Chapter 7

Following Lexington & Concord…

Second Continental Congress

• 2nd Continental Congress (May 1775) get together in Philly

  • Division amongst colonists as to whether or not to declare independence

  • Organized the Continental Army with Washington as commander in chief

• Bunker Hill (June 1775) British take hill, but colonists hold their own--Builds confidence!

• At the same time sought peace by sending Olive Branch Petition to King George lll (July 1775)

  • King dismissed the OBP and declared colonies in rebellion

Important: 1775 still no clear consensus for independence

Deep Roots of Revolution

• Enlightenment ideas of John Locke and Rousseau strongly influenced the colonists

  • Locke said everyone has natural rights and the power of government is derived from popular consent

• Thomas Paine's pamphlet “Common Sense" (Jan 1776) argued for independence

  • Radical idea at the time

  • Called for the creation republic (representative govt.) based on natural rights of the people

  • Strongly influenced by the Enlightenment

Declaration of Independence

• Thomas Jefferson drafted the formal Declaration of Independence

• Goals: Justify independence by listing grievances against King George lll

  • Took out the one Jefferson wrote against slavery

• To rally support amongst the colonists

• To get the assistance from foreign nations

• Broad appeal by declaring “unalienable rights" (natural rights) and the power of government rest with the people (popular sovereignty)

Colonial Unity?

England VS America

Strengths and Weaknesses

France

• France hoped to regain its power in North America and Europe

  • Remember the bad defeat in the 7 Years War

• Other reasons for France to support the colonists:

  • End of British mercantile policies means free to trade with colonies

  • Caught up in the idealism and Enlightenment ideas

• Benjamin Franklin helped negotiate the treaty

• Formal alliance (1778) followed the Battle of Saratoga

  • Colonists receive money, weapons, naval support, and soldiers

Significant Battles of the Revolution

• Lexington & Concord (April 1775)

• Bunker Hill (June 1775)

• Trenton (Dec. 26 1777) Washington crossed Delaware river and captured 1,000 Hessian soldiers

• Battle of Saratoga (Oct. 1777) British surrender

  • France joins the war on the side of the Americans

• Later in war England focused war effort on the South (loyalist and high slave population)

• Battle of Yorktown (Oct. 1871) General Cornwallis surrenders to American, French troops

  • French blockaded the sea

Treaty of Paris (1783)

• Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay headed to Paris to negotiate an end to the war

• Treaty of Paris (1783)

  • England recognized United States independence

  • Boundary of the U.s. would extend to the Mississippi river to Great Lakes to Spanish Florida

• American Concessions:

  • Must respect rights of loyalists

  • Debts owed to British creditors would be paid

Political Impact of the American Revolution

• State constitutions abolished many old European laws and traditions

  • No titles of nobility could be granted

• Different ideas of what republicanism would mean

• Many states eliminated property requirements for voting-(e.g. Pennsylvania)

• However the colonial elitee remained and other states restricted political involvement

  • Most states did not have full democracy

• American Revolution inspired revolutions in France, Haiti, and Latin America

Social Impact of the American Revolution

• Women played significant roles: maintaining farms & businesses while men away, nurses, cooks, etc.

• Impact**: Abigail Adams "Remember the Ladies**" called for greater rights for women

• Ideal of "republican motherhood" which called on women to teach republican values within the family

• Native Americans oftentimes fought on the side of the British

  • British limited colonial settlement

  • (Iroquois Confederation divided over the issue)

Social Impact of the American Revolution

• African Americans eventually were allowed to fight in the Continental Army

  • Royal Governor of Virginia Lord Dunmore promised freedom to any slave who fought for the British

• Following the American Revolution gradual emancipation in the northern and middle states

  • Pennsylvania Gradual Emancipation Law (1780)

• Later on slavery will expand in the south and adjacent western lands

  • This will create distinct regional attitudes towards slavery

• Slavery will be protected in the constitution

Chapter 8

State Governments

• Each state setup its own written plan of government (constitution)

• Characteristics of these new governments:

  • Separation of powers: power was typically split between 3 branches of government

  • Property requirements were typical for voter eligibility

  • Many states included bill of rights that outlined basic freedoms (religion, trial by jury, etc.)

    • Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom by Thomas Jefferson

• Government was set up based upon republicanism (power comes from the people)

  • Debate over what republicans would look like

Articles of Confederation

• 1st national government of the United States

• Government could: Conduct foreign policy, borrow money, make treaties

• Created a central government with limited power

  • Unicameral congress

  • No executive branch or court system

  • No power to tax

  • Could not regulate trade

• Other Problems

  • 9 votes out of 13 to pass law

  • All states regardless of size had one vote

  • All 13 states must agree to amend the Article

Northwest Ordinance

• Land Ordinance of 1784 established principle that territories could become states as their populations grew

• Land Ordinance of 1785: set up system for surveying and selling land in Northwest

  • Section set aside for public education

• Northwest Ordinance of 1787: set up the system for territories to enter the union as new states

  • Banned slavery in the Northwest Territory

Foreign Policy Problems

1. British built forts in the west, disrupted trade, and armed Natives

2. Spain banned American shipping along the Mississippi in 1784

3. France demanded repayment of loans

4. Barbary Pirates harassed American shipping

Shay’s Rebellion

• Following the American Revolution the economy suffered a postwar depression

  • Particularly hard hit were farmers

• Shay's Rebellion (1786-87) Daniel Shay veteran of the revolution and farmer in Mass. led a rebellion of poor farmers

  • Demands: lower taxes, end of foreclosures, paper $, end of imprisonment for debt

• Government was TOO WEAK to put the rebellion down Increased calls for a stronger central government

Creating A New Government

• Growing demand to address the problems facing the nation (inti trade, finances, interstate commerce, foreign relations, & internal unrest)

• Annapolis Convention (1786): 5 states attend to discuss trade and commerce

  • Plan to meet up in Philly in 1 year

• Constitutional Convention (1787) meets for the purpose of revising the Articles

  • 55 delegates sent for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation"

  • Very quickly they decided to create an entirely new stronger central government

Compromises of the Convention:

• Big issue at the convention was about representation in Congress

• James Madison introduced the Virginia Plan (Large State Plan)

  • Bicameral (2 house) legislature

  • Representation would be based on population size

• New Jersey Plan was favored by the small states Unicameral (1 house) legislature Each state would have equal representation

• Roger Sherman introduced the Great Compromise

  • Bicameral legislature

  • Upper house (Senate) 2 representatives per state

  • Lower house (House of Reps) based on population

Compromises Over Slavery

• Debate over whether slaves should be counted in state population?

• 3/5th Compromise: slaves would be counted 3/5 of a person when deciding representation in the House of Reps.

• Slave trade allowed to continue until 1808

• Although the word "slave" or "slavery" was not used in the Constitution, the institution of slavery was very much protected by the original document

Debate Over Ratification

• Federalists: supporters of the Constitution and a strong central government

• Anti-Federalists: critics of the Constitution and favored a weak central government F

  • Favored state rights

• The Federalist Papers (85 essays) written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay to persuade people to support ratification of the Constitution

• Guarantee of a Bill of Rights helped achieve ratification

  • Enumerated individual rights and explicitly restricted powers of the fed govt.

• In 1789 George Washington takes office as the nations 1st President

Stuff You Should Know About the Constitution

• The Constitution set up a government based upon popular sovereignty

  • Power is in the hands of the people

• Separation of powers between the 3 branches

• The Constitution set up a division of power between the national and state government (Federalism)

• Constitution would be "the supreme law of the land"

• Presidents would not be elected directly by the voters- wanted to limit excessive popular influence

  • Feared too much democracy would lead to mob rule

  • Created the electoral college

Chapter 9

Washington’s Administration

• George Washington becomes the 1st President of the U.s. in 1789

  • Unanimously elected

• Sets many precedents that put the principles of the Constitution in practice

  • Two term presidency

  • Established the cabinet (group of advisors who would serve as the heads of different departments)

• Washington's Presidential Cabinet

  • Sec of State: Thomas Jefferson

  • Sec of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton

• Conflict will develop as Federalist ideas are implemented by Hamilton

• Judiciary Act of 1789 organized the Supreme Court with 1 chief justice and 5 associate justices

Bill of Rights

• The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to alleviate concerns of the Anti-Federalists

• These 10 amendments were intended to provide protections against government power

  • 1st amendment: speech, religion, press, assembly

  • 4th: no unreasonable searches and seizures without probably cause

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

• Sec of Treasury Alexander Hamilton developed a financial program to pay off the debt and develop American manufacturing

• Part 1: Report on Public Credit called for the federal gov to pay off the national debt at face value & assume the war debts of the states (Assumption Plan)

  • Compromise with Jefferson: capital would be moved to the south (Washington D.C.)

• Part 2: Hamilton supported 1) high tariffs (tax on imports) and 2) excise taxes (tax on specific item such as whiskey)

  1. Would protect American "infant" industries from foreign competition

  2. Raise revenue to pay off the debt

• Part 3: Created a NATIONAL BANK that would help create a stable, healthy economy, and currency

• Huge debate over the Bank of the U.S. & the power of the fed gov. under the new Constitution

  • Jefferson (Jeffersonian Republicans): Constitution did not give Congress the authority to create a bank

    • Strict interpretation of the Constitution

• Hamilton (Federalist): the "necessary and proper" clause allowed Congress to create the BUS since it waas necessary to carry out its enumerated powers

  • Loose (Broad) interpretation of the Constitution

First Party System

• First party system would develop during the 1790's

  • No mention of political parties in the Constitution

• Federalist vs. Jeffersonian Republicans

Whiskey Rebellion

• Part of Hamilton's financial plan included an excise tax on whiskey

• Farmers in Western Pennsylvania refused to pay the tax

  • Seen as a challenge to the authority of the new federal government

    • Remember the failure of Articles in dealing with Shay's Rebellion

• Washington takes over the state militia and stops the rebellion by show of force

  • Demonstrated to many the power and effectiveness of the federal government

  • Critics such as Jefferson disturbed by use of force

Foreign Policy: France

• French Revolution deeply divided America

  • Should the U.S. help France?

