HIST 1301 CHAPTER 7 PART 3
What events and ideas led to the belief in 1786 and 1787 that the Articles of Confederation were not working well?
1-Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size 2-Congress didn't have the power to tax, or to regulate foreign and interstate commerce 3-There was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress 4-There was no national court system 5-Amendments to the Articles of Confederation required a unanimous vote 6-Laws required a 9/13 majority to pass in Congress
What were the major arguments in against the Constitution put forth by the Anti-federalist?
1-The Antifederalists thought the Constitution gave the Federal government too much control over commerce; they thought that laws regarding commerce should not be passed except by 3/4 of each chamber of Congress. 2-The Antifederalists thought the Federal government should not have so much power over the state militias as the Constitution gave it. 3-The Antifederalists thought the Constitution gave the President too much power and he would end up being like a king. 4-The Antifederalists thought each state should have the same vote in Congress. 5-The Antifederalists thought that if the Federal government could tax the people directly, it would use this taxing power to raise and spend far more money than good government needs and would grow far bigger and more oppressive than good government needs to be. 6-The Antifederalists pointed out that the Constitution did not guarantee freedom of speech and other freedoms that Englishmen and British Americans had long enjoyed.
What were the major arguments in support of the Constitution given by the Federalists?
1-The Federalists thought a simple majority was sufficient, as the Constitution provided. 2-The Federalists thought the Federal government should have power over the state militias. 3-The Federalists wanted a powerful president. 4-Some Federalists thought more populous states should have more votes in Congress. Some Federalists thought wealthier states should have more votes in Congress. 5-The Federalists pointed out that under the Articles of Confederation, the Confederation government could not directly tax the people, thus it could not repay foreign debts, it could not mount a respectable foreign diplomacy, it could not provide for an effective national defense. 6-Federalists said that it did not need to guarantee them because it did not give the government permission to violate them.
What were the achievements and problems of the Confederation government?
Achievements: helped win war, Land Ordinance of 1785 and NW Ordinance of 1787, convinced states to give up claims to western lands Problems: -Financial->Could not tax the states to pay off war debt, Depended on donations from the states Nonpayment of war debt => reduced foreign trade and limited credit => widespread economic depression -Foreign->US violated Treaty of Paris by failing to repay debt, Weak gov't couldn't stop Britain from restricting trade and keeping military outposts in the West -Domestic->Shays's Rebellion, Congress had no power to mediate interstate disputes or regulate trade, States were suspicious of each other + competed for economic advantage by trying to restrict movement of goods across state lines. Also States entered boundary disputes
What major disagreements and compromises molded the final content pf the constitution?
Difference quickly emerged over the proper balance between the federal and state governments and between interests of large and small states. Debate over slavery- the word slave and slavery did not appear in the Constitution. Issues: -Reform or start afresh? (new one) -Representation-> Virginia or New Jersey Plan? (Connecticut Plan--Great Compromise, bicameral Congress) -Powers of the President->How long? (4 years, unlimited reelection) How much power? (Commander in Chief of Army, Navy, and state militias, can veto a law, can make treaties, etc.) What limits? (Can be removed from office, cannot declare war, Senate can override veto, etc.) -Presidential Elections->Who elects? (Electoral College, each state gets certain # of electors, currently 270 needed to elect prez) -Slavery->Counted? (3/5ths compromise) Allowed under Constitution/Slave trade allowed? (Slave Trade Clause, slave trade would continue until at least 1808, Fugitive Slave Clause, slaves that fled would be returned) -Trade and Tariffs->protective tariff? could lead to foreign relaliation, support from south not north (Congress could regulate interstate & foreign trade, Congress could place tariffs on imported goods, Congress could not place taxes on exports) -Division of Powers->Federalism, diving & sharing power between states and national gov, who does what? (Nation Gov: presidential powers, Congressional powers, Legal Supremacy; States: regulate trade within the state, establish public schools, create traffic and other vehicle laws, regulate marriage and divorce practices, cannot print own money) -How to adopt Constitution? (Federalist vs. Anti-federalist--> if they could get 9/13 states to agree, would be instituted, let states have their own conventions to discuss first)
What were the ideas and motivations that pushed Americans to expand west?
