the people, then the people have the right to overthrow and start anew. Federalist #10 This went against the common idea that a republican government could be applied over a large are of land. Republican Government Republican government is based on the idea of representation and popular sovereignty. There is a strong emphasis and civic virtue, as evidenced by the role of women after the war. This was influential in the Revolution and was seen as the alternative to monarchical rule. Land Ordinance of 1785 The Land Ordinance of 1785 stated that the lands of the Old Northwest should be sold in order to help pay off the national debt. The lands were divided into townships. Land Ordinance of 1787 The Land Ordinance of 1787 dictated how the Old Northwest would be governed. It was also a compromise: it would start with temporary subordination to a federal government but end with permanent equality with other states. It also forbade slavery. Necessary and Proper Clause The Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress the power to make any laws that it sees fit as "necessary and proper" in order to execute its powers. Federalist Papers The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays written by Jay, Hamilton, and Madison that were spread throughout the colonies, especially New York, in an attempt to spread the idea of ratifying the Constitution.

Shays Rebellion Shays Rebellion took place in western Massachusetts and was staged by Shay and debtors in order to lower taxes and seek help with property foreclosures. Although the rebellion was put down quickly, this was a direct translation of the fear of many of the founding fathers regarding mobs and their power. Annapolis Convention The Annapolis Convention preceded the Philadelphia Convention and was initially called in 1786 in order to fix the problems of commerce and trade. Although only representatives from five states showed up, this would eventually lead to the Philadelphia Convention. Philadelphia Convention In 1787, Alexander Hamilton called for the Philadelphia Convention in order to amend the Articles of Confederation, although the convention ends up scrapping the Articles and creating the Constitution that we have today. Delegated Powers Delegated powers are powers dictated by the Constitution to the central government. Reserved Powers Reserved powers are any powers or rights that the Constitution has not explicitly stated or given to the central government, leaving it up to the state to interpret such powers. Concurrent Powers Concurrent powers are any powers that are shared by both the state governments and the central government. Supremacy Clause The Supremacy Clause is a clause in the Constitution that states that federal law and the Constitution become the "law of the land", meaning that they overrule any state laws. Anti-Federalists Anti-Federalists were enemies of the Federalists and directly opposed the Constitution. They stated that it was aristocratic and antidemocratic and were concerned that it left out a bill of rights. They feared that the Constitution would take away power from the people and give it to the central government. GUIDED READING QUESTIONS: The Pursuit of Equality Know: Leveling, Society of the Cincinnati, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Abigail Adams, Republican Motherhood, John Singleton Copley 1. What social changes resulted from the American Revolution? There were many social changes that resulted from the American Revolution, including a reduction in the propertyholding requirements for voting and the separation of church and state. Slavery was challenged in many states, although it could not be abolished as such an action would lead to a break in national unity. Most women still could not vote, but their role was crucial to the survival of the nation. Constitution Making in the States Know: State Constitutions, Fundamental Law 2. What was the importance of the state constitutions? The state constitutions were important because, for the first time, their power was based on the power of the people and not the king. Their similarities allowed for an easy drafting of the federal constitution. They defined the power

of the government, while setting it up for failure by purposely creating weak judicial and executive branches and overpowering the legislatures. Economic Crosscurrents Know: Navigation Laws, Empress of China, Speculation 3. What were the positive and negative effects of the war on America? The Revolutionary War allowed the states to take any lands than formerly belonged to the king and distribute them. The manufacturing industry peaked due to nonimportation agreements and the war. America did lose trade with the British, while foreign markets helped to reduce the effect. The economic and social atmosphere overall was sickening. A Shaky Start toward Union Know: Natural Rights 4. Why was the end of the war difficult on the national government? The end of war went to show that it was difficult for the Americans to build upon a new type of government and ensure that it would last. The forces that had kept Americans united before the revolution were now gone, leaving almost nothing to hold the states together. American industries suffered due to competition from prospering British industries. There was hope, however, in the great political leadership in men like Washington, Madison, and Jefferson.