  • Federalist: concerned about violence & wanted to avoid war with England

  • Democratic Republicans: extension of our own fight for liberty & England was seizing American ships

• Washington issued Proclamation of Neutrality (1793) declaring the U.S. neutral

• French minister to the U.S. Citizen Edmond Genet traveled in the U.S. trying to convince people to support France

Foreign Policy Issues: England & Spain

• England continued to cause the U.S. problems: 1) Impressment, 2) occupied forts in the west

• Chief Justice John Jay sent to England to negotiate

• Jay's Treaty (1794): British agreed to, leave the forts on the frontier

  • Said nothing about stopping Britain's harassment of American ships or Native issue

  • Does keep the U.S. neutral!

• Spain had previously blocked American access to the Mississippi river

• Pinckney treaty (1795) Spain agrees to allow the U.S. usage of the Miss. River and the port of New Orleans

  • Made the northern boundary of Florida the 31st parallel

Native Americans

• Native American land continued to be encroached upon by settlers moving west

• Native tribes formed the Northwest Confederacy under the Miami chief Little Turtle

• Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794) natives defeated by U.S. army led by General Anthony Wayne

• Treaty of Greenville (1795): defeated tribes gave up claim to Ohio Territory

Bye GW, Hello John Adams

• George Washington decided to leave office after 2 terms as President (set precedent)

• Washington's Farewell Address (1796) warned the nation:

  • Permanent alliances

  • Danger of political parties

• Election of 1796: Federalist VP John Adams VS. Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson

• John Adams becomes President

  • Thomas Jefferson VP

    • Fixed by 12th amendment in 1804

Foreign Policy Under John Adams

• France's war against European nations was a major problem for Adams

  • Seizing American ships

• Adams wanted to avoid a war with France and sent U.SS. diplomats to Paris

• XYZ Affair: French officials known as X, Y, Z attempted to get the Americans to bribe them in order to start negotiations with Foreign Minister Talleyrand

  • Outraged many Americans millions for defense, but no one cent for tribe."

  • Demands for war amongst American public

• Quasi War: undeclared naval war between France & the U.S.

State vs Federal Government

Chapter 10

Election of 1800:

• Election of 1800: Federalist lost control of both the executive and legislative branches

  • Thomas Jefferson becomes the 1st Democratic-Republican presdient

• “Revolution of 1800” 1st peaceful transfer of power between political parties

  • “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists”

Federalist & the Judicial Branch:

• Federalist wanted to maintain some grip on power and passed the Judiciary Act of 1801

  • Created new judicial positions

• Called the Midnight Appointments

  • Attempt my Adams administration to put Federalist judges in place before leaving office

• One of the midnight judicial appointees (Willian Marbury) sued Secretary of State James Madison for refusing to deliver his commission

• **Marbury vs. Madison (**1803)

Marbury vs. Madison (1803)

• Parts of the Judiciary Act of 1789 was ruled unconstitutional

• SUPER IMPORTANT: Established the idea of Judicial Review

  • The Supreme Court has the power to declare federal laws unconstitutional

  • Massive expansion of judicial power

• As Chief Justice John Marshall will dramatically increase power of the federal government.

How Jeffersonian was Jefferson?

• Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans:

  • Strict Interpretation of the Constitution

  • Limited fed government, farmers!

• Jeffersonian policies: Eliminated excise taxes, lowered national debt

• Does not dismantle all of the Federalist policies: Kept the BUS & debt plan

• TJ attempted to buy New Orleans from France

  • Napoleon offers to sell all of the Lousiana territory for $15 million

    • Haitian Revolution

    • Fight against England

• Although the Constitution does not say the president could purchase foreign and, TJ supported the deal

  • Jefferson used loose interpretation of the Constitution & implied powers to make the deal

Lousiana Purchase?

• Doubled the size of the U.S.

  • Supports Jefferson’s vision of a agrarian society of intependent farmers

• Avoided a potential threat (France) along the nation’s borders

• Further weakened the Federalist party

• Lewis and Clark led a scientific xploration of the trans-Mississippi West.

