Constitutional Convention Constitutional Convention & its aftermath& its aftermath

By Jake Hogue & Jenna VarnerBy Jake Hogue & Jenna Varner

Negative effects of the Negative effects of the Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War

Because this was a full-scale war, massive quantities of Because this was a full-scale war, massive quantities of supplies were required by both sides. The demand sent supplies were required by both sides. The demand sent the prices up multiple times, and the continental paper the prices up multiple times, and the continental paper money that had flooded the market was nearly worthless.money that had flooded the market was nearly worthless.

America also lost her primary trading partner, Britain, as America also lost her primary trading partner, Britain, as well as the West Indies territory. When demand for war well as the West Indies territory. When demand for war supplies suddenly fell, surpluses created more inflation supplies suddenly fell, surpluses created more inflation and high unemployment rates in municipal areas. and high unemployment rates in municipal areas.

Trade with other countries in the Mediterranean became Trade with other countries in the Mediterranean became more difficult, as pirate attacks were frequent without more difficult, as pirate attacks were frequent without defense from the British navy. The Revolutionary War defense from the British navy. The Revolutionary War caused the fragile American economy to become highly caused the fragile American economy to become highly inflated and instable.inflated and instable.

Positive effects of the Revolutionary WarPositive effects of the Revolutionary War

► British limitations on American British limitations on American trade were no longer in place, trade were no longer in place, allowing the marine merchant allowing the marine merchant and manufacturing industries and manufacturing industries to mature unchecked. With the to mature unchecked. With the Proclamation Line no longer in Proclamation Line no longer in existence, agriculture could existence, agriculture could grow and spread into even grow and spread into even more fertile territory. Though more fertile territory. Though the war did some serious the war did some serious damage to the country's damage to the country's fledgling economy in some fledgling economy in some ways, it did, in fact, bolster it in ways, it did, in fact, bolster it in others.others.

► Women were also affected by Women were also affected by the war. Property rights moved the war. Property rights moved a little bit more within reach, as a little bit more within reach, as the men left and allowed the the men left and allowed the women to run the farm, home, women to run the farm, home, or business, and sometimes or business, and sometimes combinations of the three.combinations of the three.

► In the north, the Revolutionary In the north, the Revolutionary War actually assisted in the War actually assisted in the freeing of slaves, since many freeing of slaves, since many had participated in the had participated in the Continental Army.Continental Army.

"The times that tried men's souls are over-and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew, gloriously and happily accomplished." - The American Crisis, No. 13, 1783

Shays’ RebellionShays’ Rebellion Desperate to stop foreclosure on Desperate to stop foreclosure on

their lands, farmers in western their lands, farmers in western Massachusetts have taken up Massachusetts have taken up arms.arms.

Led by Daniel Shay they shut Led by Daniel Shay they shut down courts to prevent judges down courts to prevent judges from seizing property or from seizing property or condemning people or debtors to condemning people or debtors to prison for failing to pay taxes.prison for failing to pay taxes.

The uprising was the climax of a The uprising was the climax of a series of events of the 1780s that series of events of the 1780s that convinced a powerful group of convinced a powerful group of Americans that the national Americans that the national government needed to be government needed to be stronger so that it could create stronger so that it could create uniform economic policies and uniform economic policies and protect property owners from protect property owners from infringements on their rights by infringements on their rights by local majorities.local majorities.

“ “Good God!…Notwithstanding the boasted virtue of Good God!…Notwithstanding the boasted virtue of America, we are far gone in every thing that is America, we are far gone in every thing that is ignoble and bad.”ignoble and bad.”

— —George WashingtonGeorge Washington

Photo courtesy of constitutioncenter.org

The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

John Dickinson played a leading role in developing John Dickinson played a leading role in developing this document.this document.

It called for a strong national government but It called for a strong national government but subsequent to congressional revision, the focus of the subsequent to congressional revision, the focus of the document went to an opposite extreme. Its main document went to an opposite extreme. Its main purpose was to preserve sovereignty of the states purpose was to preserve sovereignty of the states and created a substantially weak government.and created a substantially weak government.

