(Class 5) The New Republic Flashcards
Articles of Confederation
One single house of Congress
Each state passed a single vote
Routine decisions needed simple majority (7)
Major decision needed 9
Problems of the Articles of Confederation
Need unanimous approval gave each state veto power
No real power of direct taxation
Mechanism for collecting taxes was unclear
Weak Central Government
Revenue by Requisition
Taxes would be by requisition only
No mechanism existed to compel to give up taxes
National Domain
Creation of a National Domain for all states to share in the land
Northwest Ordinance
Set forth procedure for settling land in the Northwest (Ohio) with 3 step process
Slavery Prohibited in the northwest territory
Shays Rebellion
Universal protest against the Requisition of 1785 (Giant tax requisition)
Daniel Shays (farmer) led 1500 insurgents against the state army in Massachusetts
Army surprised rebels and took hundreds as Prisoners
Impact of Shays Rebellion
Spread the belief that the Articles of Confederation were not working
Virginia Plan
Big states plan
3 branches: Two chamber legislature - Congress, Executive - President, Judiciary - Federal Courts
Representation based on Population
New Jersey Plan
Small states plan
Single house with each state having one vote
The Great Compromise
Produced basic structure of the Constitution
Lower House - House of Reps by population
Upper House - Senate, equal with each state having 2 senators
3/5s Compromise
All free persons + 3/5s of all “other Persons” counted for population and tax
Who were the “other Persons”?
Slaves
Words slave and slavery appear nowhere in Constitution
Who were the federalists?
Favored new Constitution and strong central national government
Who were the Antifederalists
Favored strong state governments and a weak federal government
Wanted a Bill of Rights
Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
helped to sway the ratification of the Constitution