Creating a Confederation Know: Sovereignty, Articles of Confederation 5. What forces served to unify the separate states during the war? Disunity plagued the lands with the states being sovereign and the western lands being the source of trouble for many of the states. Congress was able to unify the states and ratify the Articles of Confederation by promising to use the western lands to create future states that would become part of the Union. The Articles of Confederation: America's First Constitution 6. What weaknesses plagued the Articles of Confederation? What was good about it? The Articles of Confederation left the Congress almost powerless in terms of being able to run the country. It was unable to regulate commerce, could not enforce the collection of taxes, and could not even protect itself from individual state governments. Any amendment of the Articles of Confederation required unanimity from all the states, making it almost impossible. The Articles were good in that they were a landmark in government and held together the states until a strong constitution was formed. Landmarks in Land Laws Know: Old Northwest, Land Ordinance of 1785, Northwest Ordinance of 1787 7. Explain the importance of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance. The Land Ordinance of 1785 stated that the land of the Old Northwest should be sold and used in order to help pay off the national debt, all while serving to create townships. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided a means of governing the Old Northwest successfully. This method included two steps: temporary subordination, then permanent equality. The World's Ugly Duckling Know: Natchez, Dey of Algiers 8. Using examples, explain the title of this section. The title refers to the story of the ugly duckling, which was shunned as a young duckling. America, in its early years, was shunned by the majority of the world powers. The British still resented the Americans for the revolution and refused to engage in any activity. The Spanish were also unfriendly, as evidenced by their control of commerce

in the Americas and the befriending of Indian tribes. Finally, even France wanted the Americans to pay the debt. This title also implies that, like the ugly duckling, America will grow to be powerful. The Horrid Specter of Anarchy Know: Shay's Rebellion, Mobocracy 9. Were the United States of America in danger of falling apart under the Articles of Confederation? Explain. The United States continued to fail economically and individual state desires caused disunity. Shay's Rebellion showed how unprepared the United States was in its ability to repel a simple rebellion and take control of its citizens. Mobocracy was the idea that the Revolution had created a society in which mobs of citizens would rule. All this contributed to the idea that the United States could not prosper under the Articles. A Convention of "Demigods" Know: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry 10. What kind of men gathered in Philadelphia for the "sole and express purpose of revising" the old government? Most of the men that gathered in Philadelphia were representatives who were members of a group of propertied men. They were mostly high-caliber men with experience and prestige, allowing them to add each of their own thoughts to the revision of the Articles of Confederation. Washington was seen as the member with the most prestige; Franklin took the part of an elder statesman; Madison made crucial contributions; Hamilton advocated a powerful central government. Patriots in Philadelphia 11. How does George Washington's quote, "We have, probably, had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation." help to explain the purposes of our founding fathers. The founding fathers, at the start of the revolution, was too dependent on the purity of human nature in order to create a nation that would be effective yet powerful. After seeing the failure of the Articles of Confederation, the founding fathers changed their purpose to creating a government that would be able to preserve the union, ensure the security of life and property, and prevent anarchy by granting the central authority with true power. Hammering out a Bundle of Compromises Know: Virginia (large state) Plan, Bicameral Legislature, New Jersey (small state) Plan, Great Compromise, Electoral College, Three-fifths Compromise 12. Describe the compromises that were achieved by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The Great Compromise combined the "large-state plan" and the "small-state plan" in order to create a bicameral legislature in which the House of Representatives and the Senate that we know today was created. The Three-Fifths Compromise, if it can be considered a compromise at all, stated that a slave represented three-fifths of a person to avoid conflict between the North and the South. Safeguards for Conservatism Know: Checks and Balances, Separation of Powers 13. How democratic was the Constitution as originally written? It had some elements of democracy, but was not democratic in some aspects. They were paranoid of the mob and manhood-suffrage democracy, leading to the creation of certain barriers to ensure that such ideals would not prevail. However, the Constitution was democratic in that is stated that the government had to be based on the consent of the governed and it would be limited. The Clash of Federalists and Anti- federalists Know: Anti- federalists, Federalists 14. Who were the anti- federalists and why did they oppose the Constitution? Antifederalists were those who were against a stronger federal government, and they opposed the Constitution because they saw it as an effort by the Federalists to take power from the people in order to restore it for the upper classes. They saw the Constitution as somewhat aristocratic and antidemocratic.

