Post by djxkorean on Jul 12, 2009 7:53:42 GMT -8
The Articles of Confederation March 1.1781-March 4, 1789; The Critical Period 1781-1789 or The United States Under the Articles of Confederation;
The Constitutional Convention
Articles of Confederation
I. Concentration of power within the States
. . A. There was no chief executive.
. . . . 1. Committee of States made up of one delegate from each state: performs routine governmental function and only exists during intervals between sessions of Congress.
. . B. Congress members paid by states, and state could recall any delegate at any time
. . . . 1. Made the members of Congress think and act as ambassadors for their state.
. . . . 2. Didn't serve the United States. Function was to protect and advance interests of their own states
. . . . 3. Only cooperated with welfare of U.S. when it coincides with own objective
II. Central government can't enforce anything.
. . A. No judicial branch
. . . . 1. Congress was authorized to establish court to judge disputes that could not be resolved by states
. . . . 2. could not enforce any verdicts it came up with
. . B. Congress could ask for taxes but couldn't force collection
. . . . 1. Congress told each state how much to pay in taxes in support of U.S.
. . . . 2. Job of collecting the taxes were left largely to states, which didn't pay amount requisitioned
. . C. Congress could ask for men into armed forces, but couldn't draft them into service
. . . . 1. Similar to tax collection, but with men. Didn't work as well.
. . D. Not given exclusive power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce
. . . . 1. Each state set own import taxes, and tried to protect own internal trade by raising tariffs.
. . . . . . a. leads to interstate trade being VERY low.
. . . . 2. Trade agreements between U.S. and other nations very difficult
. . E. Treaties made by U.S. could be nullified by action of the states
. . . . 1. Any cooperation required by state in treaty could be violated without any punishment
III. Difficult to work with; unorganized, chaotic, uncooperative
. . A. Majority of 9 votes required to pass important laws. As a result, passing laws was a slow and difficult process
. . B. Operated under unicameral system, and each state only had one vote
. . C. Amending Articles of Confederation required unanimous vote of 13 states
. . . . 1. leaves right to veto at some critical point = protection against being coerced by combined will of several other states.
. . D. Didn't have exclusive right to print money
III. Context of Articles of Confederation
. . A. 2nd committee during 2nd Continental Congress submitted to Congress the Articles of Confederation
. . B. Some parts stemmed directly from Benjamin Franklin's "Albany Plan of Union"
. . C. By Novemer 1666, approved and submitted to each of 13 states for ratification.
. . . . 1. Could only come into effect when all the states signed it.
. . . . . . a. Maryland doesn't sign until 7 months before war ends
. . . . . . b. leads to compromise that places Northwest colonies under central gov't control
. . . . . . . . i. Very useful in Northwest Ordinance of 1787 - helps U.S. financially
. . D Surprising how US survived American Revolution without any stable form of government
Critical Period 1781 - 1789
I. The Crisis
. . A. Wasn't taken seriously by any foreign power
. . B. Manner of life and death for the U.S. republic.
. . C. Shays' Rebellion: 1786 - 1787
. . . . 1. Captain Daniel Shays feels that it is unjust that farmers, unable to pay debts, had their farms seized by court action by creditors.
. . . . 2. After fighting in American Revolution, felt that this shouldn't happen.
. . . . . . a. should be end of mortgage foreclosures, paper money should be printed and used to pay off debts to creditors.
. . . . 3. Governor Bowdoin and MA legislature doesn't pass such laws. leading to grand protests, mobs, and violence.
. . . . 4. Central gov't played no part in restoring order, alarming many Americans at the inability of central gov't to maintain law and order.
. . D. Economic depression throughout America
. . . . 1. Tariff walls between the states led to little trade for anyone.
. . . . 2. Virginia and Maryland holds a meeting to discuss depressed interstate commerce.
. . . . . . a. 5 states show up: too few states, so make Philadelphia Convention of 1787
. . . . 3. At Philadelphia Convention, Alexander Hamilton suggests 3rd meeting to consider all problems of Articles of Confederation
. . E. Foreign relations trouble
. . . . 1. Without England aiding American states, had nothing to protect them
. . . . . . a. Spain closes Mississippi River to American commerce
. . . . 2. Other monarchies threatened by new republic = threat to own system of government.
