The Constitution and Early
Republic
American History to 1877
Legacies of the
Revolutionary War
Birth of the nation in war
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Glorification
of war in American memory
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War
unifies the nation
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Gives
the new nation a unifying mythology of its birth
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Veterans
become powerful voice for national unity
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Flight
of the conservatives: Loyalists flee to Canada & England
George Washington’s stunning move
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Steps
down as commander-in-chief, returns to Mt. Vernon
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International
symbol of virtue
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National
hero like no other Revolutionary figure
Republicanism: a radical
ideology
Danger: factions (self-interested groups)
Characteristics which preserve republics
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Independence
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Equality
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Merit
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CIVIC
VIRTUE
Republican society
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End of
deference to superiors
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Important
new role for women: “republican motherhood”
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Slavery’s
legitimacy undermined
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Slaves freed by the court in Massachusetts, 1781
Articles of Confederation
Creating a new nation
13 new republics
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Weak
governors, strong legislatures
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Historic
achievement
Articles, proposed 1776, ratified 1781
◦
Confederation
of republics, as strong as any in history
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Each
state, one vote in Congress
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Diplomacy,
Indians, interstate disputes
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No
executive: all ruled by committees
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No
taxing power; requisition from states
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Amendments
need unanimous ratification
Successes of the Articles
Winning the Revolution
Northwest Ordinance, 1787
Problems of the Articles
Out-of-control state legislatures
◦
The
people tyrannizing themselves!
Shays’s Rebellion, 1786-87: Failure of virtue?
Vanishing national government
The Constitution
Annapolis, 1786
Philadelphia Convention 1787
James Madison: The Virginia Plan
Two compromises
◦
Senate
& House of Representatives
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The
three-fifths compromise
Controlling the passions of
the people
An Enlightenment document
Constructing a government from scratch, by reason
A secular document
◦
We the
People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.
◦
God
never mentioned
◦
Religion
mentioned once: “no religious tests” for office
The Constitution:
Ratification
Nine
states must ratify
◦
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia must be
included
Anti-Federalists
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To avoid factions, republics must be small
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Too much like a monarchy
◦
Nation would take over states
The Constitution:
Ratification
Federalists
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Revolutionary leaders support
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Coordinated campaign
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Federalist Papers
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The “extended republic”
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“Natural” aristocrats
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Factions controlled
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Bill of Rights
Creating an extended
republic
George
Washington
Organizing
government
Alexander
Hamilton
◦
Secretary of the Treasury
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Strong government
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Whiskey Rebellion, 1794
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Program, 1790-91
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Report on Credit
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Report on the Bank
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Report on Manufactures
Division
Thomas
Jefferson
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Preserve agrarian republic
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Hamilton’s government too aristocratic
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Placemen? Offices to supporters
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Debt a bribe to wealthy?
Federalists and Republicans
Crisis
French
Revolution, 1789
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European War, 1793
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Jay’s Treaty with England, 1795
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Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain opens New Orleans to American
shipping, 1796
Washington’s
Farewell Address, 1797
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No foreign entanglements
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“Baneful effects of party”
Extended republic on trial
John
Adams defeats Jefferson, 1796
XYZ
Affair, 1798
Quasi War
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U.S. military buildup
Newspaper
war
Alien and
Sedition Acts, 1798
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Prohibited “false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against
government or President; anti-immigrant
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Federalist tyranny?
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Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions
“Revolution of 1800”
Jefferson
defeats Adams
Return to
the principles of 1776
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Tone of simplicity
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Scaling government back
An Empire for Liberty
Louisiana Purchase, 1803
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Lewis
and Clark expedition
Renewed crisis
Republican
diplomacy
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Britain and France at war
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1806 Nonimportation Act
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Leopard and the Chesapeake
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1807 Embargo Act
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1809 Nonintercourse Act
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1810 Macon’s Bill #2
Republicans go to war
Tecumseh
at Tippecanoe, 1811
War of
1812
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June 18, 1812: war!
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Disasters in Canada
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Success at sea
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The British attack, 1814
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Washington & Baltimore
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Battle of Lake Champlain
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Treaty of Ghent, 1814
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The Hartford Convention, 1814
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Battle of New Orleans, 1815
Second War for Independence
Britain
treats U.S. as an equal, independent nation
Britain
begins longterm pro-U.S. foreign policy
The war
raises national pride
◦
The “Generation of 1812”
Back to
Hamiltonianism
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Second Bank of the United States, 1816
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Tariffs to encourage manufactures