The Great Debate in the States 15. Did most of the states approve of the Constitution? Why? Most of the states approved of the Constitution because the situation was seen as a comparison between the Constitution and the incompetent Articles of Confederation. In addition, the promise to add a bill of rights swayed more states that contained antifederalist ideals. The Four Laggard States Know: Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, The Federalist 16. Explain some of the opposition to ratification of the Constitution? The ratification of the Constitution was hindered by the efforts of the antifederalist opposition. Patrick Henry claimed to see the death of liberty in the Constitution, and Hamilton went to great lengths to convince New York to ratify the Constitution. A Conservative Triumph 17. What does your text mean when it says that the Constitution, "...elevated the ideals of the Revolution even while setting boundaries to them."? The Constitution was able to advance the very ideals that the Revolution began on: those of republicanism and democracy. While many of those ideals were too radical to push for in the Constitution, more moderate forms were included and that is what is meant by "setting boundaries to them." Chapter #10: Launching the New Ship of State 1. Alexander Hamilton, get the U.S. on a solid foothold. With the Bill of Rights quickly ratified, the top problem the new nation faced was financial in nature. 2. Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton developed a plan that included (a) starting a national tariff, (b) starting a tax on whiskey, (c) setting up a national bank, and (d) paying off the national debt. 3. Politics quickly fell into two camps: (a) those who followed Thomas Jefferson became the DemocraticRepublicans and (b) those who followed Alexander Hamilton became the Federalists. 4. Turmoil broke out Europe with the French Revolution, mostly between England and France. The U.S. nearly got sucked into European issues, but both Washington and John Adams kept the America out of war. This was best for the U.S.

IDENTIFICATIONS: Washingtons Cabinet Washington's cabinet was the first presidential cabinet and included a three-man team of Jefferson, Hamilton, and Knox. Jefferson and Hamilton were enemies from the beginning, so his cabinet was as efficient as it could have been. Hamilton usually played the main role in Washington's cabinet. Judiciary Act of 1789 The Judiciary Act of 1789 was just one of many actions that Congress took, and it had a profound effect on the United States. It established effective federal courts and the Supreme Court, creating a balance between the three powers of the central government. Federalists Federalists were those who supported Hamilton and Adams. They also supported the creation of the Constitution and had a loose interpretation of it. Their main beliefs were in a strong central government and

they did not believe in the creation of a bill of rights because they thought they were represented strongly enough in the Constitution. Democratic-Republicans Anti-Federalists became Democratic-Republicans under the leadership of Jefferson, and they had the same beliefs. They didn't support the ratification of the Constitution because they thought that it gave too much power to the central government. They demanded a bill of rights be added in exchange for ratification. Hamiltons vision vs. Jeffersons vision Hamilton and Jefferson's views differed a lot. Hamilton, being a Federalist, supported the Constitution and had a loose interpretation of it. Jefferson, being a Democratic-Republican, did not support the Constitution as much as Hamilton did and had a very strict interpretation. Hamilton believed in a strong central government, while Jefferson preferred an emphasis on states and citizen's rights. Report on Manufactures and Report on the Public Credit These are both reports on economic policy written by Hamilton. They discuss the nation's debt and the individual state debts as well. He writes about methods in which they can stimulate the economy using certain policies. Jays Treaty Jay's Treaty was widely viewed as a betrayal of the American nation by Jay. In this treaty, Jay made American seem as if it was surrendering to the British, as the Americans had very little concessions compared to those of the British. While Britain agreed to pay America for the ships, America had to repay debt owed to Britain from the revolution. Pinckneys Treaty Pinckney's Treaty was a treaty between the United States and Spain that stated that the United States had the right to transport goods using the Mississippi River and that they could also store such goods in the port of New Orleans. Washingtons Farewell Address Washington's Farewell Address was similar to his style in that it was never delivered in a speech and only presented in the newspapers. The most important part of the speech was his advice regarding not forming permanent alliances and only forming temporary ones, when they are necessary. Midnight appointments Midnight appointments are a term referring to the actions of President John Adams after the enactment of the Judiciary Act of 1801. This allowed Adams to choose members of the Federalist Party and place them in the judicial system, often right before the end of his term. Revolution of 1800 The Revolution of 1800 refers to the election of Jefferson. It is called a revolution because the change of the presidency from that of a Federalist to that of a Democratic-Republican was, in essence, without much violence. Judiciary Act of 1801 The Judiciary Act of 1801 is better known as the Midnight Judges Act, referring to the fact that President Adams could nominate members of the Federalist Party to become judges and other court officials. These nominations often took place right before his term expired.

