Friday September 2, 2011

1. Friday September 2, 2011 1.02 Analyze the philosophy and ideologies that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution. 1.03 Investigate the experiences that influenced the beginnings of American government. Adoption of the US Constitution • FIRST 5: (Do this NOW) • Take out Home work on Rev and AoC • Do the following: • List and Rank 5 causes for the American Revolution • List and Rank 3 causes for scrapping the Articles of Confederation

2. American Revolution to Articles of Confederation…

3. Alexis De Tocqueville’sDemocracy in America • Like a human being, you can track its future by its childhood, so you can track a country by its origins to determine its natural character or destiny. • We can see such a national infancy in America • Emigrants to the colonies differed in goals and principles but similar in language. • British – factious past, importance of how to protect, parish system • Emigrants have no notion of superiority – happy and powerful do not go into exile • If the elite did come they found the soil not suited for territorial aristocracy • Too poor to support anyone but the owner • Because the land can only support a few people – the land is naturally broken into small portions which the proprietor cultivates himself • A nation may include the rich or poor but unless there is no territorial wealth then there is no aristocracy • Law of equal division breaks up large estates • Since land is more valuable if owner works it himself it creates a disincentive to buy huge portions of land • Colonies love money but it moves fluidly and wealth rarely remains over generations– political equality will be inevitable in the colonies

4. There were five sectors in colonial society 1)New England Merchants 2)Southern planters 3)Holders of royal lands, patents, and officers 4)Shopkeepers, artisans, laborers 5)Small farmers

5. Power in the Colonies • The merchants, planters and royalists comprised the colonial elite the ruled • 1720-1750 was a period of salutary neglect as distance and limits of communications mean the colonies are neither heavily regulated nor heavily taxed. – between 1740 and 1748 only about 148,000 pounds are spent on the colonies • Whig ideology, Lockean philosophy and English history- power can be abused, so it must carefully be watched

6. Why start taxing? • 1754-1763 – the French-Indian War costs about a million pounds • French threat is removed and allows colonists to look inward • British post soldiers in people’s homes and colonists told they don’t have same rights as the English • Rise in colonial patriotism • British debt motivates parliament to start taxing the colonies

7. Stamp Act • The Stamp Act and other taxes in the 1760s threaten the interests of the merchants and the planters – an alliance between the 1, 2, 4, and 5 is created • The act is eventually repealed and the alliance disbands with the traditional elite supporting the soldiers during the Boston Massacre • In 1773, the British grant a monopoly on the export of tea from Britain and the company works to sell directly to the colonies instead of through merchants • Merchants unite with 4 and 5 – the Boston Tea Party • (radicals hoped it would provoke a response, merchants just hoped it would rescind the monopoly)

8. Response to Boston Tea Party • Britain responds with by closing the Boston port, changes the provincial government of Massachusetts, accused persons could be taken to England for trial, and restricted movement to the West (this further alienated the Southern planters) • 1775 – Battle of Lexington – troops go to Concord to destroy arms • Declaration of Independence (1776) written • Calls for inalienable rights • Attempts to unify a disparate country by articulating a history and set of principles to forge a national unity

9. The causes of the revolution: • economic – taxes, monopolies challenge economic interests • political – the rights of the people are being taken away – Lockean • The shift from salutary neglect sparks a powerful reaction because of Locke, Whig ideology and British history

10. Articles of Confederation (1777) • No executive branch • Enforcement left to the states • No judicial branch • No agency for resolving disputes between the states • Just a unicameral legislature • one member selected by the state legislature

11. Articles of Confederation (1777) • No means of regulating interstate commerce • States could tax each others goods • No federal enforcement powers • As a result: foreign countries could play states against each other in trade deals • radical elements control Pennsylvania and Rhode Island Leg – instituting currency inflation – frightens the elite but the federal gov is powerless to intervene

12. Annapolis Conventions (1786) • Calls for Congress to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia to revise the articles

13. Shay’s Rebellion • Shay attempts to stop foreclosure of farm by keeping courts in Mass. from sitting • Shay tries to capture the federal arsenal at Springfield • Appeal made to federal gov gets no response • State militia is able to disperse mob within a few days • Insurrection is embarrassing and worrisome

14. Constitutional convention (May 1787) • 29 delegates selected by state governments – none from Rhode Island • Hot Philadelphia summer, windows shut to keep deliberations secret

15. Homework • Research your Delegate: You will become this person on Wednesday • Know: • Background • Where are they from and how this affects their position… • What is their belief on NJ Plan or VA Plan? • Who are their allies and adversaries?