early republic Flashcards
1787: Philadelphia Convention
A meeting of top politicians, lawyers, academics etc. to write a new constitution after the Articles failed to deal with the problems
when was the AOC ratified
1788: The new Constitution was ratified by the states
• The new structure of Government came into effect and the Articles of Confederation were abandoned
who becomes president and vice
1796: John Adams becomes President. Jefferson becomes Vice President
Powers of the Federal Government:
- to declare war
- to raise an army
- to negotiate and sign treaties with foreign nations
Powers of the States:
- to demand taxes from the people in their states (the amount owed could vary from state to state)
- any other powers not explicitly given to the federal government (e.g.: law and order)
America now had to decide how they would choose their Government and how democratic the new Republic would be?
They decided on Republicanism, a system where the people choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf. It was rooted in the fundamental principle of the people having the power – one of the main reasons for the war of independence in the first place.
how was America more republic
More people were given the opportunity to vote (although black people and women were excluded) and frequent elections were to be held. All of this ensures that no one person could become extremely powerful again
how were there states structured
Instead of being controlled by one force (Britain), each state would have their own powers and principles. They would still be a united country but it was agreed that each state was, and should be, recognised for their individual needs.
what did each state write
write their own constitution to govern their people and most were based on the old colonial documents. A new addition, however, was a commitment to republicanism and basic civil rights
what was the big change of elites vs new men
As republicanism became more popular and working class, ordinary people had a say in politics, the elite of the past started to lose their grip on power.
what were the roles of the elites
They still had a role to play in the upper houses of each state but the lower houses started to include more farmers and craftsmen. This was positive as it meant more Americans were being represented.
what did each state include
: Each state constitution also included a section on citizen’s rights both human and civil. Civil rights include the right to vote and protection from a dictatorial government. Human rights include the right to life and liberty