It created a unicameral congress. Each state receives It created a unicameral congress. Each state receives one vote and one representative. Unanimous consent one vote and one representative. Unanimous consent of each state was required to amend articles.of each state was required to amend articles.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania the ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight, and in the Third Year of the independence of America. – Articles of Confederation

Problems with the ArticlesProblems with the ArticlesAlmost ruined everything we fought for.Almost ruined everything we fought for.

The federal government The federal government couldn’t levy taxes.couldn’t levy taxes.

The federal government The federal government couldn’t raise troops needed couldn’t raise troops needed for war.for war.

The federal government The federal government couldn’t regulate commerce.couldn’t regulate commerce.

The country suffered from deep The country suffered from deep financial strain and the government financial strain and the government couldn’t raise taxes.couldn’t raise taxes.

The government could make war and The government could make war and determine the troops needed for war determine the troops needed for war but couldn’t raise them. The states but couldn’t raise them. The states were divided & weak.were divided & weak.

Each state was struggling Each state was struggling economically and needed help with economically and needed help with revenue and trade. Unfortunately the revenue and trade. Unfortunately the government couldn’t intervene to government couldn’t intervene to help.help.

The policy The problem

________________________________________________________________________________Other issues: Congress printed off large amounts of paper money to finance the revolution but it led to inflation.

Ratification was delayed by a disagreement over the future states that lay to the west of the 13 states. The plan was to give the government the power to tax but was stopped by one vote.

The government took massive loans from France and the Netherlands.

After the Articles…..After the Articles….. Newburgh Conspiracy-Newburgh Conspiracy- Horatio Gates led movement to Horatio Gates led movement to

use the army to force states to surrender more power to federal use the army to force states to surrender more power to federal government.government.

Jay-Gordoqui Negotiations-Jay-Gordoqui Negotiations- John Jay negotiated with John Jay negotiated with Spanish minister Gordoqui for a treaty that would have granted Spanish minister Gordoqui for a treaty that would have granted lucrative commercial privileges in exchange for U.S. exchange for lucrative commercial privileges in exchange for U.S. exchange for U.S. acceptance of Spain's closure of the Mississippi River as an U.S. acceptance of Spain's closure of the Mississippi River as an outlet for agricultural goods. The west and south were angered outlet for agricultural goods. The west and south were angered because they didn’t produce finished goods. because they didn’t produce finished goods.

But… Washington stopped these movements and saved the union from breaking up.

Constitutional Convention When & Where? Independence Philadelphia in

the summer of 1787. Lasted for a couple of months.

Who? 53 delegates met in absolute secrecy. On

average 30 delegates were there everyday.

Purpose? The articles of confederation failed, so legislatures got together to revise the futile document. After vigorous debate over revision, it was decided that they would replace the document overall.

Key leaders in Constitutional Convention

• Leaders The delegate from Virginia that supported ratification. Washington

was selected as the president of the convention and was present May 25th through the signing.

George Washington

Ben Franklin

James Madison

Alexander Hamilton

John Jay

The delegate from Pennsylvania that arrived on May 28th and was

present through the signing. Attended the Pennsylvania committee of representation.

State the delegate represented and their contribution

The delegate from Virginia that arrived on May 25th and was present through the signing. Most notoriously took notes during the convention that the public would see.The delegate from New York that arrived on May 25th and was present until the signing. Conducted the introduction and defense of the Hamilton Plan. He was also the secretary of treasury and the principal author of the federalist papers.

This delegate was the governor of New York and the leader of the federalist party. He was the president of the continental congress and though he didn’t attend the convention his ideas were greatly influential. He was appointed the chief justice of the supreme court.

Rufus KingThe delegate from Massachusetts who served on the most committees and was a warm supporter of a strong central government. Attended the Massachusetts ratification convention and supported ratification.

Arrived May 25 and was present through the signing of the Constitution. Rutledge was willing to support a stronger central government as long as slavery remained under the control of each State.