Manifest Destiny, or the belief that it was American's God-given-right/responsibility to expand the United States boarders from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was used to urge the annexation of Texas and to encourage American settlement of European colonial and Indian lands in the west to build the American Empire. People moved west because there was rich land for farming, opportunities for business or self advancement, politicians could make a name for themselves in places that are underdeveloped and could gain a seat in the House or the Senate easier than if they were in New England, it was a place for fugitives to start a new life, and of course, there was the thought to expand slavery. There were also very high birth rates and increased immigration, better trade for maritime merchants, and slaves could have their freedom in the western territories. And last but not least, the gold rush started in California in the late 1940s. The Articles of Confederation and wanting to have control over public domain by way of possessing more land.
How did the definition of citizenship in the new republic exclude Native Americans and African-Americans
NATIVE AMERICANS: many Americans felt Indians were savages and unfit for citizenship-Indian tribes had no representation in the new government and were not counted in population in determining each state's number of congressmen-Congress forbade the transfer of Indian land without federal approval, but many states just ignored this and continued to negotiate their own agreements, some states even having open warfare with IndiansOne war: Americans suffered humiliating defeat at Battle of Fallen Timbers: lead to Treaty of Greenville of 1795while established the "annuity" system (yearly grants of federal money to Indian tribes)-But many prominent figures felt Indians were not inferior to whites and that they could ne full-fledged members of the republic by abandoning communal landholdings and hunting in favor of small-scale farmingoTried assimilating them by providing them tools and livestock and spinning wheels and looms to Indians but most tribes rejected AFRICAN AMERICANS: the status of African Americans was undetermined-Constitution does not define who in fact are citizens of the US: individual states were left free to determine the boundaries of liberty-In North, had gradual emancipation acts who worked for abolition and established school for black children-During the era of Revolution, free blacks enjoyed at least some of the legal rights of whites, but still couldn't be citizens-Many white Americans excluded blacks from their conception of the American people
How accurate was Hector St. John de Crevecoeur's description of America as a melting pot?
The "melting pot" is one of the strongest images of America's appropriation of diversity,melting differences into something new. "What then is the American, this new man? He is either a European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an English man, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life has has embraced, the new gov.
How did the limited central government created by the Articles of Confederation reflect the issues behind the Revolution and fears for individual liberties?
The Articles of Confederation aimed at balancing the necessity for national coordination of the independence war with the widespread fear that the centralized political authority posed a threat to freedom. The Articles clearly declared the new national government to be a perpetual union rather an authoritative power. They enabled the thirteen states to retain their individual "freedom, independence and sovereignty." Regardless of the size of any state, there was no judiciary to interpret the laws nor an official figure typically a president to implement them. All the important decisions in all the states had to be approved by all the nine states rather than in theprevious era when a simple majority would approve any decision. The Articles of Confederation granted the national government only one power, and that is conducting international affairs and making treaties with governments from other nations. They assisted in forming a firm league of close allies by forming a national government that saved the individual rights of each state. The Articles of Confederation portrayed some of the issues that led to the war on revolution. One of the issues was that the American society felt that the British authorities had too much power and as such the revolution was determined to come up with a new form of government that would limit the powers of the colonialist. As a result, the federal government
How did Anti-federalist concerns raised during the ratification process lead to the creation of Bill of rights
They did not like the gov and powers of the gov and wanted the people's rights to be listed so that they may defend themselves. insisted that the Constitution shifted the balance between liberty and power too far in the direction of power. Anti-Federalists also pointed to the Constitution's lack of a Bill of Rights, which left unprotected rights such as trial by jury and freedom of speech and the press.
The constitution has been described as a "bundle of compromises" which compromises were the most significant in shaping the direction of the new nation and why?
Whatever these leaders' personal desires, they had to compromise and adopt what was acceptable to the entirety of America, and what presumably would be suitable to the nation as a whole. There were many compromises made at the Constitutional Convention, such as representation, slavery, and laws concerning foreign/ interstate imports and exports. The compromise of most importance was named the "Great Compromise." After much argument, the Constitutional Confederation decided that the Congress would have two houses: the House of Representatives, and the Senate.