  • Start of U.S. claims to the Oregon territory & Pacific coast

Aaron Burr does some wild stuff

• Burr plotted with some radical Federalist to secede New England states from the union

  • Alexander Hamilton helped defeat Burr in NY election

• Burr killed Hamilton in a duel in 1804

• PLotted to take part of Mexico from Spain and potentially unit it with Lousiana territory under his rule

  • Put on trial for treason but acquitted

Violation to American Neutrality

• The war in Europe continued to cause problems for the United States

• Violations of U.S. Neutrality

• Impressment: forced enlistment of Americans into the British Navy

• France issues the Berlin Decree(1806) that said they would seize ships trading with England

• England issued the Orders in Council(1806) that said ships must stop in England first

SHOWDOWN

• Chesapeake Leopard Affair (1807): English ship Leopard attacked American ship the Chesapeake

Jefferson’s Response

• Jefferson issued Embargo Act of 1807

  • Banned all U.S. trade with ALL foreign nations

• Impact: The United States economy plummeted

• Unintended Consequences:

  • Helped fuel the industrial revolution in the New England region

President James Madison

• James Madison becomes president in 1809

• Non-Intercourse Act (1809): the United States could trade with all nations EXCEPT France & England

• Macon’s Bill #2: U.S. would end embargo if the country respected U.S. neutrality and freedom of the sea

• Members of Congress in 1811 known as “War Hawks” advocated for war against England

  • Stop British harassment

  • Wipe out Native Resistance on the frontier

  • Take Canada from England

Native Resistance on the Frontier

• Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and "the Prophet" organized a confederacy of tribes east of the Mississippi

• William Henry Harrison organized an army and attacked native resistance in 1811 at Battle of Tippecanoe

War of 1812 Declared!

• England's arming of Natives on the frontier

• England's continued violations of U.S. neutrality

• Pressure from War Hawks in Congress

  • Desire for more land, protect American honor, etc.)

• Democratic- Republicans tended to favor France

Chapter 11

War or 1812

• Initially the War of 1812 went poorly for the U.S.

  • Nation was divided

  • Failed invasion of Canada

• The British burned Washington D.C. and attempt to defeat Fort McHenry in Baltimore

• Treaty of Ghent formally ended the war- nothing gained stalemate!

• Two weeks after the war ended Andrew Jackson defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans

Hartford Convention

• Hartford Convention some Federalist met to discuss their concerns (December 1814)

  • Some radical Federalist encourage secession

    • Precedent later used by the south

• Nail in the coffin for the Federalist party

Era of Good Feelings

• Following the War of 1812 there was a huge increase in nationalism

• James Manroe elected in 1816

  • Period of only ONE political party, the Democratic Republican party was known as "The Era of Good Feelings"

• Not all good feelings

  • Growing sectionalism

  • Debate over the American system (tariff, BUS, etc.)

  • Slavery

  • Panic of 1819

    • Caused by over-speculation of frontier lands

The American System

• Henry Clay instituted the "American System"

  • National Republicans adopt policies similar to the Federalist

• Tariff of 1816: 1st protective tariff

  • Designed to help American industry /manufacturing

• 2nd Bank of the United States: help ensure financial stability and provide credit

• Internal Improvements: development of canals and roads to link the nation together

  • Madison and Monroe vetoed proposals to use federal funds on roads and canals

  • NY completed Erie Canal 1825

Missouri Compromise

• Missouri petitions to enter the union as a slave state (part of the Louisiana territory)

  • This would upset the sectional balance between slave and free states

• Tallmadge Amendment proposed:

  • Gradual emancipation of slaves in Missouri

• Missouri Compromise by Henry Clay in 1820:

  • Missouri enters as a slave state

  • Maine enters as a free state

  • Above 36°30’ slavery would be prohibited

• Missouri Compromise temporarily stemmed growing tensions

"Supreme court decisions established the primacy of the judiciary in determining the meaning of the Constitution and asserted that federal laws took precedence over state laws."

• Marbury v. Madison (1803): established judicial review

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Maryland tries to tax the BUS

  • State could not tax a federal agency

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) ruled that only the federal govt. (Congress) could regulate interstate trade

Foreign Policy Developments

• The United States starts to have some stability in foreign affairs and diplomatic success

  • Hugely important is Secretary of State John Quincy Adams

• Anglo-American Convention 1818 between U.S. and England

  • Joint occupation of Oregon territory for 10 years

  • Set northern boundary of Louisiana Territory at 49th parallel

• Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) the U.S. acquired Florida

  • The U.S. agreed to give up claim to Texas

Monroe Doctrine

• U.S. feared that Europe would try to recolonize territory in the western hemisphere

• England also wanted to keep Europe out of the Western Hemisphere

• Monroe Doctrine (1823) the U.S. warned Europe to stay out of the Western Hemisphere

  • The U.S. agreed to avoid European affairs

• Not much immediate impact

  • Later on (especially in 1890s onward the U.S. will play a huge role in Latin American affairs