ratification of the constitution Flashcards
adopting the constitution
would become operative when ratified by 9 states
submitted to specially elected conventions, not the state legislatures. would confer on the constitution, a status which the constitution of all but massachusetts lacked, looked like it was based on popular consent
slavery debate
charles pickney - south carolina and georgia need the slave trade, virginia will benefit from stopping the slave trade. slaves should be taxed like other imports but should consider a rejection of the clause as an exclusion of south carolina from the union
won’t be prohibited by congress before 1808, but a tax or duty may be imposed on slaves if it doesn’t exceed $10
gouveneur morris - would never concur in upholding slavery, wants to make them citizens and allow them voting rights
5 states with large slavery populations
won’t ratify constitution if it bans slavery
states with slaves get more representation in electoral colleges/ congress - not fair
georgia - 35% - 29,264
maryland - 32% - 103,036
north carolina - 26% - 100,783
south carolina - 42% - 104,094
virginia - 39% - 292,627
middlekauf extract
madison strongly urged election by the people or some body of electors chosen by the people
urged strongly for giving authority to revise laws to the executive and part of the judiciary
states had evinced a powerful tendency in the legislature to absorb all power in its vortex
pinckney warned that if the committee failed to find a way of preventing the emancipation of slaves and the taxation of them, south carolina would hold its support
7th article of the report contained a flat injunction against prohibiting the importation of people
congress could tax as much as it wished except that direct taxes must be in proportion to a census to protect slavery
committee of detail had recommended that electors of the lower house be the same as those choosing the more numerous branch of the states legislatures
morris believed that the working class will vote for what their employers tell them which is why only elites should vote
electoral college and executive
instead of granting the national legislature a blanket authority ‘to legislate in all cases to which the separate states are incompetent’, the convention granted congress a list of enumerated powers - to tax, borrow and coin money and regulate commerce
instead of giving the national legislature the right to veto harmful state laws, the convention forbade states from exercising certain sovereign powers
states were banned from carrying on foreign relations, levying tariffs, coining money, emitting bills of credit, passing ex post facto laws, or doing anything to relieve debtors of the obligations of their contracts
states rendered nearly economically incompetent - prohibited from imposing customs duties and denied authority to issue paper money
president was to stand alone, unencumbered by an executive council except 1 of his choosing. patrick henry - ‘could easily become king’
electors equal in number to the representatives and senators from each state
if no candidate received a majority, the final selection from the 5 candidates with the most votes would be made by the house of representatives with each state delegation having 1 vote
delaware, new jersey, georgia, pennsylvania and connecticut
ratification easily achieved which enabled federalists to build up early momentum
massachusetts
long and spirited contest
stance of sam adams and john hancock was vital - anti federalist leanings
federalist pressure put on both men at massachusetts convention in january 1788
pro constitution demonstrations by boston artisans persuaded adams to support constitution
hancock changed sides when federalists suggested that he might become vice president if the constitution was ratified
maryland, south carolina and new hampshire
maryland - 63-11 in favour
south carolina - 149-73
new hampshire - 57-47, initially strongly anti federalist and when its people elected their convention, they instructed it not to ratify
hew hampshire’s slow ratification gave federalists an opportunity. raising the issue in town meetings, they put pressure on delegates to change their mind. finally ratified on an afternoon when federalists had got a number of their opponents drunk enough to miss the session
virginia
patrick henry’s attack on the constitution along with richard henry lee’s letters from a pennsylvanian farmer had a profound effect
however, washington’s support and madison’s promise to work for a bill of rights was crucial
ratified on 26th june 1788, 89-79 votes
new york
when the new york convention met, hamilton though 4/7ths of the population were against the constitution
hamilton, madison and jay wrote a series of 85 essays under the pseudonym ‘publius’ called the federalist paperssa
sam adams
opposed ratification initially, then was persuaded by artisan protests
franklin
supported ratification
symbolic presence - 81 years old
hamilton
heavily influenced ratification
wrote 85 essays in 6 months
john jay
heavily influenced ratification with the federalist papers
authored ‘an address to the people of the new york’ which helped to attain ratification in new york
madison
heavily influenced ratification with federalist papers
circulated virginia plan to every delegate before congress - set agenda
