TEST 1 (Constitution through the Age of Jackson)

Federalist 51

"But it is not possible to give each department the power of self defense" (department means branch) -the federalist paper is all about checks and balances of government, puts civilian control over the military because the people elect the president and the president has power over the military -executive in Constitution is Commander in Chief of Army, Navy, and state militia when called into national service implications: -what happens if presidency is plural? IF we did plural then the army and navy would be controlled by two different people. -what happens if presidency is not truly separate from the legislative branch? IF the presidency is like a prime minister, then the legislature would have power over the military which means the states with the biggest population would have control

Pinckney's Plan

(proposed on the same day as the Virginia Plan) -bicameral legislature --the lower house, the House of Delegates, was elected by the people, with proportional representation --the upper house, the Senate, elected by the House of Delegates, four per states, with four-year terms -an executive called (called the president for the first time*) would be elected by the legislature -a council of revision consisting of the president and some or all of his Cabinet, with a veto over bills (cabinets are not constitutionally mandated today) -national veto power over any states legislation -established a judiciary **this plan made things worse because he tried to take credit for ideas that were not his own--this exemplifies the idea that the delegates were not working together

Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

-55 delegates gathered -Political leaders who were committed to the idea that the national government needed to be improved embraced the opportunity to attend -Political Leaders who were satisfied with the current system of government (Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, and George Clinton/Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York) stayed away -The 55 delegates that showed up were generally united in their belief that a stronger national government was vital to the survival of the new nation. -42 were current or former members of Congress -30 had fought in the Revolutionary War -8 signed the Declaration -ALL 55 were Republican, to the extent that they opposed a hereditary monarchy and supported some form of representative government -young ("young men of the revolution"): average age was 16 years old -ALL were white men -Nearly all lived in the long-settled coastal region (the backcountry frontier was hardly represented) -Almost all were prosperous--lawyers, plantation and large farm owners (only 2 delegates were small farmers even though 85% of the nation's white population were small farmers at the time i.e. the delegates were unrepresentative of the American people in terms of demographics) -25 delegates owned slaves

Precedents set by Washington

-Address the President as "Mr. President" -Consulted a cabinet of advisors (elected well-known cabinet members) -Gave the State of the Union address in person -Stepped down after two terms in office (refused to serve a third term) -Used military force to enforce the laws (Whiskey Rebellion)

Washington Controlling the Senate

-Advice and Consent of Treaties -Role in Foreign Affairs -Approval to confirm appointments

Washington: Advice and Consent

-Advice—only used once by Washington --Wanted a treaty with Creek Nation --Senate debated his treaty among themselves --"He'll be damned if he ever went there again"

Different ideas on the Election of the President

-Direct Election -Legislative Selection -Electoral College: ultimate decision

Washington's Cabinet

-Henry Knox (Secretary of War/Defense) -Thomas Jefferson (Sec. of State) -Alexander Hamilton (Sec. of Treasury)

Election of 1800

-Jefferson attacks the monarchist tendencies of the federalists to get his party going -Adams was mad that the Alien and Sedition acts did not shut up his opponents -Adams was not popular because he didn't remove anyone from office when he entered--I.e. he kept everyone from Washington's admin which included Jefferson supports -Democratic Republicans ran on a mostly rural farmer platform Republicans were swept into office in many states Reasons for the fall of the Federalists -the Alien and Sedition Acts angered many -passed an unpopular excise tax (on goods made and sold by farmers) -they spent a lot of money on 75,000 man army (Jefferson cuts the army to 3,000) -$12.8 million annual budget Election rhetoric: -Separation of Church and State: -Federalists said that Jefferson's (a deist) presidency would result in bible burnings and God would not want an atheist like Jefferson in office Breakdown: -The Federalists (John Adams) win New England and part of the South (65 electoral votes) -The Jeffersonians (Jefferson) won 73 electoral votes -Burr ran for the presidency himself -the Federalists still control the House, the house is to pick the president -under Hamilton's influence, the House (the Delaware delegation picks Jefferson

Events in Jefferson Presidency and his view on running government

-Louisiana Purchase -Marbury V Madison -Barbary Wars -Embargo Act -12th Amendment

The French Revolution

-President Washington issued a Proclamation of Neutrality, allowing US citizens to trade with all belligerents -most Americans welcomed the revolution because it abolished feudalism and established a constitutional monarchy -US was pro-british not French (under Washington and Adams)

Presidential Requirements

-at least 35 years old -natural born citizen or citizen at tome of Constitution's adoption -a U.S. resident for at least 14 years *you have to own property to vote, but NOT to run for president

Issues with Direct Election of the President

-big states would control who is elected president -transportation made this unfeasible -would removed the ⅗ clause which would allow the northern states to control the election

Creating the Presidency

-did not want a monarch or a colonial type governor -many did not want a president like the new state's governors (new states went overboard with new governors to compensate for having a king i.e. they made the governors switch out of office every two years because they didn't want a long tyrannical rule but this made the governors very weak) -the Articles had no chief executive which was problematic -Washington was very popular and the first choice for most people because Washington had small-pox so he couldn't have any kids which made him favorable because the presidency would not be passed down to his children (like a prince in a monarchy) this would promote voting because there was no Washington Jr. to elect -Agreed almost unitarily that there should be one president. There was a little debate but it was popular for there to be one president. -The older delegates were a little more fearful of one president having a lot of power and becoming like a king having lived through British rule and the revolution

Prosperity in Jefferson's Presidency

-early presidency has prosperity and peace with England and France just glaring at each other in Europe -pirates in Tripoli buckle in battle to American ships -Treasury starts to show surplus -Farmers (90% of population) happy with produce trading internally

First Election of Washington

-he did not initially want to be president but he thought the success of the nation was riding on him --he was always willing to surrender power, he surrendered power to Congress in 1783 -he was reluctant to serve a second term -he refused to serve a third term because he thought he would die in office (this set the precedent of two term presidencies) -he had more people working for him at Mount Vernon than in the entire new federal government (slaves, indentured servants, and others working on his property) -In 1789, there was a movement to turn the country into an elected monarchy, to turn Washington into a King like figure but he was not interested in that -liked to be called "his high mightiness" and referred to himself in the third person -he created the cabinet positions of Secretary/State, Treasury, and War and he consulted them frequently but he did not believe that they should speak with one voice -he understood the importance of symbols (portraits, birthday celebrations, two tours of the country)

Washington: term limit precedent

-he left at the end of the second term -he was healthy until the end of his second term -In 1799, 6 months before his death, the federalists tried to get him to run -he refused because party politics had taken over and personal influence and distinctions of character no longer matter

