AP EXAM REVIEW ! Part III

AP EXAM REVIEW!Part III

#3Creating a Functioning Government (1777-1824)

The Articles of Confederation The colonies did not wait to win their independence from England before setting up their own governments As soon as the Declaration of Independence was signed, states began writing their own constitutions 1777: Continental Congress sent the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION (the first national constitution), to the colonies for ratification Little to no central government; they wanted to rid themselves of Britain’s imperial rule National gov didn’t have power to tax or regulate trade Amendments required unanimous consent of all the states (one state could hold the others hostage to its demands)

The Articles of Confederation Problems Wartime government, unable to levy taxes, financed the war by printing more money, leading to wild inflation State governments dragged their heals in compensating loyalists for lost property. The British refused to abandon military posts in the States, claiming they were remaining to protect the loyalists’ rights SHAY’S REBELLION – August 1786-January 1787 Army of 1,500 farmers from western MA marched on Springfield to protest a number of unfair policies, both economic and political They were armed and very angry, and gave the elite class the wake-up call that they revolution might not be over yet This revealed lingering resentment on the part of the backcountry farmers toward the coastal elite (one of our FRQ’s earlier in the year!)

The Articles of Confederation Greatest achievement was the adoption of ordinances governing the sale of government land to settlers; THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Abolished slavery in the Northwest territories (northwest of Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River, up to Canada) Set specific regulations concerning the conditions under which territories could apply for statehood Contained a bill of rights guaranteeing trial by jury, freedom of religion, and freedom from excessive punishment (seen as a forerunner to the Bill of Rights)

A New Constitution By 1787 it was clear that the federal government lacked sufficient authority under the Articles of Confederation Alexander Hamilton and others feared survival of the new republic He convened the ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION, but only five delegates showed up! Congress then consented to a “meeting in Philadelphia” for the sole purpose of “revising the Articles of Confederation” Became the now-famous Constitutional Convention, comprised of delegates from all states except Rhode Island

A New Constitution Constitutional Convention 55 delegates, all white men, many of whom were wealthy lawyers and landowners, many of whom owned slaves Some felt the Articles needed only slight adjustments Others wanted to tear them down and start from scratch THE NEW JERSEY PLAN – called for modifications, also called for equal representation from each state THE VIRGINIA PLAN – called for an entirely new government based on the principle of CHECKS AND BALANCES and for the number of representatives for each state to be based on the population of the state (this was the brainchild of James Madison)

A New Constitution The Constitutional Convention (cont.) The convention lasted 4 months THE GREAT COMPROMISE (AKA The Connecticut Compromise) Blended the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan to have a bicameral legislature Lower house (House of Representatives) elected by the people and the upper house (Senate) elected by state legislatures (Direct election of Senators came in the twentieth century) The president and vice-president were to be elected by the electoral college, not the citizens themselves The THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE A method for counting slaves among the population of Southern states, even though slaves were not citizens Each slave counted as three-fifths of a person Only 3/42 delegates refused to sign the finished document (two because it didn’t include a bill of rights)

A New Constitution Ratification was not guaranteed Opposition forces portrayed the new government as an all-powerful beast Opponents were known as the ANTI-FEDERALISTS Tended to come from the backcountry and were appalled by the absence of a bill of rights Supporters were THE FEDERALISTS Their position was argued persuasively in THE FEDERALIST PAPERS authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay (a primary source on my website!). The papers were critical in swaying the powerful states (New York, Virginia, PA, and Massachusetts) The Constitution went into effect in 1789, the Bill of Rights was added in 1791

The Washington Presidency The electoral college unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president He accepted the role out of a sense of obligation He created a government made up of the best minds of the time The Constitution does not specifically grant the president the power or the duty to create a cabinet, but every president since Washington has had one Washington’s Cabinet Secretary of State – Thomas Jefferson Secretary of the Treasury – Alexander Hamilton

The Washington Presidency Jefferson/Hamilton Strongly disagreed about the proper relationship between the federal government and state governments Jefferson – feared the country would backslide into a monarchy, or tyranny, and favored a weaker federal government empowered mainly to defend the country and regulate international commerce All other powers should be given to the states The “Jeffersonian Democracy” is the basis for the beliefs of many modern-day Tea Party members Hamilton – Favored a strong central government and weaker state governments

