🇺🇸Honors US History Unit 4 – The Constitution and the New Republic

Key Events Leading to the Constitution

• Inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation became apparent after the Revolutionary War
• Lack of a strong central government led to economic instability and interstate disputes
• Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787) highlighted the need for a stronger federal government to maintain order
  • Farmers in Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays, revolted against high taxes and debt
  • Exposed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation in dealing with internal unrest
• Annapolis Convention (1786) called for a meeting to revise the Articles of Confederation
  • Only five states sent delegates, but it paved the way for the Constitutional Convention
• Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, convened in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation

The Constitutional Convention

• The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787
• Delegates from 12 states attended (Rhode Island did not send representatives)
  • Notable attendees included James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin
• George Washington was unanimously elected as the convention's president
• Original purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation, but delegates decided to create a new constitution
• Proceedings were held in secret to encourage open debate and compromise
• James Madison kept detailed notes of the convention, which were published after his death

Major Debates and Compromises

• Representation in the legislature was a major point of contention between large and small states
  • Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population, favoring large states
  • New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for all states, favoring small states
• Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the representation issue
  • Bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation
• Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the issue of counting slaves for representation and taxation
  • Three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for both purposes
• Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise gave Congress the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce but prohibited it from banning the slave trade until 1808

Structure and Principles of the Constitution

• The Constitution establishes a federal system with a strong central government
• Separation of powers divides the government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
  • Legislative branch (Congress) makes laws
  • Executive branch (President) enforces laws
  • Judicial branch (Supreme Court and lower courts) interprets laws
• Checks and balances ensure that no single branch becomes too powerful
  • Examples include the President's veto power and Congress' ability to override a veto
• Federalism divides power between the national government and state governments
• The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and all other laws must comply with it
• Amendment process allows for changes to the Constitution with a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states

Ratification Process and Federalist Papers

• The Constitution required ratification by nine out of thirteen states to be implemented
• Federalists supported ratification, arguing for a strong central government
  • Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers to promote ratification
• Anti-Federalists opposed ratification, fearing a powerful central government would infringe upon individual liberties
  • They advocated for a Bill of Rights to protect individual rights
• Ratification debates took place in state conventions
• Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787
• New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788, making the Constitution effective
• The last state to ratify was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790

Bill of Rights and Early Amendments

• The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was added to address Anti-Federalist concerns
  • Protects individual liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms
• First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition
• Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms
• Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures
• Fifth Amendment provides due process rights and protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy
• Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people
• Eleventh Amendment (1795) granted states sovereign immunity, protecting them from lawsuits by citizens of other states or foreign countries
• Twelfth Amendment (1804) revised the presidential election process, requiring electors to cast separate ballots for President and Vice President

Establishing the New Government

• George Washington was unanimously elected as the first President of the United States
• John Adams served as the first Vice President
• Washington's Cabinet included Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury
• Judiciary Act of 1789 established the federal court system, including the Supreme Court
  • John Jay was appointed as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
• Hamilton's financial plan aimed to establish a strong national economy
  • Assumption of state debts, creation of a national bank, and implementation of tariffs and excise taxes
• The nation's capital was established in Washington, D.C., as part of a compromise between northern and southern states

Challenges and Controversies in the Early Republic

• Whiskey Rebellion (1794) tested the federal government's authority to enforce an excise tax on whiskey
  • Washington led troops to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the government's power
• XYZ Affair (1797-1798) strained relations with France and led to an undeclared naval war
  • French officials demanded bribes from American diplomats, causing outrage in the U.S.
• Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) restricted free speech and targeted immigrants
  • Reflected growing tensions between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
• Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions (1798-1799) asserted states' rights to nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional
  • Authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, respectively
• Election of 1800 marked a peaceful transfer of power from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans
  • Thomas Jefferson defeated incumbent John Adams, becoming the third U.S. President
• Marbury v. Madison (1803) established the principle of judicial review
  • Supreme Court asserted its power to declare laws unconstitutional