Different Ideas considered for the Presidency

-plural executive -executive council -unitary: almost all agreed there should be a one-person office (older delegates were more fearful of one president have all the power and becoming monarchical) -weak or powerful executive? (did not want a monarch or colonial type governor); many did NOT want a president like the new state's governors because they were weak -Washington was popular and the first choice of many (he had small-pox which made him sterile meaning there would be no Washington Jr. to take over after him)

Jefferson's election

-revolution of 1800 -first election the press played a major role in electing president -entered government promising to dismantle it -First president to take office in DC -required cabinet to submit written recommendations -Jefferson was a bad speaker

Strong State governments with Weak National Government and Weak State Governors

-taught that executive energy and responsibility are inversely proportional to the executive size -taught that a one-man executive is best -taught the value of integration -taught the necessity of executive appointments (civil and military) -taught the futility of legislative military control -taught the necessity of the veto as a protective measure for preventing unwise legislation -demonstrated the value of a fixed executive salary which legislature could not reduce -discredited the idea that the executive should be elected by the legislature without teaching the lesson of popular choice -created a new concept of a national government

Ideas on reelection and presidential terms

-we did not put a term limit on the presidency (Washington did not want to run for a third term, he voluntarily left office after his second term, because he did not want to die in the middle of the presidency and this set a precedent in which presidents did not run for more than two terms) --Teddy Roosevelt ran for four terms but then we added a term limit legislative selection: this would be more like a prime minister -if you want re-election, shorter terms were better: they wanted to allow for re-ection so they wanted shorter terms

Issues with Legislative Selection of the President

-this would allow big states (who have larger representation) dominate/select the president

Washington's Presidency: Overview

-to maintain continuity, he adopted many of the administrative practices of the Confederation and asked Congress to reestablish the existing executive departments (state (Thomas Jefferson), war (Henry Knox), and secretary (Hamilton)) -Bill of Rights -Hamilton's financial programs -Jay's treaty -policy towards Haiti: supported the Whites -Whiskey rebellion -ended with the highly partisan election of 1796

Hamilton on the Proclamation of Neutrality

-told Washington that in the absence of a declaration of war by Congress, the executive had full power to proclaim and enforce American neutrality -Moreover, he defended neutrality between Great Britain and France on its merits, claiming that the tumultuous events in France had deprived that nation of any permanent government, thereby abrogating the obligations of the 1778 treaty -Washington sided with him and passed the Proclaimation

Reasons for the Fall of Federalist

-unpopular excise tax -huge outlays for 75,000 man army -$12.8 million annual budget -Alien and Sedition Acts

Constitutional power of the President

1) Veto 2) Vesting Clause 3) Commander in Chief 4) Pardons and Reprieves 5) Make Treaties 6) Appointments and Commissions 7) Advisory Role to Congress 8) Convene and Adjourn Congress 9) Receive Ambassadors 10) Take Care Clause

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1804-1806 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by Jefferson to map and explore the Louisiana Purchase region and even go beyond the land purchased Beginning at St. Louis, Missouri, the expedition travelled up the Missouri River to the Great Divide, and then down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. -the group traveled to the towns of the Mandan and Hidatsa people and stayed there for the winter -in the spring, they trekked into unknown country going with Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife, Sacagawea -the expedition led them far beyond the land acquired in the Louisiana Purchase --It produced the first extensive maps of the area and recorded many scientific discoveries, greatly facilitating later settlement of the region and travel to the Pacific coast. allowed many Americans to visualize a union that covered the content -Jefferson obtained approval from Congress for a literary and scientific pursuit in order to allow L and C to venture past the purchased lands to map out water routes

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade) -approved by the Continental Congress in November 1777. -provided for a loose union in which each state retained sovereignty. -Important laws needed the approval of nine of thirteen states, and changes in the Articles required unanimous consent -The Confederation could declare war, make treaties with foreign nations, adjudicate disputes between the states, borrow and print money, and requisition funds from the states for the common defense or general welfare. -major weaknesses: it had neither a chief executive nor a judiciary. -It could not enforce their provisions because states were sovereign. -It placed too much power in the hands of the state rather than the national government because when it was drafted Americans were distrustful of government following independence from tyrannical Britain -led to Shay's rebellion -Created a central government which could make war or peace Problems: -the national government lacked power, the ability to collect taxes, commerce, -did not create a chief executive, -money/there was no central currency -did not unify the states, instead, it lead to commercial warfare among ports. -created 9 separate armies

James Madison

4th President; served two terms -First Bank's charter expired -War of 1812 began -the Creek War began -Washington D.C. burns down in the War of 1812 -Hartford Convention -Star-Spangled Banner created -Macon's Bill No. 2 -Andrew Jackson defeats British in New Orleans -Treaty of Ghent signed; War of 1812 ends -Napolean surrenders at Waterloo -Second Barbary War -one of the greatest founding fathers, but only a so-so president -57 years old when he took office -agreed with Jefferson's fear that unchecked power in the executive is BAD

James Monroe's Presidency (1817-1825)

5th President; Served two terms -Era of good feelings began -The American System was created -First Seminole War took place -Convention of 1818 set the 49th parallel as the border of Canada -Panic of 1819 (second bank tightened its loan policy) -Land Act of 1820 -Texas Indian Wars -Santa Fe Trail -Monroe Doctrine -Missouri Compromise -end of his presidency = end of the era of good feelings

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)

6th president; served one term -corrupt bargin -Erie Canal construction complete -Tariff of 1828/"Tariff of Abominations" -John C. Calhoun writes South Carolina Expositions

Federalist Party

A political party created in the 1790s and influenced by Alexander Hamilton that wanted to strengthen the federal government and promote industry and trade -supported by most merchants, wheat exporting slave holders, and creditors -popular during Washington's and Adams' administration, got overthrown by Jefferson Republicans, but eventually grew more popular during Monroe's Presidency -around 1804 as Democrat-Republicanism grew, the party diminished but came back after Jefferson passed the Embargo act of 1807

War of 1812

A war between the U.S. and Great Britain caused by American outrage over the impressment of American sailors by the British, the British seizure of American ships, and British aid to the Indians attacking the Americans on the western frontier -Also, a war against Britain gave the U.S. an excuse to seize the British northwest posts and to annex Florida from Britain's ally Spain, and possibly even to seize Canada from Britain. -The War Hawks (young westerners led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun) argued for war in Congress. -The war involved several sea battles and frontier skirmishes. U.S. troops led by Andrew Jackson seized Florida and at one point the British managed to invade and burn Washington, D.C. -The Treaty of Ghent (December 1814) restored the status quo and required the U.S. to give back Florida. -Two weeks later, Andrew Jackson's troops defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans, not knowing that a peace treaty had already been signed. -The war strengthened American nationalism and encouraged the growth of industry. -The decline of presidential influence was demonstrated most dramatically during the War of 1812. -War sentiment had been aroused by evidence that the British were supplying arms to American Indians, who were already angry about frontier settlers encroaching on historic tribal lands in the Indiana and Michigan territories, as well as by British seizure of American ships and impressment of crew members, and to some degree, by a desire to acquire territory in British Canada and Spanish Florida. -The War Hawks, most of them Democratic-Republican members of Congress from the South and West, whose constituents were suffering from Indian attacks and falling agricultural prices, fanned the flames of anti-British feeling. -New England Federalists, traditionally pro-British and commercially tied to Great Britain through shipping and trade, opposed war but were severely outnumbered in Congress and around the country -troops exhausted from French battles and accepted treaty at Ghent with USA in December 1814 BUT the British Army had already done a lot of damage, as it burned the white House and Capitol