The Washington Presidency The Jefferson/Hamilton philosophy debate came to the forefront when Hamilton Proposed a NATIONAL BANK The National Bank Proposed to help regulate and strengthen the economy Both houses of Congress approved, Washington (uncertain of the bank’s constitutionality) considered a veto Two sides of the debate emerged Strict constructionists (strict interpretation): led by Jefferson and Madison. Argued that the Constitution allowed Congress only powers specifically granted to it or those “necessary and proper”, they argued this wasn’t “necessary”, therefor being beyond the powers of the national government. Broad, or loose, constructionists (loose interpretation): Led by Hamilton. Argued that creation of the bank was in IMPLIED power because the government already could coin money, borrow money, and collect taxes

The Washington Presidency Alexander Hamilton Successful in handling of the national debt accrued from the war His plan called for the federal government to assume the state’s debts (further increasing the federal government’s power over them) and to repay those debts by giving the debt holders land on the western frontier. The plan clearly favored the Northern banks, many of which had bought up the debt certificates at a small portion of their worth Northern states had more remaining debt that the South, another reason why the plan drew accusations that Hamilton was helping the rich elite at the expense of the working classes Hamilton struck a deal to get his plan implemented; his concession was a Southern location for the nation’s capital. In 1800 the capital was moved to Washington, D.C., a city created to become the seat of government

Our First Party System

The Washington Presidency Hamilton’s financial program not only stirred controversy in Congress and help create our two-party system, but it also instigated the WHISKEY REBELLION The Whiskey Rebellion Began in Western PA when farmers resisted an excise tax on whiskey Hamilton imposed this tax in an attempt to raise revenue to defray the debt incurred by the Revolution Washington was determined not to let his new government tolerate armed disobedience, so he dispatched the militia to disperse the rebels The rebels went home, there were some arrests and two convictions, Washington eventually pardoned both of them Significance: demonstrated both the strength and fairness of the new federal government

The Washington Presidency Washington sent John Jay to England to negotiate a treaty concerning the evacuation of the British from the Northwest territory, as stipulated in the Treaty of Paris – JAY’S TREATY Jay’s treaty: Prevented war with Great Britain Opponents believed Jay made too many concessions toward the British, who were not respecting our rights as a sovereign nation Jay’s Treaty is often considered to be the low point of Washington’s administration

The Washington Presidency Around the same time as Jay’s Treaty, Washington sent Thomas Pinckney to Spain to negotiate use of the Mississippi River, duty-free access to world markets, and the removal of any remaining Spanish forts on American soil. PINCKNEY’S TREATY (AKA the Treaty of San Lorenzo): Ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1796, often considered to be the high point of Washington’s administration The End of Washington’s presidency Washington declined to run for a third term Farewell address (found on my website!): Warned future presidents to “steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world” His call for NEUTRALITY defined American foreign policy from 1800-1890s

The Adams Presidency The electoral college selected John Adams, a Federalist, as Washington’s successor Under the then-current rules, the second-place candidate became Vice President, and so Adams’s Vice President was the Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson The growing belligerence between the early political parties set the ugly, divisive tone for Adams’s term Adams greatest achievement was avoiding war with France After the U.S. signed Jay’s Treaty with Britain, France began seizing American ships on the open seas Adams sent three diplomats to Paris, where French officials demanded a huge bribe before they would allow negotiations to begin. When they returned home, Adams published their written report in the newspapers, while deleting the names and replaced them with the letters X, Y, and Z

The Adams Presidency The XYZ Affair As a result of the bribes and lack of negotiations, popular sentiment did a complete turnaround A formerly pro-French society, the public became vehemently anti-French to the point where a declaration of war seemed possible Aware of how small the American military was, Adams avoided the war (a war that Hamilton wanted) and negotiated a contrite with France The low point of Adams tenure was the passage and enforcement of the ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS

The Adams Presidency The Alien and Sedition Acts Allowed the government to forcibly expel foreigners and to jail newspaper editors for “scandalous and malicious writing” These acts were purely political, aimed at destroying the Democratic-Republicans In a scenario that is almost unimaginable, the VICE PRESIDENT (Thomas Jefferson) led the opposition to the acts! The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (which were anonymous, but written by Jefferson and Adams) Argued that the states had the right to judge the constitutionality of federal laws Declared the Alien and Sedition Acts void Jefferson used these resolutions as key issues in his 1800 campaign for the presidency

The “Revolution of 1800” By 1800 the Federalist party was split, clearing the way for the Democratic-Republicans Two men ran for the party nomination Thomas Jefferson Aaron Burr Each received an equal number of votes in the electoral college The Federalist dominated House had to select a president, they selected Jefferson Hamilton, Jefferson’s nemesis, campaigned for Jefferson because he believed Burr to be “a most unfit and dangerous man” Later, Burr killed Hamilton in an old-fashioned duel

The Adams Presidency Key notes of the election of 1800 Second time in as many elections that a president was given a vice president he did not want The 12th amendment (1804) fixed this, allowing electors to vote for a PARTY TICKET, like today This was America’s first transfer of power; from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans No violence occurred, a feat practically unprecedented for the time Jefferson referred to his victory and the change-over as the “bloodless revolution”

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) – First Term! The transition of power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans may have been a blood-less one, but it was not a friendly one Before leaving office, Adams made a number of “MIDNIGHT APPOINTMENTS” “Midnight Appointments” Filling as many government positions with Federalists as he could Jefferson's response was to refuse to recognize these appointments This refusal led to Marbury v. Madison in the Supreme Court

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823)- First Term! Marbury v. Madison William Marbury, one of Adams’s “Midnight Appointments”, had sued Secretary of State James Madison for refusing to certify his appointment to the federal bench Chief Justice John Marshall was a Federalist, and his sympathies were with Marbury, but he wasn’t certain that the court could force Jefferson to accept Marbury’s appointment Marshall’s decision in the case established one of the most important principles of the Supreme Court, JUDICIAL REVIEW! The court ruled that Marbury did have a right to his judgeship, but that the court couldn’t enforce this right Basically, Marshall declared it UNCONSTITUTIONAL

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) - First Term! The major accomplishment of Jefferson’s first term was the LOUISIANA PURCHASE Louisiana Purchase Spain gave New Orleans to the French in 1802 The government realized that a potentially troublesome situation was developing. The French were almost certain to take a strategic advantage of New Orleans’ location, restricting American trade on the Mississippi To avert the crisis, Jefferson sent James Monroe to France Monroe’s mandate was to buy New Orleans for $2 million Monroe arrived at the perfect time; Napoleon was gearing up for war in Europe, and a slave revolt in Haiti further convinced him to abandon French interest in the New World The French offered to sell the whole Louisiana territory for $15 million

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) - First Term! Jefferson had a dilemma with the new Louisiana Territory Jefferson believed in a “strict interpretation” of the Constitution Nowhere did the Constitution authorize the president to purchase land Clearly, Jefferson couldn’t pass up this opportunity to double the size of the U.S. for a cheap price (3 cents per acre!) Lewis and Clark Explorers sent by Jefferson to investigate the western territories, including much of what was included in the Louisiana territory All returned favorable reports causing many pioneers to turn their attentions westward in search of land, riches, and economic opportunities

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) - First Term! 1804: Jefferson won reelection in a landslide victory 1804 Elections: Aaron Burr ran for governor of New York, Alexander Hamilton campaigned against Burr Burr lost and accused Hamilton of sabotaging his political career. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, in which he killed Hamilton Burr fled to the Southwest, where he plotted to start his own nation in parts of the Louisiana Territory. He was later captured and tried for treason but was acquitted because of lack of evidence

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) – Second Term! Jefferson’s second term didn’t go nearly as smoothly as his first The U.S. was caught in the middle of yet another French-English dispute, eventually leading to the War of 1812 In 1805 the British and French were at war and at a stalemate. In an effort to gain an advantage, each side began blockading the other’s trade routes The U.S., dependent on both as trade partners, suffered greatly from the blockade The British began stopping American ships and IMPRESSING (forcing to enlist in their navy) those sailors Jefferson was at a loss. He couldn’t go to war against the British because the U.S. Navy was no match for England. Jefferson responded with a boycott