. . . . 3. Mercantilism sets up trade barriers that are hard to break down
. . F. Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787
. . . . 1. applies to the Northwest Territory
. . . . 2. established pattern for other public lands
. . . . . . a. any other state that enters U.S. has full rights and dignity with every other state
. . . . 3. Was a way for the United States to gain money (sold parts of the territory to companies, states, and banks)
Constitutional Convention
I. Founders
. . A. Opened on May 14th in Independence Hall, Philadelphia
. . B. Every state is given one vote despite number of delegates
. . C. Every state but Rhode Island represented; 55 delegates
. . D. George Washington set as chairman of the Constitutional Convention: chosen unanimously
. . E. Benjamin Franklin holds influence, as did Thomas JEfferson and James Madison
. . F. James Madison kept records and notes of all proceedings
. . . . 1. Federalist Papers by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay give light on Constitution and thinking of those who created it.
II. The Compromises
. . A. The Great Compromise: about representation
. . . . 1. Virginia Plan: presented by Edmund Randolph (populated state)
. . . . . . a. Bicameral legislature represented in both houses by population
. . . . 2. New Jersey Plan: presented by William Paterson (small state)
. . . . . . a. equal representation for both houses of the legislature
. . . . 3. Connecticut Plan: presented by Roger Sherman
. . . . . . a. One house based on population, one house equal representation.
. . . . . . b. adopted and dubbed the Great Compromise
. . . . 4. Decided that new constitution and not just amending of Articles of Confederation
. . B. Economic compromise
. . . . 1. Southern states wanted 2/3s vote to pass foreign commerce laws.
. . . . 2. Northern states want simple majority because import taxes would stimulate growth of manufacture
. . . . 3. Compromise
. . . . . . a. Southern states- export taxes illegal, and no law interferes with slave importation until 1808
. . . . . . b. Northern states get import taxes levied by simple majority
. . C. Three-Fifths Compromise
. . . . 1. Slave states: Slaves count when determining delegates in House of Representatives, but not counted in taxes according to population.
. . . . 2. Northern states want the opposite
. . . . 3. Every free person counted as one person, while all slaves counted as 3/5s of a person
Ratification of the Constitution
I. Constitution comes into power when 9 states ratify
. . A. December 7, 1787: Delaware first state to ratify
. . B. June 21, 1788: New Hampshire 9th state to ratify and Constitution becomes government for 9 states
. . C. Spring of 1790: Rhode Island last state, as Washington is inaugurated.
II. Qualifications: usually must own a certain amount of property
. . A. Was met for electing delegates as required for voting members of lower house of state legislature.
. . B. 2/3s to 4/5s were eligible to vote, but ended up not voting
. . C. Federalist Party: those who supported Constitution
. . . . 1. worked very hard and more effectively then Anti-Federalists
. . D. Convention was used as Citizens, not public officials, drew up a framework of government
III. Any opposition of Constitution resulted in the forming a bill of rights within the Constitution.
Commentary: Once again, bias is evident throughout these 4 sections. Exalting even the greatly flawed Articles of Confederation as something done due to necessity, the author most definitely views those who drafted both the Constitution and Articles very highly, and on top of that, seem unusually fascinated by the prestige of George Washington. In my opinion, the Articles of Confederation of utterly and completely a failure as a form of government. It wasn't even a form of government, as the states acted as independent nations. In a sense, it had much resemblance to the League of Nations set up by President Woodrow Wilson, which wasn't able to enforce any of its judgments or powers. In all honesty, I think the states were too preoccupied with themselves, that they forgot the reason they originally fought in the American Revolution. Either that or they thought to hard and sought to do the complete opposite of what the English government had done.
Luckily, the delegates of the states were able to think clearly, seeing as how they wrote the Constitution. They must have realized that relaying all of the power to the states led to instability and lack of a foundation. The Shays' Rebellion may or may not have influenced that thought, although the book does give large credit to the rebellion. I presume that such thoughts that the central government could not maintain law and order was thought of while writing the Articles of Confederation itself. Why they would pass such a flimsy form of "government" without any power at all is something that I hope to never understand.
