1789-1801

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FEDERALIST ERA

1781 - 1782

Elias Boudinot (1782-83),

Thomas Mifflin (1783-84), Richard

Henry Lee (1784-85),

John Hancock (1785-86),

Nathan Gorman (1786-87),

Arthur St. Clair (1787-88),

and Cyrus Griffin (1788-89) — all prior

to Washington taking office

I. MAKING STATE CONSTITUTIONS

A. Continental congress- calls on states to write con.

B. Features of state Con.’s

• Protection of individual liberties

• Annual elections

• Weak executive and judicial branches

• Powerful legislatures

• Better representation

What does this show?

II. CREATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

A. Constitutional convention- May 25 1787

• Every state except RI

A. James Madison- “father of the constitution

• Federalism, Separation of powers, “extended republic”

B. Articles thrown out- came out of nowhere

C. Representation was the biggest issue

• Large state plan (Virginia plan)

• Small state plan (New Jersey plan)

• The great compromise (Connecticut compromise)

• House of Representatives

• Senate

II. CREATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

E. Strong independent executive= President

F. North-South issue

G. Checks and Balances/ Separation of powers

H. The “elastic” clause

I. “Supremacy” clause

J. Safeguards

K. Consent of the governed

L. No bill of rights, and ratification would require 9

III. Ratification debate: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

A. DE, NJ, GA, CT quickly ratify

B. Pennsylvania first big state

C. MA, Critical test

D. followed by MD,SC, NH

E. ratified june 21 1788

F. last four states didn't want to be isolated

G. New York: Federalist papers a. Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison b. federalist X

Federalist era: 1789-1801

I. Domestic issues A. pop. 4 million

B. 90% rural

C. finances precarious

D. worries about britain and spain

IV. President Washington

A. unanimously elected 1789

B. Precedent of cabinet consultation a. Secretary of State – Thomas Jefferson

b. Secretary of the Treasury – Alexander Hamilton

c. Secretary of War -- Henry Knox

d. Edmund Randolph--Attorney General

V. The Bill of Rights

A. Major priority B. amendments: new constitutional convention ⅔ , ⅔ vote

in congress and ¾ state approval

C. Bill of Rights i. Freedom of speech, religion, press, petition and assembly

ii. Right to bear arms

iii. Troops may not be arbitrarily quartered on the people

iv. Unreasonable searches and seizures forbidden

v. The individual is guaranteed certain rights when on trial and the

right to life, liberty and property

vi. Right to a fair and speedy trial in criminal cases

vii. Right to a trial in civil cases (lawsuits against other citizens)

viii.Excessive fines and unusual punishments are forbidden.

ix. The people retain rights not enumerated in the Constitution

x. Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to

the states and the people

What would you do to fix the country's economic problems in the 1780’s?

VI. Judiciary act 1789; hamilton's financial plan

A. organized the supreme court a. federal and circuit courts b. office of Attorney general

B. economic goals a. report of public credit 1790

b. report on manufactures 1791

C. funding at par

D. assumption of state debts

E. tariffs (customs duties)

F. excise taxes

G. national bank

H. “strict construction” V. “loose construction”

I. The Whiskey Rebellion 1794

VII. Birth of the Party System

A. Parties not expected

B. Federalists a. upper class leadership

b. distrust of the common man

c. strong central gov.

d. gov. should encourage business not interfere

e. pro-british

C. Democratic-Republicans (jeffersonians) a. rule of the people, gov. for the people

b. appeal to the middle class/ yeoman farmer

c. states rights

d. avoid national debt e. pro-french

VIII. Federalist Foreign policy

A. Defeat of American Indians in the old NW

B. impact of the French Revolution

C. Washington's Neutrality proclamation 1793

D. Jay's treaty 1794 a. issue of impressment

b. eased tension with Britain

c. led to formation of the Democratic-Republican party

E. Pinckney Treaty 1795 a. eased US-Spain

IX. Washington Farewell address 1797

A. refused 3rd term

B. warned against political parties and foreign

alliances

C. isolationism for next 100 years

D. review: a. consulted and choose cabinet

b. 2 terms

X. Adams Presidency

A. Election of 1796 a. John Adams v. Jefferson

B. “Quasi War” v. France 89-1800 a. XYZ Affair 1797

i. scandal from demand of bribes

b. undeclared hostilities

c. Convention of 1800 i. war avoided

d. The Alien and Sedition acts: weaken Jeffersonian’s i. raised residency, deportation, punishment for opposition to

gov.

ii. Virginia and Kentucky resolutions challenge but nothing

happens

XI. Federalist Legacy

A. Hamilton’s financial plan established the nation’s

financial foundation.

B. Washington established important precedents for

the presidency.

C. Federalists kept the U.S. out of war.

D. Federalists preserved democratic gains of the

Revolution and oversaw the creation of a viable

republic.

E. Opposition party (Jeffersonians) resulted in

creation of two-party system.

F. Westward Expansion (Treaty of Grenville and new

western states)