Louisiana Purchase

After Napoleon seized power in France and sought to reestablish France's American empire. He coerced Spain into signing a treaty that returned Louisiana to France and restricted American access to New Orleans, in violation of Pinckney's Treaty -Jefferson sent Robert Livingston to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans in 1803, they purchased the entire territory of Louisiana for $15 million in 1803 -forced Jefferson to reconsider his strict interpretation of the Constitution because there was no provision for adding new territory -brought on political problems with Aaron Burr -increase party conflict and generated secessionist schemes in both New England and the Southwest -William Clark and Meriwether Lewis Napoleon sells french territory from Mississippi Valley to the Rocky Mountains because there was a Haitian Rebellion that Napoleon wanted to focus on rather than maintain the Louisiana territory -In 1801, he strong-armed Spain into giving Louisiana back to France and impeded American access to New Orleans, which violated Pinckney's Treaty which gave the US navigation rights on the Mississippi River -Napoleon's actions threatened Jefferson's idea of westward expansion so in response, Jefferson sent James Monroe to negotiate an alliance with Britain and sent Robert Livingston to purchase New Orleans from France -Napoleon offered to sell it for $15 million ($500 million in today's market) because he thought the US would invade it the purchase was completed in 1803 -forced Jefferson to rethink his strict understanding of the Constitution in order to add the territory because the Constitution made no provision for adding new territory Jefferson believed that the new territory would remove natives from the East of the Mississippi River by tempting them to move west Benefits of the Purchase: -the purchase removed a European power from the US border doubles US territory Concerns with the Purchase -Can the US constitutionally acquire that much land not included in the original nation? (Huge issue for Jefferson because he was a strict constitutionalist) -in completing the purchase, Jefferson breaks from his ideals of limited government How would we control this area? -secessionists feared westward expansion and threatened to leave the Union to start a confederacy of the northeastern state started an upsurge in party conflict and brought about secessionist schemes challenging Madison's idea that a big republic was more stable than a limited one -Jefferson received autocratic control over all the land purchased and Jefferson was allowed to appoint someone to rule over the newly gained land (VIOLATION of republican principles) Quincy Adams criticized this move because it was a huge reach of power and closely monarchical -this shows that principles (like Jefferson's small republican government ideals) might have to be changed when they are actually sitting and acting as president

Vesting Clause

Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution, which states that "executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America," making the president both the head of government and the head of state -ENUMERATED POWER -Executive: executive power shall be vested in a President of the USA; Here the power is vested/given to a person i.e. when presidents change, the powers and needs of the person change. This allows for the growth of the President, so if there is a new office or branch needed, it will be managed and handled by the President. Congress can create the body and authorize it (like NASA) but it goes under the President -Legislative: all legislative power grants herein shall be vested to the Congress of the USA, here the power is vested in the Constitution i.e. the Legislature's power is dictated by the Constitution and can only derive power from the document -this clause was added to the constitution by Governor Morris

Presidential Advisory Role to Congress

Constitutional Power this power has morphed into the State of the Union Address -the State of the Union address was once a letter/speech but with the rise of the radio and TV the Presidents themselves delivered the State of the Union.

Treaty of Ghent (1814)

Ended the War of 1812. Did not address grievances that led to the war (stalemate for both sides) -troops exhausted from French battles and accepted the treaty with the USA in December 1814 BUT the British Army had already done a lot of damage, as it burned the White House and Capitol

Executive power to make Treaties

Enumerated Power of the Constitution -President has the power to make treaties because they wanted to remove the power to make treaties from other states -States can make treaties with other governments WITH the approval of the federal government -wanted to put the power to make treaties in one person's hands -treaties are DIFFERENT than executive agreements, treaties can go past US law

Executive Veto

Enumerated Power of the Constitution -presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it --there was debate about an absolute veto but this was concerning to many as it might allow the president to act as a king ---delegates decided that 2/3 house and senate can override the president's veto (The president also has a pocket veto which developed over time but is NOT enumerated in the Constitution)

Presidential Appointments and Commissions

Enumerated Power of the Constitution if the Senate is not in session, the president can make EMERGENCY appointments (recess appointments) but usually, the senate appoints and the president confirms -in order to side step this, the senate runs skeleton sessions so that they never go out of session

Marbury V Madison

Established the Supreme Courts right of judicial review; "midnight judges;" John Marshall; power of the Supreme Court. -power was frequently used by the Marshall Court to overturn state laws that it deemed unconstitutional -Jefferson thought court would issue writ -John Marshall believed that the president is not above the law -Outcome- issued the writ because the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction. This meant the President did not have to accept appointees but it had to recognize the Supreme Courts right to Constitutional interpretation

Battle of New Orleans (1815)

Famous battle the occurred AFTER the War of 1812 is finished ironically -made Andrew Jackson a war hero- he was able to bring together Americans and inspire them to fight the Brits. -opened up new lands to settlers

Election of 1796

HIGHLY partisan election -nasty election -Adams barely won and had to take Jefferson as his Vice President (Jefferson is more like the French whereas Adams signs more with the English)

Hamilton on the National Bank

Hamilton asked congress to charter the Bank of the United States, which would be owned by stock owners and the national government. He believed that the bank would provide stability by making loans to merchants, handling government funds, and issuing bills of credit like the Bank of England. The bank received a twenty year charter

Hamilton on Manufactures

Hamilton believed that the manufacturing system would enlarge America's sphere of domestic commerce, having seven benefits. Among them he believed that manufacturing would Crete division of labor and job specialization which speeds up production and diversifies talent, employs advanced machinery, Cretes additional labor through the birth of new job opportunities including child labor, more job opportunities would draw in European migrants, and would Crete a steady and secure economy.