The Constitutional Convention
Articles of Confederation
I. Concentration of power within the States
. . A. There was no chief executive.
. . . . 1. Committee of States made up of one delegate from each state: performs routine governmental function and only exists during intervals between sessions of Congress.
. . B. Congress members paid by states, and state could recall any delegate at any time
. . . . 1. Made the members of Congress think and act as ambassadors for their state.
. . . . 2. Didn't serve the United States. Function was to protect and advance interests of their own states
. . . . 3. Only cooperated with welfare of U.S. when it coincides with own objective
II. Central government can't enforce anything.
. . A. No judicial branch
. . . . 1. Congress was authorized to establish court to judge disputes that could not be resolved by states
. . . . 2. could not enforce any verdicts it came up with
. . B. Congress could ask for taxes but couldn't force collection
. . . . 1. Congress told each state how much to pay in taxes in support of U.S.
. . . . 2. Job of collecting the taxes were left largely to states, which didn't pay amount requisitioned
. . C. Congress could ask for men into armed forces, but couldn't draft them into service
. . . . 1. Similar to tax collection, but with men. Didn't work as well.
. . D. Not given exclusive power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce
. . . . 1. Each state set own import taxes, and tried to protect own internal trade by raising tariffs.
. . . . . . a. leads to interstate trade being VERY low.
. . . . 2. Trade agreements between U.S. and other nations very difficult
. . E. Treaties made by U.S. could be nullified by action of the states
. . . . 1. Any cooperation required by state in treaty could be violated without any punishment
III. Difficult to work with; unorganized, chaotic, uncooperative
. . A. Majority of 9 votes required to pass important laws. As a result, passing laws was a slow and difficult process
. . B. Operated under unicameral system, and each state only had one vote
. . C. Amending Articles of Confederation required unanimous vote of 13 states
. . . . 1. leaves right to veto at some critical point = protection against being coerced by combined will of several other states.
. . D. Didn't have exclusive right to print money
III. Context of Articles of Confederation
. . A. 2nd committee during 2nd Continental Congress submitted to Congress the Articles of Confederation
. . B. Some parts stemmed directly from Benjamin Franklin's "Albany Plan of Union"
. . C. By Novemer 1666, approved and submitted to each of 13 states for ratification.
. . . . 1. Could only come into effect when all the states signed it.
. . . . . . a. Maryland doesn't sign until 7 months before war ends
. . . . . . b. leads to compromise that places Northwest colonies under central gov't control
. . . . . . . . i. Very useful in Northwest Ordinance of 1787 - helps U.S. financially
. . D Surprising how US survived American Revolution without any stable form of government
Critical Period 1781 - 1789
I. The Crisis
. . A. Wasn't taken seriously by any foreign power
. . B. Manner of life and death for the U.S. republic.
. . C. Shays' Rebellion: 1786 - 1787
. . . . 1. Captain Daniel Shays feels that it is unjust that farmers, unable to pay debts, had their farms seized by court action by creditors.
. . . . 2. After fighting in American Revolution, felt that this shouldn't happen.
. . . . . . a. should be end of mortgage foreclosures, paper money should be printed and used to pay off debts to creditors.
. . . . 3. Governor Bowdoin and MA legislature doesn't pass such laws. leading to grand protests, mobs, and violence.
. . . . 4. Central gov't played no part in restoring order, alarming many Americans at the inability of central gov't to maintain law and order.
. . D. Economic depression throughout America
. . . . 1. Tariff walls between the states led to little trade for anyone.
. . . . 2. Virginia and Maryland holds a meeting to discuss depressed interstate commerce.
. . . . . . a. 5 states show up: too few states, so make Philadelphia Convention of 1787
. . . . 3. At Philadelphia Convention, Alexander Hamilton suggests 3rd meeting to consider all problems of Articles of Confederation
. . E. Foreign relations trouble
. . . . 1. Without England aiding American states, had nothing to protect them
. . . . . . a. Spain closes Mississippi River to American commerce
. . . . 2. Other monarchies threatened by new republic = threat to own system of government.