XYZ Affair The XYZ Affair occurred when American envoys went to meet the French foreign minister, Talleyrand, but were instead greeted by three French agents who demanded a quarter of a million dollars to simply talk. This was an insult to the Americans and incited much controversy. Chisholm v Georgia The decision of Chisholm v Georgia can be seen as the first major court decision of the Supreme Court and it led to the enactment of the Eleventh Amendment. GUIDED READING QUESTIONS: Washington for President Know: George Washington, Cabinet, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox 1. Was Washington an important president? Explain. Washington was an important president in my opinion. He was the first president, making him the example for future presidents. One of the most important things that he did was setting up a cabinet with experienced and efficient men. He also epitomizes what a president should be like: undistracted by the social world and concentrated on getting the job done. The Bill of Rights Know: James Madison, Ninth Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Judiciary Act, John Jay 2. What important steps were taken by the first congress? The first Congress fulfilled their promise of creating a bill of rights with the first ten amendments to the Constitution. These ten amendments, more commonly known as the Bill of Rights, protect basic rights and the principles upon which America was created. In addition, the Judiciary Act of 1789 created effective federal courts and the Supreme Court. Hamilton Revives the Corpse of Public Credit Know: Funding at Par, Assumption of State Debts 3. How did Alexander Hamilton's economic plans lead to the District of Columbia? Alexander Hamilton, from the beginning, shaped government policies to favor the wealthy in order to gain support for the central government. He funded the entire national debt "at par" and had the central government assume the entirety of the state debts as well. Because Virginia had a small debt, it instead asked for the federal district to be located on the Potomac River. Customs Duties and Excise Taxes Know: Revenue Tariffs, Protective Tariffs, Excise Taxes 4. Explain Hamilton's overall economic plan for America. Hamilton planned to pay off the national debt slowly, but also keep it because it kept the union together. This was because the people to whom the government owed money would be more interested in Hamilton's success. His first of many responses to paying off the debt was the use of tariffs. Hamilton Battles Jefferson for a Bank Know: Bank of the United States, Strict Construction, Loose Construction, Elastic Clause 5. How did the issue of the Bank of the United States reveal a difference in understanding about the Constitution between Jefferson and Hamilton? In Hamilton's proposition to create a Bank of the United States in order to stimulate business and create a stable national currency, Hamilton and Jefferson took different sides in their interpretation of the Constitution. Jefferson had a strict interpretation, meaning that he viewed anything the Constitution did not permit as forbidden. Hamilton had a loose interpretation, meaning that he viewed anything the Constitution did not forbid as permitted.