Hamilton Plan

Hamilton delivered a four to six-hour speech to the delegates that urged them to consider his plan for a British Style government. -Hamilton like many believed the British government was the best system of government in the world -Hamilton proposed that as in Great Britain, the national government would be supreme in every way to the states -Wanted to abolish the state government -Called for life term of Executive and Legislative branches --State governors would be appointed by the national legislature and granted the right to veto laws passed by their own assemblies. --the lower house, the assembly, was elected by the people for three-year terms --the upper house, the Senate, elected by electors chosen by the people, and with a life-term (the house of lords and the house of commons) -Created a national bank to help debt and make the united states a huge industrial and military power. -established an executive called the Governor, elected by electors and with a life-term of service (essentially a king) --the Governor has an absolute veto over bills -established a judiciary, with life-terms -(strong national government, this took away a lot of power from the states) national veto power over any state legislation -automatically dismissed, was not supported too similar to Britain bicameral legislature which many people feared especially after the revolution -Some think that the real purpose of Hamilton's speech was to offer a plan so extreme that the Virginia Plan would seem moderate by comparison. ***Some of Hamilton's specific proposals were adopted later in the convention like giving the president power to grant pardons and to negotiate treaties.

Hamilton and Public Credit

Hamilton established a national debt by issuing government bonds and using the proceeds to redeem Confederation securities and assume the war debts of the states. Hamilton deliberately did not attempt to redeem the bonds because he wanted to tie the interests of the wealthy Americans who owned them to the new national government.

Ideas on the Removal of the President

Impeachment: -British Tradition -Old Snarky Rumors of Lord Cornbury -> high crimes and misdemeanors -the electorates decide on shorter term presidencies so that there were no assassinations or coupdetat -Disability or Inability: not dealt with until the 20th century/25th amendment) there was no way to remove a president from presidency if he was disabled or impaired and the vice president could not take over as long as the president had a heart beat --President Tyler was the first to take over after an assassination

Whiskey Rebellion

In 1794, farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots caused by their attempts to serve arrest warrants on the offenders. In October, 1794, the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion. The incident showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion. -Western Pennsylvania avoided paying taxes since 1791 -taxes were higher on small farmers than they were on large distributors -this led to mass defiance: farmers take over and burn things in defiance -the situation angers hamilton because he does not like that people are defying taxes -On August 7th, Washington orders and army to disperse and put down the rebellion, however, when the farmers hear Washington is coming to put down the rebellion, the rebellion scatters and dismantles themselves -sets the precedent that the president controls the military not the political party

Embargo Act of 1807

In 1807, seeking to prevent the United States from being drawn into the war between Great Britain and France, Jefferson persuaded a Democratic-Republican Congress to enact legislation that imposed an embargo on all foreign commerce -Enforcing the embargo involved coercion by the federal government on a scale rivaling the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts -the embargo was a huge FAILURE -the failure revived the Federalist Party which was almost dead after 1804 (50,000 seamen, 100,000 laborers, and city factory workers lost their jobs) --Makes Madison is the obvious successor-this paved the way for Madison's election Jefferson does not want to serve a third term after this -the nail in the coffin: the Democratic majority starts quietly collapsing and the Federalists start rising back to power ----------------------------------------------------- an effort by Jefferson to protect American interests by prohibiting American ships from leaving their ports until France and Britain removed restrictions on US trade -assumed that France and Britain relied heavily on American shipping and did not account for merchants defiance -weakened the US economy and reduced GNP by 5% -hurt merchants and farmers -in 1808 President Madison acknowledged its failures and replaced it with a different economic restriction, his new restriction failed to secure American industry and commerce

Jefferson on the Proclamation of Neutrality

Jefferson advised the president against it on two grounds 1) he believed such a unilateral executive action to be unconstitutional. A declaration of neutrality was, in effect, a declaration that there would be no war, a decision that rightfully belonged to Congress. 2) the 1778 treaty that secured French support for the American Revolution obligated the United States to provide France with any necessities of war that had to be brought across the Atlantic

Jefferson on the National Bank

Jefferson believed the its creation violated many laws such as Mortmain, Alienage, Forfeiture, Distribution, and Monopolies. The banks access to land causes monopolies and violates the laws. He also believed the creation of a national bank was unconstitutional as it is not specifically enumerated. He also thought that creation of a national bank would hinder the establishment of state banks

Revolution of 1800

Jefferson's view of his election to the presidency - Jefferson claimed that the election of 1800 represented a return to what he considered the original spirit of the Revolution -his election signified a turn in party patronage from the Federalist to the Republicans (FIRST time power changed hands peacefully) -Jefferson's goals for his revolution were to restore the republican experiment, check the growth of government power, and to halt the decay of virtue that had set in under Federalist rule. -he wanted to trust in the people's decision and a decentralized government the way he believed the founders had intended for the government to be run -reaffirmed the presence of a two-party system in American government -a highly slanderous election which ended in the defeat of Adams and a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burr -in the case of a deadlock tie, the House was to decide between the candidates so the election was carried into the House -Hamilton advocated for Jefferson's election because he detested Burr -Jefferson was elected president and Burr was given the vice presidency -Republicans get control of Congress and the Presidency -Thomas Jefferson (vice president at the time) was in charge of counting the votes -FIRST time in world history where one group in power (federalists) peacefully gives up power to a different faction (republicans/jacksonians) -this was the first election in which the press played a major role in electing the president -Jefferson elected government promising to dismantle the government he was elected to head -Jefferson was the first president to take office in Washington DC -Required Cabinet to submit recommendations in writing. By doing so, this creates a paper trail and accountability -Jefferson was a bad public speaker --writing style helped highlight strengths --gave only 2 public speeches in 8 years

Democratic-Republicans

Led by Thomas Jefferson -believed people should have political power -favored strong STATE governments emphasized agriculture (90% of the population were farmers) -strict interpretation of the Constitution, pro-French -opposed National Bank considered themselves a party -anti-federalists; did NOT consider the legitimacy of the Federalist Party both were lead by Washington's cabinet members -strong around 1804 BUT died out after Jefferson passed the unpopular embargo act of 1807 (Jefferson felt that Washington was more closely aligned with Hamilton and Federalism)

Antifederalists

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government, generally. -worried the Constitution would take away power from state government -some worried it did not protect individual rights -argued that republican institutions were best suited to small polities. -Patrick Henry worried that the Constitution would re-create British rule like high taxes, an oppressive bureaucracy, a standing army, and a tyrannical President. -James Monroe -Samuel Adams -John Quincy Adams -become the Jefferson Republicans then the Democrat-Republicans

John Marshall's Supreme Court

Period of court ruling from 1801 to 1835; shaped interpretation of Constitution (loose); strengthened judicial branch; increased power of federal government over state; support of economic activity American jurist and politician who served as the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1801-1835) and helped establish the practice of judicial review. -ruled on Marbury V Madison

Era of Good Feelings

Popular name for the period of one-party, Republican, rule during James Monroe's presidency: -after the War of 1812 when partisanship was overshadowed by patriotism and the common identity of "American" -The term obscures bitter conflicts over internal improvements, slavery, and the national bank