. . . . 3. Mercantilism sets up trade barriers that are hard to break down
. . F. Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787
. . . . 1. applies to the Northwest Territory
. . . . 2. established pattern for other public lands
. . . . . . a. any other state that enters U.S. has full rights and dignity with every other state
. . . . 3. Was a way for the United States to gain money (sold parts of the territory to companies, states, and banks)
Constitutional Convention
I. Founders
. . A. Opened on May 14th in Independence Hall, Philadelphia
. . B. Every state is given one vote despite number of delegates
. . C. Every state but Rhode Island represented; 55 delegates
. . D. George Washington set as chairman of the Constitutional Convention: chosen unanimously
. . E. Benjamin Franklin holds influence, as did Thomas JEfferson and James Madison
. . F. James Madison kept records and notes of all proceedings
. . . . 1. Federalist Papers by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay give light on Constitution and thinking of those who created it.
II. The Compromises
. . A. The Great Compromise: about representation
. . . . 1. Virginia Plan: presented by Edmund Randolph (populated state)
. . . . . . a. Bicameral legislature represented in both houses by population
. . . . 2. New Jersey Plan: presented by William Paterson (small state)
. . . . . . a. equal representation for both houses of the legislature
. . . . 3. Connecticut Plan: presented by Roger Sherman
. . . . . . a. One house based on population, one house equal representation.
. . . . . . b. adopted and dubbed the Great Compromise
. . . . 4. Decided that new constitution and not just amending of Articles of Confederation
. . B. Economic compromise
. . . . 1. Southern states wanted 2/3s vote to pass foreign commerce laws.
. . . . 2. Northern states want simple majority because import taxes would stimulate growth of manufacture
. . . . 3. Compromise
. . . . . . a. Southern states- export taxes illegal, and no law interferes with slave importation until 1808
. . . . . . b. Northern states get import taxes levied by simple majority
. . C. Three-Fifths Compromise
. . . . 1. Slave states: Slaves count when determining delegates in House of Representatives, but not counted in taxes according to population.
. . . . 2. Northern states want the opposite
. . . . 3. Every free person counted as one person, while all slaves counted as 3/5s of a person
Ratification of the Constitution
I. Constitution comes into power when 9 states ratify
. . A. December 7, 1787: Delaware first state to ratify
. . B. June 21, 1788: New Hampshire 9th state to ratify and Constitution becomes government for 9 states
. . C. Spring of 1790: Rhode Island last state, as Washington is inaugurated.
II. Qualifications: usually must own a certain amount of property
. . A. Was met for electing delegates as required for voting members of lower house of state legislature.
. . B. 2/3s to 4/5s were eligible to vote, but ended up not voting
. . C. Federalist Party: those who supported Constitution
. . . . 1. worked very hard and more effectively then Anti-Federalists
. . D. Convention was used as Citizens, not public officials, drew up a framework of government
III. Any opposition of Constitution resulted in the forming a bill of rights within the Constitution.
Commentary: Once again, bias is evident throughout these 4 sections. Exalting even the greatly flawed Articles of Confederation as something done due to necessity, the author most definitely views those who drafted both the Constitution and Articles very highly, and on top of that, seem unusually fascinated by the prestige of George Washington. In my opinion, the Articles of Confederation of utterly and completely a failure as a form of government. It wasn't even a form of government, as the states acted as independent nations. In a sense, it had much resemblance to the League of Nations set up by President Woodrow Wilson, which wasn't able to enforce any of its judgments or powers. In all honesty, I think the states were too preoccupied with themselves, that they forgot the reason they originally fought in the American Revolution. Either that or they thought to hard and sought to do the complete opposite of what the English government had done.
Luckily, the delegates of the states were able to think clearly, seeing as how they wrote the Constitution. They must have realized that relaying all of the power to the states led to instability and lack of a foundation. The Shays' Rebellion may or may not have influenced that thought, although the book does give large credit to the rebellion. I presume that such thoughts that the central government could not maintain law and order was thought of while writing the Articles of Confederation itself. Why they would pass such a flimsy form of "government" without any power at all is something that I hope to never understand.