Articles of confederation, Constitution, Federalist era Flashcards
powers of Articles of Confederation
- declare war
- make peace
- sign treaties
- deal with indians
lack of powers in articles of confederation
- no control over interstate commerce: can’t regulate trade
- no way to force states to pay their taxes
Established government under articles of Confederation
- no executive branch
-no judiciary branch - no standing army (state militias keep order)
- small navy
- congress of 13: 1 from each state
Articles of confederation: voting procedures
- 2/3 to pass a law
- 13/13 to change articles of conf.
Land ordinance of 1785
pos. development under articles
- states gave up claims to western land sp it could be sold to pay off national debt and public schools
Northwest ordinance of 1787
pos. development under articles
- NW settlers have free religion, trial, no slavery, fair indian compensation if all states enter US as equal to others
Second treaty of fort iroquois
pos. development for whites under articles
- iriquois loses lots of land
- ppl also signed away land in fear of military
- many indians don’t acknowlege this treaty
negative developments under articles: British
- Britain doesn’t uphold treaty of paris and doesn’t leave forts (bc no standing army)
- Britain closes its ports off from US: navigation acts exclude them (weak navy + lack of interstate commerce)
negative developments under articles: France
- Spain refuses to recognize US claim of Ohio valley and sets forts + indian alliances there
- Spain refuses to let US use New Orleans ports: preventing trade
negative developments under articles: finance
- can’t have tariff
- France says no trade until debts paid
- Annapolis convention: 5 states meet to promote commerce, call for new amendments, decide they need to meet again soon (constitution
negative developments under articles: attacks
- Pirates attack US ships + enslave US sailors
- Shay’s rebellion: gov tries to raise taxes bc of debt: ppl think that U.S. vulnerable to mobocracy (threatened to steal federal weapons): realize too much public power
Delegates attending constitutional convention
all white males, educated, young, wealthy
- radicals not invited or don’t want to come
The federalist papers
Constitutional Convention
Hamilton, John jay, James Madison
- in support of constitution
- persuasive essays on why ppl should support constitution
The virginia plan
legislature elected based on state population size
The New Jersey Plan
Constitutional Convention
equal rep from each state: tax and commerce reg
The great compromise
Constitutional Convention
- btwn new jersey and virginia plan
- house of rep by population
- senate by state
Slave compromises under constitutional convention
slave trade clause: slave who escapes should be delivered back
3/5 compromise under constitutional convention
slaves would count as 3/5 of a human being in terms of representation
The commerce and slave trade compromise under the constitutional convention
- congress able to regulate interstate + foreign commerce
- southerners make sure no tax on exports
- debate over slave trade results in Congress banned on interfering with slaves for 20 yrs
Constitution 2 values
balance of powers
checks and balances
anti-democratic aspects of the constitution
- non direct senator + presidential vote (white property elite + wealthy)
- judges serve for life
- slavery + slaves serving as 3/5 of a person
- constitution passed when only ratified by 9/13 states
- no bill of rights
Federalists in the ratification fight
- checks and balances would prevent tyranny
- balanced relationship of national + state gov
- Articles are weak
- George Washington, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton
Concerns of anti-federalists in the ratification fight: tyranny
- too powerful english like government
- lack of bill of rights
- necessary and proper clause could allow anything
- president could beat down opposition as head of army
Concerns of anti-federalists in the ratification fight: state gov supremacy
- state govs respond more to popular will
- fewer reps will create governing elite
- power of standing armies over state militias