Vice Presidency

Primary Job: wait for the president to die position considered an afterthought -was originally the runner up to the Presidency President of Senate: primary job is to cast tie breaking votes in the Senate -Vice President lives in the Naval Observatory since 1974 because of succession -Vice Presidency has changed greatly, they continue to become more involved (Al Gore changed it greatly) they are much more active today Succession: -replaces president if President can no longer serve (but the Constitution is unclear about this and Tyler set the precedence he was also the only one with a political party) -nobody replaces the vice president, the president serves without a vice president --this changed the vice president is now confirmed by Congress

Macon's Bill No. 2 (1810)

Replaced the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809; reopened trade with both Britain and France but held that if either agreed to respect America's neutrality in their conflict, the United States would end trade with the other. (due to miscalculated value of commerce) provided that if either Britain or France agreed to respect US neutrality (legitimacy) the US would suspend trade with each other the US is trying to make an alliance with one or the other and trying to play Britain and France against each other -Napoleon makes vague states of good will towards the US which persuades Madison to use Macon's bill to cut off trade with the British but Napoleon was not serious/did not make good on such statements i.e. Napoleon plays the US against Britain -in Early June, the British start seizing US ships because they are mad -in retaliation, the US launches preemptive strike on Canada to gain strategic advantage (burn down York) this is a bad idea though because military spending was cut by Jefferon --the US troops are poorly armed, led and provisions the expedition into Canada failed --Napoleon's power begins to collapse after Russian disaster and because of this, the Brits have enough troops to invade the US because they didn't have to worry about France bc it was occupied with Russia --Federalist (pro-British) chose to sit this battle out, they are letting the Republicans deal with the mess

Checks on Executive Office

Salary: -Washington made $25,000 ($312,000) but did not want to take a salary but it was forced on him so that anyone, not just the rich, could be president -Obama made $400,000 -presidents have made this amount since 2001 -no pay raises for sitting presidents (to avoid bribed) dictated by the constitution --set up to curtail self-dealing (ex: Trump's resorts) How many government jobs? -the president cannot be in the legislature -they wanted the President to have ONE job

Constitutional Convention

Set up a presidency as a one-person office, elected for a four-year term by the entire country, and shared virtually all the power of the national government with an equally distinct and independent Congress. -comprised of intelligent, well-read men. -The convention was called in May 1787 in Philadelphia -55 delegates (average age of 42) - The younger men were more willing to have executive power and remove the Articles entirely. -The older men were scared of having central rule due to their history with tyranny and the revolution. Ben Franklin, James Madison, Governor Morris. -Rhode Island did not want to participate -Madison thought that there was too much state sovereignty and not a strong central government -In all, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution -Hamilton (the "first American") his interested reflected the interests of the nation as a whole, rather than putting the needs of his state first unlike most delegates. -states were no more compelled to attend this congressional summons than the Annapolis convention but frightened by shay's rebellion and the prospect of future uprisings, a sufficient number decided to attend--all except Rhode Island

Executive Council

The delegates bounced around the idea of executive council: -it would dilute the president's powers -this would lead to inconsistent presidential decisions, negotiation of power (whoever caught the president's ear would suede the president and lead to bipolarity) --not like the cabinet because the executive council would have to be considered and involved whereas the cabinet is not dictated by the constitution and the president can use the cabinet how he/she may deem fit

Hamilton's Financial Plan

The government would take the debt of the nations and the states debt, make a national bank, and tax higher (which was the only one that did not pass thru congress) -George Washington's most important decision was choosing Hamilton as secretary of treasury. Hamilton devised policies to enhance the national authority and to assist financiers and merchants. -On public credit, Hamilton established a national debt by issuing government bonds and using the proceeds to redeem Confederation securities and assume the war debts of the states. Hamilton deliberately did not attempt to redeem the bonds because he wanted to tie the interests of the wealthy Americans who owned them to the new national government. -On creating a national bank, Hamilton asked congress to charter the Bank of the United States, which would be owned by stock owners and the national government. He believed that the bank would provide stability by making loans to merchants, handling government funds, and issuing bills of credit like the Bank of England. The bank received a twenty year charter -On manufactures, Hamilton believed that the manufacturing system would enlarge America's sphere of domestic commerce, having seven benefits. Among them he believed that manufacturing would Crete division of labor and job specialization which speeds up production and diversifies talent, employs advanced machinery, Cretes additional labor through the birth of new job opportunities including child labor, more job opportunities would draw in European migrants, and would Crete a steady and secure economy.

Commander in Chief

The role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States and of the state National Guard units when they are called into federal service; an enumerated power of the constitution **Congress gets to declare war although the president is the commander in chief -Congress also controls where the money is allocated (except for in times of national emergencies, then the president can allocate money how he/she's fit). If the president wants to send troops somewhere, it is up to Congress to allocate the funds to the effort ("amateur congress" is a congress that goes in and out of session/not permanently seated. Congress was initially set up as an amateur Congress but is now a professional Congress.) Troops are ordered by the President because they were worried Congress might be out of session when troops needed to order -Issue: They likely allocated the power of ordering the troops to the President because they knew that Washington was going to be president and knew he was capable of this power

Barbary Wars (1801-05) and (1815)

Two wars fought between U.S. and the Barbary States in North Africa in order to end the Barbary pirates' demand for tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea Plundering pirates off the Mediterranean coast of Africa; President Thomas Jefferson's refusal to pay them tribute (bribes) to protect American ships sparked an undeclared naval war with North African nations (Tripoli) -1805: the first war was the first time the US fought as a nation, not as individual states and won a fight overseas, though Jefferson ended up paying ransom --Pirates in Tripoli buckle in battle to American ships: American Victory -bolstered Jefferson's administration

Jay's Treaty

Was made up by John Jay, sent by George Washington after the British navy seized 250 American ships -allowed Britain to continue stopping neutral ships -Americans had to pay British merchants debts owed from before the revolution and Britain had agreed to remove their troops from the Ohio Valley -British were required to remove all Native agents and their troops from the Northwest Territory and allowed Americans to submit claims for illegal seizures -ratified in 1795 by only 2/3 majority -under the federalists, America maintained a pro-British foreign policy

Washington: Role in Foreign Affairs

Washington did not consult the senate in the proclamation of neutrality which set up the executive authority on the president could conduct foreign affairs approval of appointments to confirm does not mean you need

Monroe Doctrine (1823)

an American foreign policy opposing interference in the Western hemisphere from outside powers -the south desperately needed the help of a European power in order to win the Civil War but England did not help out because it had enough cotton so it did not need to protect the south in order to protect its cotton interests

Presidential Power to Convene and Adjourn Congress

stated in the Constitution -The President may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper -the president can call a special session of Congress and he can actually adjourn them if they disagree about when they want to adjourn

Presidential Power to Receive Ambassadors

stated in the constitution the President receives the ambassadors from big/important countries -the president often passes down the role to the VP if the ambassador is from a smaller or unimportant country

Alien Act (1798)

gave the president the power to order out of the country any foreigners and made it more difficult for foreigners to become a citizen 1) requires that you have lived in the US for 14 years to become a citizen 2) allowed the president to remove any immigrants/non-citizens deemed dangerous

Jefferson on Manufactures

he believed each state should be allowed to decide for itself whether it would manufacture. In Europe manufacturing is used as last resort to support the surplus of people in the absence of farmable land which is what he believed the US should do. He believed that wageworkers would not have political and economic independence necessary to a Republican society.