Mutinous Moonshiners in Pennsylvania Know: Whiskey Rebellion 6. Was the Whiskey Rebellion a victory for freedom, order, or both? Explain. The Whiskey Rebellion was a victory for order. The citizens of America saw the taxes put upon them as bothersome, and took matters into their own hands. However, as the rebellion grew more troublesome for the central government, it took necessary force to crush it and ensure that order would follow. The Emergence of Political Parties Know: Factions, Parties 7. Why did political parties develop during George Washington's presidency? Were they good or bad? Political parties developed during Washington's presidency due to the division between Hamilton and Jefferson and their supporters. They were good in one sense because they kept the government in balance, ensuring that politics never drifted too far away from the people. They were bad too, however, due to the extreme division they caused between two groups in a country struggling to prosper. The Impact of the French Revolution Know: Democratic-Republicans, Federalists, French Revolution, Reign of Terror 8. In what way did the French Revolution expose the differing views of Democratic-Republicans and Federalists? The French Revolution, in all its ideals and violence, showed the true split between Democratic-Republicans and Federalists. At the beginning, the peaceful part of the French Revolution displeased only a few radically conservative Federalists. As it grew more violent, however, the Federalists began to oppose the French Revolution entirely. The Jeffersonians, as wise as they were, saw the death of the aristocrats as a cheap price to pay for human freedom. Washington's Neutrality Proclamation Know: Franco-American Alliance, Neutrality Proclamation, Citizen Genet 9. Explain the reasoning for and against Washington's Neutrality Proclamation. Washington, as a calm and collected figure, saw that America would only suffer if it joined the war against Britain. It was militarily, economically, and politically weak. At the time, America was just beginning to grow in power and stability, and Washington realized that joining a war at this time would only shatter what stability they had reached. Embroilments with Britain Know: Anthony Wayne, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Treaty of Greenville 10. How did British actions towards Native Americans and American merchant ships incite many Americans? The British openly sold firearms to Indian tribes that were in conflict with Americans, therefore indirectly helping to defeat American armies. The British seizure of Americans merchant ships and mistreatment of the seamen only made the Americans at home angrier, yet Washington refused to do anything, recognizing that economic development in America depended on trade with what was the world's largest commercial empire at the time. Jay's Treaty and Washington's Farewell Know: Jay's Treaty, Farewell Address 11. Did John Jay betray American interests in Jay's Treaty. John Jay single-handedly ruined the second term of Washington and completed the break between the Jeffersonians and the Federalists. He won few concessions, yet managed to make the Americans look like they had surrendered to the British. Jay's Treaty also played a part in Washington's retirement. John Adams Becomes President Know: John Adams, High Federalists 12. What handicaps did John Adams face as he became president? John Adams had the responsibility of becoming president and doing as well as Washington did before him. He had to deal with Hamilton, who he found as an enemy, and conflicts with France that could just as easily become war.

Unofficial Fighting with France Know: John Marshall, XYZ Affair, "Millions for Defense, but Not One Cent for Tribute 13. What French actions brought America close to war in the closing years of the 18th century? French actions such as the seizing of defenseless American merchant ships and threatening to arrest the American envoy irritated the Americans. What really made them irate, however, was the XYZ Affair in which three French agents demanded a quarter of a million dollars to simply talk and a loan of 32 million florins. Adams Puts Patriotism above Party Know: Napoleon Bonaparte, Convention of 1800 14. How did avoiding war with France hurt John Adams' political career? John Adam, by avoiding war with the French, ignored the fact that fighting a war with France could award America with Florida, Louisiana, credibility to the Federalist party, and a second term. Instead, he sought peace, angering Hamilton and his group of war hawks. The Federalist Witch Hunt Know: Alien Laws, Sedition Act 15. Explain the reasons for the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Alien and Sedition Acts targeted aliens because the aristocratic Federalist Party looked down upon destitute European immigrants. They also saw the amount of unrestrained verbal violence and saw reason to act upon it. The Virginia (Madison) and Kentucky (Jefferson) Resolutions Know: Compact Theory, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, Nullification 16. Which was more dangerous to the US Constitution: the Alien and Sedition Acts or the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions? Explain. The Alien and Sedition Acts were more dangerous to the US Constitution. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were merely resolutions regarding the interpretation of the Constitution, whereas the Alien and Sedition Acts were clearly violations of the Constitution itself. Federalists versus Democratic-Republicans 17. What were some key differences between Federalists and Democratic Republicans? Federalists advocated rule by the best people and disliked the idea of complete democracy. The DemocraticRepublicans wanted a weak central government and advocated power for the states. They believed that without this, a dictatorship might develop, and that is why the power of the central government should be kept at a minimum.