The Republican Experiment

Chapter 6By: Kimberly San-Martin

Republican Culture

In the 1780s, many Americans feared the Revolution could

still fail if not grounded in a virtuous republican

government. The country needed a government without a

monarch after the revolutionary war. They founded a

national government leading to a genuine republic.

illustrations from the 1780s indicate that the 13 stars were often arranged as a circle of 12 around a single central star.

The shadow of revolution

Social and political reform

• They abolished remnants of aristocratic privilege like entail and primogeniture

• changed electoral patterns in part by lowering property requirements

• moved toward separation of church and state.

African Americans in the New Republic

Anti-slavery societies

were established in the

North as a result of both

economic situations and

double standards which

were represented by

slavery. Southern states

did not abolish slavery.

Freed slaves in the

North were still denied

equal treatment and

rights which came with

being a complete

citizen.

First state to abolish slavery

•Richard Allen•Evangelical minister •Organized African Methodist Church•Philadelphia

Women Right’s Challenge

Women plead to limit the power of the husband which brought attention to the petition for divorces. In 1773 the rate of the divorces was about the same for men and women.

the Adam’s family letters were the letter exchanges between John and Abigail Adams as he set off to the constitution conventions. Throughout these letters she expresses to John Adams her plea to boundary the authority of husbands. She gained minor caring responses. During this time woman began to petition for their rights, such as divorce. Despite women’s efforts not much attention was gained.

Adam’s Family Letters

The Articles of Confederation

• The first constitution of the United States.

• Gave a structure for national government.

• The articles restricted central authority

• withheld the national government from having authority over any taxation or coercive power.

• This was ratified in 1781.

• The articles were agreed to by the continental congress.

Northwest Ordinance •The issue facing the

Continental Congress

under the Articles of

Confederation were the

conflicts which occurred

amongst states over

western land territory.

•By 1802, all rights were

surrendered to the federal

government.

•The Northwest Ordinance

provided a new structure

for government of the NW

territory.

•The Ordinance outlawed

slavery north of the Ohio

River.

•The ordinance as well

demarcated a system for

the territories’ admittance

to the Union as states.

• Farmer’s Proposed to inhibit state courts from foreclosing on

debtors incapable of paying their taxes

• Due to heavy taxation on their farmland

• The rebellion was put down by the state militia.

• The results of the rebellion were calls for more effective

central government and helped lead to the dropping of the

Articles of Confederation in favor of the stronger

Constitution.

Virginia Plan VS. New Jersey Plan

Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan

In the Virginia Plan, Madison gave the federal government power to veto state laws. This affected opponents barely allowing opportunities for objections. This was Madison’s blueprint for a strong federal government. Representation would be determined by each states population or by states central government depending on financial support.

Plan in which each of the states would give one vote and at the same time would give widespread new powers to tax and regulate trade. This was presented by a New Jersey lawyer, William Paterson. Paterson wrote this in fear for small states under the Virginia Plan. This plan effected delegates causing a scandal over who favored a strong federal government. Equal representation for each state and elected by legislatures.

The States debated and then approved the new constitution, and a Bill of Rights was added to protect individual liberties.

For the Constitution to Become a Law 9/13 states had to ratify it.

The framers of the constitution bypassed state legislatures because they feared that he legislatures would never approve a document because it reduced their powers.

Struggle for Ratification of the Constitution

Federalist

Anti-Federalist

In favor of the constitution

Opposed to the constitution

In favor of a strong national government

Supporters of state government and individual rights

Feared people more than the government

Feared the government more than the people

Federalist won . . . Why?1. Economic problems and Shays’

Rebellion convinced many American’s that something had to be done.

2. Federalist had one specific plan to present- The Constitution ( Anti-Federalists had no constructive opposition)

3. Federalist were a well-organized national group (Anti-Federalists id coordinate their activities on a national level)

4. George Washington

Federalist

George Washington

The federalists had George Washington’s support giving them a great advantage to point that the constitution had been crafted under the leadership of this great hero and most respected public figure.

Status: 1st President,” no political party” , (VA)

What turned the tides in states like Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York ?

The skill’s of James Madison and Alexander Hamilton certainly had an impact , their offer to support several amendments to the constitution strongly aided their votes.

Many American’s believed that the constitution needed a clear declaration of rights of the people.

BILL OF RIGHTS

James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights. Madison expressed to congress that “ the greatest dangers to popular liberties came from the majority operating against the minority”. A committee ratified his ten amendments. Madison’s greatest concern was that if needed to, amendments would be properly inserted into the Bill of Rights instead of attached onto the end, but he was overruled. Madison wrote this to shield individual rights from government intrusion.

Status: 4th President, Revolutionary leaders, Federalist, NY

GEORGE MASON• George Mason wrote

the Virginia Declaration of Independence which was later included into the United States Constitution.

• It declared that all men are free and independent possessing inherent rights, the right to liberty, to safety, and right to own property.

Status: Political Thinker (VA)

Many federalists saw no need for these amendments. They believe that they were already building a government for the people and that under the constitution the people and the government were the same.

Anti-federalists warned that if the rights of the people were not spelled out in the constitution, these rights would be considered unremunerated powers of the government.

Facing overwhelming pressure for the Bill of Rights, the Federalists gave in. Compromise with the anti-federalists = VICTORY

THE END