Battle of Bladensburg (1814)

a battle of the Chesapeake campaign of the War of 1812, fought on 24 August 1814 -Called "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms" -a British force of army regulars and Royal Marines routed a combined U.S. force of Regular Army and state militia troops at Bladensburg, Maryland, northeast of the federal capital of Washington, D.C. -U.S. defeat resulted in the capture and burning of Washington -Madison became the only president to see serious combat in field when he witnessed the battle

Advise and Consent Clause

a power of the United States Senate to be consulted on and approve treaties signed and appointments made by the President of the United States to public positions, including Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, United States Attorneys, and ambassadors. -the president is supposed to negotiate the treaties and the senate gives consent; However, the president does not usually consider the advice of the senate -the senate approves treaties -Washington, in good faith, asked the Senate for advice on a treaty with the Creek Native Americans but the Senate did not give advice, instead they tore it apart and debated it --Washington was angered by the process and set the precedent for NOT asking the Senate for advice on drafting a treaty (thought it is a power given to the Senate by the Constitution)

Missouri Compromise

also known as the Compromise of 1820, ended the Missouri Crisis by allowing Maine to enter the Union as a free state in 1820 and Missouri to enter as a slave owning state a year after -drafted and proposed by Henry Clay -similar to the Philadelphia convention in the sense that in both circumstances white politicians preserved the Union by making compromises about slavery

XYZ Affair (1797)

brought on by hostile relations between the US and the French -Federalist president, John Adams carried on Hamilton's pro-British diplomacy and condemned the French for seizing American ships -Adam's charged the French foreign minister, Tallyrand, and his agents for insulting America's honor after sending an America diplomatic commission to France in 1797 -Talleyrand's agents (labeled x, y, and z) demanded loans and bribes from the American diplomats in order to put an end to the seizures -Americans viewed these demands as offensive and left France without partaking informal negotiations -directly led Congress to cut off ties with French in 1798 and authorized private American vessels to seize French ships which called for a period of undeclared maritime war, the Quasi-war -Adams wanted to resolve the war peacefully and displayed America's open mindedness. This led Prime Minister Talley, to send unofficial word of France's willingness to negotiate. In 1799, the commissioners, dispatched by Adams and Napoleon Bonaparte signed the Treaty of Mortefontaine ending the Quasi-war and freeing the US of its alliance with France. -Adams is pro-england in the affair -Jefferson is pro-french in the affair and blames Adams for failing to negotiate with the French --Jeffersonians alleged that Adams is withholding information and insist that all the documents must be made available to the public they are trying to get Adams to resign so that Jefferson can take over --Adams agrees to the House and releases the document: all the information is distributed to the Congress this is shocking to Jeffersonians who failed at used the affair to shmear Adams ->this gives birth to Anti-French rhetoric and promotes president Adams for being loyal to the US and not accepting bribes from the French The XYZ affair bolsters Adam's popularity, this is the height of his popularity

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

created an ad hoc arrangement similar to what the states were already operating under so the long period of ratification (took three years and four months) was not an issue -embodied/perpetuated the States dread/fear of central government and executive power -The articles created a "league of friendship" (alliance) rather than government -Each state, regardless of population size or wealth) had EQUAL representation in Congress (one state, one vote) -The "president", selected by congress, was more of a presiding officer than executive -Congress created small executive departments headed by appointed officials that were closely monitored by congress -Congress needed the support of 9 out of the 13 states to enact law so it enacted very few under the Articles -Amendments to the Articles had to be approved by ALL states The articles undermined the power of the national government by: 1) Setting forth a weak structure 2) Giving Congress no power to tax the states or to enforce its 3) decisions (this created a massive collective-action issue)

Constitutional Religious Tests

delegates prohibited any/all religious test as a requirement for holding office that was proposed by the Committee of Detail -ban on religious tests was proposed by Roger Sherman the US constitution is the first to remove religious requirements to politics -Many states did not have an established religion but Religion (Churches) was important because it made many social supports -A lot of states required that participants be Christian or Protestant to participate in politics. -The last religious tests were eliminated in 1978 (Maryland and Tennessee).

Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)

devised at the Philadelphia Convention, which convened to decide the fate of the Republican government in May 1787 -proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut -proposed a solution to the issue of representation of small (the New Jersey plan) and large (the Virginia plan) states -delegates from Connecticut suggested that the senate have two members from each state and that the seat in the House of Reps be divided based on population -the debate over representation almost destroyed the ratification of the US Constitution because both small and large states threatened to reject the Constitution if they were not given what they wanted -still affects politics today -created a bicameral congress and reflected the electoral college, created to protect the interest of small states -gave national power to rural states with fewer residents

approval of appointments

does NOT mean you need approval to fire appointments but the senate does not believe the president does -currently, the president does not need confirmation to fire an appointment but this has changed throughout history Ex: Johnson violated the tenure of office act when he fired the secretary of war and was impeached for it

Reynolds Affair

first major scandal (1792) -between Alexander Hamilton, Maria Reynolds, and James Reynolds -story breaks in the summer of 1797 (5 years later) in unsigned pamphlets as a way of smearing the Federalists during Adam's presidency because Hamilton is Adam's cabinet member --Hamilton writes his own pamphlet called "Observations on Certain Documents...in which... the Charge of Speculation against Hamilton is fully refuted: in this document, he denies stealing money but completely admits to adultery --Mr. Reynolds tries to bargain his way out of prior charges by black mailing Hamilton for sleeping with his wife and for profiteering Hamilton admits to the affair but claims that he is NOT stealing money -Republicans thought that this affair would end his career but Hamilton survives it

