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Unit 2: Early American Government Notes

***The Treaty of Paris 1783

Britain recognized the US as a new nation

with boundaries of the Mississippi River

Britain got to keep Canada
Florida returned to Spanish control

***Articles of Confederation: Created a weak central government and passed the Land
Ordinance of 1787
Could do:
Sign treaties
Raise armies
Declare war

Couldnt do:
Tax
Regulate trade
Enforce treaties

***Land Ordinance of 1785: divided the land into square townships but remember they
couldnt be taxed under the confederation
***Northwest Ordinance of
1787: Developed the requirements
to become a state and created the
first organized territory

***Shays Rebellion
Mass. wanted to pay off their debt so they decided to raise taxes.
poor farmers are effected the most and they were going to lose their farms.
Daniel Shay led rebels to attack the courthouse to stop the foreclosures.
The government sent men to protect the armory because the rebels were going to seize the
armory.
The government was successful, but it showed how weak the articles of confederation were
because there was nothing to secure lives and property.
James Madison: people who wanted a stronger central government were known as nationalists.
The most influential one was James Madison who wanted a new national government
Alexander Hamilton: recommended that congress call an another convention in Philadelphia.
Every state but Rhoad Island to REVISE the Articles.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 1787:

Virginia Plan
A new national government
Based on population (benefited large
states)

New Jersey Plan

Modified the Articles of Confederation
equal representation

1. ***Fight: population vs equal representation

Resolution: The Connecticut Compromise aka the Great Compromise: Congress/House of
Representatives based on population and who choose the senators. The Senate gave each state
equal representation
2. ***Fight: North vs South (slavery aka property)
Resolution: 3/5 COMPROMISE: every 5 slaves count as 3 free people
3. ***Fight: taxing exported products and property in the south
Resolution: Congress could not tax exports, could not ban slave trade until 1808
***The Constitution: written by James Madison
Major principles
o Popular Sovereignty: authority of the people through representatives
o Limited government: strong but not hostile
o Federalism: power divided between federal/national government and the state
government
o Checks and balances: makes sure all the branches have equal power

***The Constitution
Article I: Legislative/congress = make the laws
Article II: Executive/President = carry out the laws
Article III: judicial/supreme court = interpret the laws
Article IV: states have a local government and have protection from invasion
Article V: how to amend the constitution
Article VI: constitution is the supreme law of the land
Article VII: ratifying the constitution

Federalists
Supporters of the Constitution
Land owners, merchants, and artisans
(all depended on trade)
Taxes on foreign goods would help
business
Madison, Hamilton
Better organization
85 Federalist Papers: explained the
constitution and why it is needed

***Anti Federalists
Questioned the Constitution and who
had supreme power: states or federal
Western farmers who were selfsufficient and in debt. They distrusted
the wealthy and powerful
Hancock, Adams, Jefferson
Believed the Constitution did not
protect basic rights, but they didnt
have an alternative solution

John Adams: spoke out about how the Constitution endangered the states and didnt protect
Americans rights.
The Federalists agreed to attach a Bill of Rights
Eventually a majority vote and 9 states in favor of ratifying the Constitution was achieved