Basic Priniciples
Popular sovereignty
power comes from the people
WHat were the #1  problems?
#1: Weak Central (national) government
#2: Financial Problems::
unpaid war debts, states and congress issued worthless paper money
no power to tax– could only request the states to donate money for national needs
List the Federalists leaders
George Washington
Ben Franklin
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Anti-federalists
for, only a bill of rights could protect Americans from a strong central government becoming tyrannical
opposed a strong national government
Federalists Papers
To try to convince people to accept the Constitution, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers ( 85 essays that gave reasons for ratification)
Limited Government
government can only do what people give it permission to do
What was problem 3?
#3: Problems Problems with Foreign (european) nations:
Europe had little respect for a new nation that could not pay its debts
Spain and England expanded their interests in lands west of the new nation
List the Anti-Federalists leaders
George Mason, Patrick Henry, James Winthrop, John Hancock, George Clinton
Federalists
against, better to assume all rights protected than to create a limited list
supported the Constitution and strong national government
The Outcome of the Ratification of the Constitution
Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania first to ratify
Promise of adding a bill of rights convinced other states to ratify
June 1788 - Nine out of thirteen states ratified the Constitution
Government created under the Constitution came into effect in 1789
Last to ratify– VA, NY, NC, RI (1790)
New York was the first temporary Capital
George Washington was the first President (only president to be elected unanimously – twice!)
Separation of Powers
powers are divided between separate branches of government
Problem #4
Domestic Problems
Shay's Rebellion-summer 1786
Captain Daniel Shays (a MA farmer and war veteran) led other farmers in an uprising against high state taxes, imprisonment for debt and lack of paper money.
They stopped the collection of taxes and forced the closings of debtors courts
1787-attempted to steal weapons from the Springfield armory, but the state militia broke it up
What were the federalists arguments?
What were the anti-federalists arguments?
A strong national government was needed to maintain order and preserve the Union
A strong central government would destroy the work of the Revolution, limit democracy and limit states’ rights
What were the 1federalists advantages, what were the 2anti-federalists?
1Strong leaders, well organized
2Appealed to popular distrust of government
Bill of Rights
Sept. 1789 – 12 amendments were approved by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.
10 of the 12 amendments were ratified in Dec. 1791 and added to the Constitution as the Bill of Rights.
Checks and Balances
Powers of each branch are checked and balanced by the other branches
What was the result of Shay's rebellion
people realized the national government was powerless to stop such rebellions, convinced many of the need to meet to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
What was the federalists strategy?
Emphasized the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, showed their opponents as negative with no solutions
What was the federalists disadvantages, what were the anti-federalists?
Constitution was new and untried, lacked a bill of rights
Poorly organized, slow to respond to Federalist challenge
How many states had to ratify the Constitution?
9 out of 13 states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect
Federalism
division of power between a central government and local government but will become an important role of the Supreme Court in 1803 with the ruling of Marbury v. Madison.
Judicial Review
authority of Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional- NOT in the Constitution,
What was the Anti-Federalists strategies?
Argued that the proposed Constitution contained no protection of individual rights, it gave the central government more power than the British king ever had
Bonus:restate the Preamble of the Constitution
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence*, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
List the ten Amendments
1st – freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, assembly
2nd – right to keep and bear arms
3rd – can’t be required to quarter soldiers in time of peace
4th – protected against unreasonable searches or seizures
6th – right to a speedy and public trial
7th – right to a trial by jury
8th – no cruel and unusuaual punishment
9th – reserves power to the people
10th – reserves power to the states