Neutrality Proclamation of 1793

issued by George Washington -established isolationist policy -proclaimed government's official neutrality in widening European conflicts also warned American citizens about intervening on either side of conflict -declared that the duties and interests of the United States required the government to "with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial to the belligerent powers." It prohibited Americans from "committing, aiding, or abetting hostilities against any of the said powers, or by carrying to them any of those articles which are deemed contraband by the modern usage of nations. -When war broke out in 1793 between Great Britain and France, a difference of opinion about the executive's proper role in foreign affairs aggravated the growing rift between Hamilton and Jefferson -Convinced that the French Revolution of 1789 had gotten out of hand, degenerating into mob rule, Hamilton took the side of England, a nation for which he had deep sympathies -Jefferson and Madison endorsed what they believed to be the sacred republican cause of the French Revolution. They regarded Hamilton's support of England as evidence of his supposed preference for monarchy -Washington sided with Hamilton on the neutrality issue, but he took pains to unify his administration in public support of the proclamation. To mollify Jefferson, the word neutrality was not used in the text, although the sense clearly was there

Sedition Act and Espionage Act

made it a crime to write, print, utter, or publish criticism of the president of government -stipulated that any false, scandalous, or malicious writing about the President or his employees was illegal --this is a violation of the 1st Amendment BUT there is no judicial review (the supreme court did not yet have the power to view laws and declare them constitutional or unconstitutional so no one could stop Adams) --Washington supported this act --Adams thought this was a good way of suppressing the commentary (unobjective papers) the papers were ridden with a clear bias

Electoral College

maintains the ⅗ clause, proposed by James Wilson -States get an allocated number based on the house of reps and two more for their senators BUT they get to choose how they allocate the votes (Electorates per state = the State's amount of house reps + two senators) -they thought that no one would get the majority and then the vote would go to the house of reps but at the end of washington's term we started coalizing and creating political parties which did not allow for this --the vice president and president did not initially run on a joint ticket --if there is no majority the president is elected by the house (by state delegation) and the vice president is decided by the senate (calculated by giving each senator one vote, there can be a theoretical tie and the vice president is the tie breaker)

The First Party System

marked by the appearance of Federalists and Republicans -most Americans believed that parties were dangerous because they looked out for themselves rather than serving public interests -party identity crystallized in 1796. -Federalist Party -Republican Party/coalition

Missouri Crisis of 1819

occurred when Missouri applied for admission to the US in 1819 and was declined due to the northern majority in the House of Representatives -the territory's admission was blocked because Missouri refused Congressmen James Tallmadge's proposal of the emancipation of slaves and the prohibition of new slaves -the proposal shocked and terrified many southerners as their fears were realized -signified the Southerners commitment to slavery -in retaliation, southern senators used their power to block the entrance of Maine -sparked a debate over constitutionality, as southerners believed that Congress could not impose Tallmadge's conditions onto Missouri because they were not imposed on other territories -argued that the Constitution guaranteed state sovereignty along with its rule for domestic affairs such as slavery and that congress was not able to infringe on property rights, slaves considered -southerners upheld that slavery was a necessary evil but maintained that it was religiously justified -the crisis raged on for two years until 1821 when Henry Clay proposed the Missouri Compromise ending the crisis by allowing Maine to enter the Union as a free states in 1820 and Missouri to enter as a slave owning state a year later -was only one of a series of issues over slavery that the Union would soon face

Aaron Burr

one of the leading Democratic-Republicans of New York - He was the principal opponent of Alexander Hamilton's Federalist policies and shot and killed him in a duel after Hamilton accused him of planning to destroy the union -In the election of 1800, Burr tied with Jefferson in the Electoral College. The House of Representatives awarded the Presidency to Jefferson and made Burr Vice President. -with the support of the secessionists became Vice President -Burr wanted to run for president himself; the election went to the house that was still controlled by the Federalists: the house is to pick the president --under Hamilton's influence, the House (the Delaware delegation) picks Jefferson making him the winner -secessionist scheme in the Southwest: he teamed up with General James Wilkinson who he did not know was a Spanish spy. He hopes to seize territory in New Spain or to establish Louisiana as a separate nation but was arrested by Wilkinson

3/5 clause

one of the three constitutional clauses that protected forced servitude -each enslaved individual was counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation in the lower house (House of Representatives) --the three-clause was also carried in the electoral college seeing as electorates are based on a states # of Representatives + 2 senators -proposed by Charles Pinckney (These three clauses, which also included both a guarantee that slaves could continue to be imported for twenty years and a fugitive slave provision requiring states to return escaped slaves to their owners, would cast a long, dark shadow over the republic)

Pardons and Reprieves

the only unchecked power in the Constitution (i.e. no other branch can overrule it)/enumerated power -might give the president the power of the king -pardons are for convictions not charges but the president cannot pardon charges made by state governments ONLY federal -the president can likely pardon himself, there is nothing in the law or Constitution that forbids it but you can only pardon a conviction and president is likely to be impeached before they can pardon themselves of a conviction **Importance: Check on the Judicial branch; If Judiciary unfairly punishes a criminal, President can fix the abuse

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

part of three coercive (highly controversial) acts passed by Federalists, which limited individual rights -Adams believed that they were War measures -the Alien Act permitted deportation of foreigners -The Sedition Act banned insults and attacks on Congress members of the President from being published -these acts along with the Naturalization act arose due to Federalist hostility to the French Republic and attacks made by Irish Immigrants, after the Quasi-war/XYZ affair -the acts infringed upon individual rights and initiated a constitutional crisis -Republicans upheld that they breached the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and press -Madison and Jefferson turned to state legislatures, urging Kentucky and Virginia to mark the acts as null and void (Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions) which established the states' right to interpret the Constitution, giving it the right to check the legality of national laws -landmarks to the presidential election in which Jefferson who favored the acts, made notion to the fact that the government had the power to watch over the American people. On the other hand, John Adams rejected the declaration of war with France, putting the US ahead of party affiliation and peacefully ended the maritime conflict Fear of enemy within: -French emigration is high, over 25,000 went to Philadelphia they were wealthy French emigrants --seemed that the French were taking over -also, many Irish refugees from the rebellion of 1789 were arriving the Irish were anti-British, they aligned themselves with the French, anti-federalists, and Jeffersonian (recall that the federalists were pro-British) -Adams feared that there were a lot of enemy agents in America the XYZ caused issues between Federalists in power and the French and Irish emigrants

Enumerated Powers of the Executive

power explicitly expressed in the Constitution 1) Veto 2) Vesting Clause 3) Commander in Chief 4) Pardons and Reprieves 5) Make Treaties 6) Appointments and Commissions

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

proposed by Ben Franklin to parry French expansion during the French and Indian War -an early attempt at self-governance/first important proposal to conceive of the colonies as a collective whole united under one government (JOIN OR DIE) -suggested one body of government (a counsel) to manage trade, native alliances, and defense -it was well-liked but never received real consideration because it threatened the independent nature of colonial assemblies (states did not want to give up autonomy to the counsel) -an important aspect in the colonial push towards war