The Jeffersonian Republic (1800-1823) – Second Term! Because both British and French continued to harass American ships, Jefferson lobbied for and won passage of THE EMBARGO ACT OF 1807 The Embargo Act of 1807 Basically shut down America’s import and export business, with disastrous economic results This indirectly led to the development of American manufacturing in New England New England’s economy collapsed, smuggling became widespread The Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 Reopened trade with most nations, but still banned trade with the two most important ones – Britain and France Jefferson decided two terms as president was enough and stepped down His Secretary of State, James Madison, won the presidency

Madison’s Presidency and the War of 1812 Madison sought a solution to America’s trade problems, and Congress responded with MACON’S BILL NO. 2 Macon’s Bill No. 2: Reopened trade with Britain and France Promised that if either of the countries would renounce its interference with American trade, he could cut off trade with the other one Napoleon made that promise, forcing the United States to cut off trade with England, even though he continued to harass U.S. ships The British continued to attack American ships This built pro-war sentiment in the U.S. War Hawks Anxious for a war with Britain, saw the war as an opportunity to grab new territories in the west and southwest Led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun

Madison’s Presidency and the War of 1812 Madison asked Congress to declare war in 1812 Important points of the War of 1812 Native Americans aligned themselves with the British TECUMSEH unified tribes in an effort to stop American expansion into Indiana and Illinois Tecumseh’s coalition fell apart after he was killed in battle American forces were ill-prepared for war, the fighting went badly British captured Washington D.C. in 1814 and set the White House on fire When English-French hostilities ended (with Napoleon’s defeat), many of the issues that caused the war evaporated and British negotiated peace (THE TREATY OF GHENT) Unaware that the Treaty of Ghent was signed, General Andrew Jackson fought and won the Battle of New Orleans The only clear cut U.S. victory of the war

Madison’s Presidency and the War of 1812 The Hartford Convention The Federalists opposed the war because it disrupted trade, and unaware that the end of the war was near, they met in Hartford, Connecticut to consider a massive overhaul of the Constitution If that couldn’t happen, they planned to secede When the war ended, most people considered the Federalists to be traitors, and their national party dissolved Positive results of the War of 1812 Spurred American manufacturing Cut off from Europe, the states became more self sufficient New England became America’s manufacturing center during the war After the war, the U.S. was less dependent on imports

Monroe’s Presidency The demise of the Federalists briefly left the United States with only one political party, causing this era to be known as THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS The Panic of 1819 threw the American economy into turmoil Many people were thrown into poverty No nationally organized political opposition resulted from the panic, so Monroe easily won reelection in 1820 The postwar period also ushered in a new wave of westward expansion Sec. of State John Quincy Adams (son of John Adams) Negotiated a number of treaties that fixed U.S. borders and opened new territories Acquired Florida from the Spanish

Madison’s Presidency and the War of 1812 As we expanded, Monroe and Adams decided America should assert its authority over the Western Hemisphere, resulting in the MONROE DOCTRINE Monroe Doctrine A policy of mutual noninterference Monroe told Europe: You stay out of the Americas, and we’ll stay out of your squabbles. Claimed America’s right to intervene anywhere in its own hemisphere if it felt its security was threatened Expansion resulted in a national debate over slavery 1820: 22 states, 11 free states, 11 slave states Missouri was the first state to be carved out of the Louisiana territory, and its application for statehood threatened the balance Henry Clay brokered THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE

Madison’s Presidency and the War of 1812 The Missouri Compromise Admitted Missouri as a slave state Carved a piece out of Massachusetts, Maine, and admitted Main as a free state Drew a line along the 36 30’ parallel across the Louisiana Territory Established the southern border of Missouri as the northernmost point at which slavery would then be allowed in the western territories of the United States (except of course Missouri itself) Missouri was north of the line, so it was actually violating the Missouri Compromise The compromise was the first in a series of measures forestalling the Civil War It also split the powerful Democratic-Republican coalition, ending its 20 year control on national politics

The Missouri Compromise

AP EXAM REVIEW ! Part III