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3. First state constitutions: After independence, Common Features Include: a. Separation of Powers

3. First state constitutions: After independence, Common Features Include: a. Separation of Powers b. Bicameral legislatures c. Weak executive branches d. Bill of Rights e. Limited and representative gov’t f. Limited Suffrage. Sec.3:Articles of Confederation.

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3. First state constitutions: After independence, Common Features Include: a. Separation of Powers

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  1. 3. First state constitutions: After independence, Common Features Include: • a. Separation of Powers • b. Bicameral legislatures • c. Weak executive branches • d. Bill of Rights • e. Limited and representative gov’t • f. Limited Suffrage

  2. Sec.3:Articles of Confederation • A. Articles: Ratified 1781-1st US Constitution. • 1. League of friendship among states to ensure defense and welfare, Why? Feared: • a. A strong Centralized Gov’t. • b. each other • c. Great Britain and other Euro. Nations.

  3. 2. Powers of the Confederacy belonged to a unicameral Congress • a. Make war and peace. • b. Send and receive ambassadors • c. enter into treaties • d. raise and equip a navy • e. maintain an army • f. establish post offices • g. settle disputes among the states

  4. 3. Weaknesses of the Articles • a. Congress powerless to levy/collect taxes • -can’t pay off debts or pay for needed services. • b. No power to regulate interstate or foreign trade. • -economic quarrels broke out, couldn’t compete w/o tariffs • c. no exec. Branch to enforce laws throughout 13 states • d. Approval of 9 states to pass laws.

  5. e. Inability to maintain an army or a navy • f. States could coin own $, no uniform currency. • g. No national court system to settle disputes • h. A unanimous vote needed to amend articles (stagnation) • i. Every state got 1 vote regardless of size, led to small/big state conflicts.

  6. B. Need for Stronger Government • 1. Growing financial, trade, and defense problems. • 2. Shay’s Rebellion (1786): Econ. troubles led to armed rebellion: tax revolt in W.Mass. By farmers against banks and courts who threatened to seize their land. • 3. Annapolis Convention (1786): 5 states sent delegates to discuss common problems w/ the Confederacy. Issued a call to revise Articles.

  7. Confederation Successes • 1) Kept states together during war. • 2) Negotiated Treaty of Paris 1783 • 3) Established a Diplomatic Corps • 4) Make people think of themselves as Americans. • 5) Created NW Ordinance (1789): Organized lands east of Miss. River so new states could be developed.

  8. Sec.4: Constitutional Convention • A. The Const. Conv.: Philadelphia, PA, 5-25-1787 to 9-17-1787 • 1. Delegates to the Convention • a. 74 selected, 55 attend at least once, 39 signed • b. 12 states represented, RI does not attend, opposed to Central Gov’t, Controlled by debtor class. • c. Possessed Common features:

  9. 1) Men of prestige and reputation • 2) Knew one another • 3) experienced in governing, Governors, Legislators • 4) They were educated (31 college, some college presidents.) • 5) Fairly young: Avg. age=42 years.

  10. d. Delegates were an economic elite, At the time in the U.S. • 1) 1%, elite class • 2) 9%, middle class – land owners • 3) 50%, freeholders – farmers • 4) 20%, indentured servants/tenant farmers • 5) 20%, slaves • Most delegates came from the top 1% = aristocracy

  11. e. Delegates wealth and possession influenced their attitudes towards gov’t: • 1) Bankers/Financiers: Want credit and $ protected. • 2) Land Speculators: Want a strong army to protect western lands. • 3) Shippers: Want a strong navy to protect ships on high seas. • 4) Merchants: Wanted to be able to compete in world markets; gov’t regulate trade. • f. No small farmers, tradesmen, debtors, frontiersmen, women or slaves attended.

  12. g. Philosophy of delegates • 1) Too much democracy=anarchy and chaos but too little leads to tyranny. • 2) Some (Sherman, Gerry) feared giving too much to common man, some (Madison, Mason, Wilson) said if people were not source of power, it would be contrary to what revolution was all about. • 3) Believed in Nationalism (strong central gov’t) and not laissez-faire economics, wanted self interests protected. • 4) Feared too much concentration of power (few or many), • So they Divided Power (Fed vs. state, Legislatures, Branches, Wealth, Region, Economy, etc.)

  13. h. Prominent Delegates include • 1)Washington: Presiding Officer • 2)James Madison: Father of Constitution • 3)Ben Franklin: Elder Statesmen • 4)Edmund Randolph: Gov. of VA • 5)James Wilson: Outspoken proponent of Democracy • 6)Alexander Hamilton: NY, prop. of strong Nat’l Gov’t. • 7)Roger Sherman: Author Great Comp. (Conn) • 8)Gouvernour Morris: Wrote most of final draft, including preamble • 9)George Mason: Wanted inclusion of Bill of Rights • 10)Charles Pinckney, John Rutledge, Pierce Butler: pro-slavery Southerners

  14. i. Makeup of the states at the Convention • 1)Large: Mass, Penn, VA, NY • 2)Mid: Conn, Md, NC, SC • 3)Small: NJ, Del, NH, GA • j. Organization of the Meetings • 1)Quorum needed: 7 states • 2)Each state=1 vote – motion needed a majority of those present. • 3)Meetings held in strict secrecy – to ensure free expression and less outside interference.

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