Virginia Plan (large state plan)

put forth at Philadelphia Convention -proposed by Madison -rejected state sovereignty; It called for the national government to be established by the people, not the states -proposed a 3 tier election system in which ordinary voters would elect only the lower house - The lower house would then select the upper house, and both houses would appoint the executive and judiciary i.e. the executive and judiciary would be elected by the people i.e. elected by big states with the most population Established: -3 branch government -a bicameral legislature (2 houses): both house's membership would be determined proportionately by state population -the lower house would be elected by the people -the upper house would be elected by the lower house -powerful legislature -the executive would exist to ensure the will of the legislature was carried out and was so chosen by the legislature (like a prime minister would be elected by a big state) -the judiciary, with life-terms, appointed by (the big state-controlled) legislature (could impeach any national officers) I.e. the big states held all the power here too --the executive and some of the national judiciary would have the power to veto legislation, subject to override -National veto power over any state legislation i.e. the small states held no power and was subject to the rule by big states ***the plan threw out the Articles of Confederation completely

New Jersey Plan (small state plan)

put forth at Philadelphia Convention as a response to the Virginia Plan -gave the confederation the power to raise revenue, control commerce, and make binding requisitions on the states. -preserved the states' control of their own laws -guaranteed state equality: each state would only have one vote in a unicameral legislature. -the current Congress was maintained, but granted new powers. For example, Congress could set taxes and fore their collection -put in place an executive, elected by Congress- the plan allowed for a multi-person executive (3-5 presidents) --the executives served a single term and were subject to recall based on the request of state governors (gives a lot of power to states whereas the Virginia plan took power away from the states) -a judiciary appointed by the executives, with life-terms of service (judiciary would be vetted by states) -laws set by the congress took precedence over state laws (we currently have that in US government: supremacy clause) -this plan was a response to the Virginia Plan and a revision of the Articles of Confederation (it did not throw the articles out altogether) -the little states liked the Articles because it gave small states the same amount of power as a big state -the plan protected the small states from the larger ones by ensuring one state, one vote -ensured that the articles ran smoothly without removing the system i.e. unlike the Virginia Plan which tossed out the Articles, this plan revised it

12th Amendment

separation of votes for President and Vice President -rapidly ratified -voted separately for President and Vice President instead of having the winner be President and Runner Up assume presidency -need the Majority of electoral votes to Wim each house --the idea was to reduce the numbers of candidates that the House of Reps would vote on for President --the election of Vice President goes to Senate

Hamilton's Economic Policies

sparked a domestic insurgency leading to the Whisky Rebellion in 1794 protesting Hamilton's excise tax on spirits, cutting demand for the corn whisky the farmers distilled and bartered for eastern manufactures

Take Care Clause

stated in the Constitution -Congress makes the laws and it is the President's job to carry them out and execute them to the best of their abilities -The president must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." -This clause in the Constitution imposes a duty on the president to enforce the laws of the United States and is also known as the Faithful Execution Clause or Faithfully Executed Clause. -Article II, Section 3

Shay's Rebellion (1786)

the product of tensions built up in the face of the struggling post-war economy -fiscally, the government was in hot water due to crippling war debts -tax hikes impacted farmers heavily bc they were unable to pay off debts while paying expensive taxes -their lands were often seized by creditors to compensate for their debts -actions intensified as farmers formed mobs and forcefully shot down the courts -revolts were led by Continental army veteran, Captain Daniel Shays --similar to the American's rebellion of the Stamp Act -ultimately failed due to the Riot Act and a fighting force that dismembered Shay's army -exemplified the fear of an oppressive American government similar to British tyranny -as an effect, voters elected Governor Bowdoin out of office and the debt-riddled farmers received economic relief from their governments -was the inciting incident that led the US to dump the Articles of Confederation and create the US Constitution -most of the soldiers that fought in the revolutionary war were farmers who were compensated for their efforts by giving them IOU scrips. In order to raise money, the government foreclosed on farmers which led to Shay's Rebellion by Daniel Shay's (army of 400 farmers in Massachusetts) -The rebellion exposed the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and led to its removal. The Articles were thrown out because many feared a full-on rebellion across the US -led to the formation of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia a year later: left property owners in shock and fear -The rebellion signified class warfare and the inability of the National government to help states maintain the peace -can be viewed as a constructive event in history. As Jefferson said, "a little rebellion now and then is a good thing."

Jefferson's Presidency: overview

took office in 1801, and inherited an old internal conflict -long championed settlement of the West as he celebrated the yeoman farmer -he pressed policies that made it easier for farm families to acquire lands -Marbury vs madison -By the 1830s, more than 300 laws had been enacted to cut the cost of land to 1.25 per acre, eased credit terms, and allowed illegal squatters to buy their farms Jefferson kept campaign promises: -pardoned all political prisoners arrested/convicted under Sedition Laws and had Congress pay back their fines -Cut the army to less than 3,000 men -Navy sells off all but 13 ships to private buyers --Barbary Wars- Plundering pirates off the Mediterranean coast of Africa; President Thomas Jefferson's refusal to pay them tribute (bribes) to protect American ships sparked an undeclared naval war with North African nations (Tripoli) 1805: the first barbary war was the first time the US fought as a nation, not as individual states and won a fight overseas, though Jefferson ended up paying ransom -Excise taxes (like Whiskey Tax) are all abolished -Drive to pay off debt is launched $112 million at a rate of $7 million a year -Federal revenues were only $9 million -The government had to operate on $2 million a year -Bureaucracy in DC went from 130 in 1801 to 65ish

State Constitutions after the Revolutionary War

were ways states expressed themselves -had some glaring limitations, particularly by more recent standards -no states had women participation in government -13 colonies wrote 17 constitutions (some re-wrote theirs) Their experience with tyranny and the British executive (king and royal governors) led the authors of most state constitutions to provide for establishing weak governors and strong legislatures -State governors were elected by the legislature for a brief 1 or 2-year terms with NO chance of re-election. -The governors were like chairmen of executive boards; Their powers were weak, they were forced to share their powers with a council whose members were appointed by the legislature and elected by the people. -Most state constitutions made vague grants of authority to their executives and, by specifically denying them the right to veto legislation and make appointments, rendered them incapable of defending modest influence from legislative encroachment -New York (pro-british) was an exception. New York's governor was elected by the people, NOT the legislature, for 3 year terms with the possibility for endless re-election EX: George Clinton (1st elected NY governor) was elected to 7 terms (21 years); The governor of NY did NOT share power with a council and had the power to veto legislation, was subject to override by the legislature, and to make appointments, and subject to legislative confirmation. The Governor's powers were defined, in detail, by New York's constitution. -Pennsylvania's constitution was the most radical (had rotation of office)