John Rutledge

Shaping our Democracy The Virginia Plan The New jersey Plan

Proposed by big states

The Law making body (Bicameral)

1st house elected by people

2nd house elected by first house

Not fair to smaller states like Rhode Island because they had a smaller population.

The number of congressmen determined by state population.

Supported by smaller states such as New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

The law making body

(Unicameral)

House- Based on equality!

Equal number of representatives from every state. Not based on population.

The Great Compromise

This was a compromise of both plans. Law making body: Bicameral House of Representatives: would depend on

populations. Senate: Each state gets two representatives.

The 3/5 CompromiseThe 3/5 Compromise The Three-Fifths compromise The Three-Fifths compromise

was a compromise between was a compromise between Southern and Northern states Southern and Northern states reached during the reached during the Philadelphia Convention of Philadelphia Convention of 1787 in which three-fifths of 1787 in which three-fifths of the population of slaves would the population of slaves would be counted for enumeration be counted for enumeration purposes regarding both the purposes regarding both the distribution of taxes and the distribution of taxes and the apportionment of the members apportionment of the members of the United States House of of the United States House of Representatives. Representatives.

Decided to count Decided to count 3/5 total of slaves 3/5 total of slaves as population.as population.

5 blacks= 3 whites5 blacks= 3 whites

=

& we choose….the Federalists!• While we believe that a Bill of Rights protecting individual

freedoms was essential, we think that the government is needed to provide a regulatory platform for each of the states.

• The constitution provides this framework to prevent violent opposition and raise federal revenue without restricting individual liberties.

• The anti-federalist ideology is based on cynicism and doubt. The don’t pay attention to the facts that would show the prevention of a government take over. Instead they spread their impediments in the form of fear mongering and vilification.

• With this constitution it would provide a fair balance of regulation and individual responsibility. The government would provide supervision to each state. & if our government cannot do that, why even have one?

Regulation Works• Historically, in times of economic

depressions/recessions, regulation works.

The Great Depression- The country was facing the largest economic depression of all-time. The markets were frozen, unemployment was sky-rocketing and the national debt was piling up beyond compare. That is when government regulation came into play and began funding and creating groups such as the Public Works Administration to create jobs through infrastructure building and manufacturing. The wealthy were taxed and the wealth was placed back into the engine of the economy: the middle class. Also the banking crisis was improved through the creation of Fannie Mae. It is a stockholder-owned corporation. The corporation's purpose is to purchase and securitize mortgages in order to ensure that funds are consistently available to the institutions that lend money to home buyers. While the government did intervene in several instances it encouraged individual prosperity and initiative. Without the intervention from the government, the depression would have continued to plummet.

*Other instances of getting out economic droughts is the recession of 1991, and what is being done now to cure this economic recession.

Reagan’s deregulation & why it doesn’t work. - Deregulation practically eliminated the distinction between

commercial and savings banks.

- As the eighties wore on the economy appeared to grow. Interest rates continued to go up as well as real estate speculation. Many S&L's took advantage of the lack of supervision and regulations to make highly speculative investments, in many cases loaning more money then they really should.

- When the real estate market crashed, and it did so in dramatic fashion, the S&L's were crushed. They now owned properties that they had paid enormous amounts of money for but weren't worth a fraction of what they paid. Many went bankrupt, losing their depositors money. This was known as the S&L Crisis.

- In 1980 the US had 4,600 thrifts, by 1988 mergers and bankruptcies left 3000. By the mid 1990's less than 2000 survived.

- The S&L crisis cost about 600 Billion dollars in "bailouts." This is 1500 dollars from every man woman and child in the US.

- In summary, the S&L crisis was caused by deregulation which led to high interest rates that then collapsed. Other causes included inadequate capital and defrauding shorthanded government regulatory agencies (less regulators and inspectors).

- Also Reagan lowered eligibility for home owners to purchase homes, which led to individuals buying houses that they could not afford. Subsequent to that terrible policy, are 11 million houses sitting due to foreclosure.