Constitution
What was the VA Plan (Large state plan)?
Madisons plan
Bicameral Legislature Congress
Proportional representation in both houses (bad for smaller states)
Chief executive is elected by congress for a 7 yr term
National Judiciary (court System)
Council of revision: made up members of executive and judiiCal branch to veto congressional law
wanted congress to have unlimited veto power over state law (Madison thought biggest issue was states passing stupid laws)
Congress broad powers to legislate
What was the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation.
What was the Stamp Act (1765)?
The stamp act was a tax stamps on all printed material.
Ex: Newspapers, legal documents, books, playing cards
For the British gov to raise revenue to pay off debts
tax HAS to be paid in specie (colonists are chronically short of specie)
if you are caught in violation you are tried in a Vice Admiralty court (no jury)
Fuels Taxation w/o representation rhetoric AGAIN
Who are federalists?
These are people who supported the constitution.
classical republican virtue, natural merit based aristocracy, increased power in gov is OK, separations of powers, checks of balances
Cosmopolitan mined, dealings outside their local world
younger
What did the Treaty of Paris 1783 do?
Britain recognizes American Independence
Western border of US is the missisippi River, No Florida till 1819, Maine is disputed until 1842, northern boundary is what it is today
US agreed to either return confiscated loyalist property or pay compensation to the loyalists property
US agrees to allow the collection of pre war debts owed to British creditors
What was the New Jersey Plan? (Small State Plan)
William Patterson
Have a unicameral congress with equal representation for the states, each state got the same amount of votes.
congress would get the power to tax, regulate foreign/interstate trade.
plural executive power—NO veto power
Supreme court
All treaties made by congress would be the supreme law of the land.
enumerated powers.
What was the Albany Congress?
The Albany congress was the 1st significant attempt at international corporation.
Headed by: Ben Franklin
Wanted to:
1. set up a method to which they could coordinate the efforts of defense
2. Persuade the Iroquois against neutrality
What was the Townshend Acts?
Excise taxes: taxes on particular products
ex: paper, lead, glass, tea
Who’s James Otis?
He wrote Rights of the British Colony Asserted and Proved
British customs officials were getting judges to issue blanket search warrants w/o probable cause to search ships for smuggled goods
Otis argued that you can’t do this b/c there’s no such thing as a blanket search warrant in english law.
Parliament CANT do this, but does have complete sovereignty over the colonies so the laws Do have to be obeyed, but push for appeal
What was Salutary Neglect, and what did its removal cause?
Salutary Neglect is ignoring the navigation acts put in place, instead of removing them from the “rule book” entirely
its removal was because of Britain’s large debt from the 7 yrs war (England was already highly taxed), and the new king George the Third, believed that the colonies needed to be more tightly ministered.
Thus, the rulers believe that the colonists need to pay their fair share of ruling the British Empire. (Leads to “no taxation w/o representation“ rhetoric
What was the 3/5ths compromise?
3/5th of the slaves will be counted for both representation and taxes. BIG win for the south bc more representations + taxes are levied for years, more votes in electoral college.
What was the Mount Vernon Conference (March 1785)?
Attended by delegates from VA and MD
Re: Potomac river
came to an agreement + resolved all outstanding issues between VA/MDGave proof that discussing issues can lead to resolutions (inspires) —>Annapolis Convention (1786)
What was the purpose of the federalist papers?
Alexander Hamiliton + Jay + Madison work together on a series of news paper essays that would defend the constitution. 85 were produced. Single most authoritative commentary on what the different parts of the constitution meant.
Who is James Madison? How did he view republics.
He is a scholar from VA that majorly helped with the constitution.
He saw that republics existed in the past, and were very fragile bc of factions. EVERYONE NEEDED REPUBLICAN VIRTUE. Said that big republic would be GOOD because their would be so many different interest groups, that they would check/balance eachother. Non would be big enough to dominate all the rest.
What is the difference between actual and virtual representation?
Both parties believe that you shouldn’t be taxed without proper representation
Actual representation: the representation in a government by a people that choose that leader
Virtual Representation: Every member in parliament represents every citizen.
How were regulations of finances addressed under the Articles of Confederation?
They had a lack of power to regulate finances.
Was given the power to coin money, but hardly any specie to use
main currency circulated were individual state currency
confederation gov didnt have power to tax: States were supposed to provide annual requisitions to congress, but gov can’t enforce, only 1/4 collected
Chronically short of money—> continental army went years w/o pay
What was the importance of the Right of Deposit?
This is the right for American Farmera to come down the Mississippi and use the port of New Orleans to get their goods to external markets. Every farmer west of the Appalachian’s would go out of business if we lost the right of deposit to Spain.
What is the Judiciary act of 1789?
It creates the federal court system with three levels.
Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
District Court
SECTION 25: Cases from the highest courts can be appealed to the US Supreme Court, if those cases has something to do w/ constitution, controversial bc it takes power away from the states. Potential BIG limit on state powers
Who came up with the Virginia Stamp Act Resoloves?
Patrick Henry (fire & Brimstone)
7 resolutions
When colonists migrated to america they didnt give up rights as English Subjects
Taxation without representation is tyranny
Virginia house of burgesses is the only institution that institution to tax Virginians
Believes that colonists do not have to obey any tax laws that ARE NOT passed by the Virginian House of Burgesses
4/7 resolutions passed
What was the consequences of the 7 years war?
It left an impression on the colonists, didn't like red coats bc they treated them badly.
having new land led to new conflicts with natives: Pontiacs Uprising—> Proclamation of 1763
Colonists were angry, as they fought for the land and didnt get to reap any of the benefits (Also, investment out their was worthless!)
Leads colonists to believe that the British are too powerful/jealous of how the colonists have expanded
What was the biggest problem with the Articles of Confederation? BONUS 100 POINTS FOR NAMING THE 5 SPECIFIC ISSUES
It created a weak central government
Lack of power to regulate finances
Lack of power over interstate trade
lack of power over foreign trade
Lack of power to enforce treatiesLck of military power
Who were the Sons of liberty?
The sons of liberty tried to organize and influence the protests. Became and organization of information exchange. Established boycotts of english goods, would affect British merchants wallets. Boycotting was most effective strat. To overturn the stamp act.
What is the Declaratory Act?
Colonists could be taxes and legislated by parliament in any/every case. Published as the stamp act was repealed
Who are Anti-Federalists?
People who didnt support the constitution
emphasized threats to the states
furious that there was no Bill of Rights: feared a too powerful central government
tended to be older
farmers
What was the Treaty of Amity and Commerce?
France formally recognized American independence/ US as a legit country.
Trade agreement between France and America.