AP US History Articles and Constitution Notes

I.               Articles of Confederation

A.             We had no government before because there were 13 separate colonies

1.             Most of the individual colonies had state constitutions, and most of them kept them and just got rid of anything referring to British sovereignty

2.             These constitutions ranged from extremely democratic (Pennsylvania) to more reasonable (Maryland and Virginia) which had safeguards against excesses (basically a Bill of Rights)

B.             The Articles of Confederation

1.             Components of the government

a)             Consisted of a weak, unicameral Congress in which each state had 1 vote

b)             The executive department was a committee of 13 (1 member from each state)

c)             To amend the articles required a unanimous vote

d)             The national government could declare war, make treaties, and borrow money

2.             Restrictions

a)             Could not raise a money, but could tell each state the number of troops each should contribute, but had no influential power

b)             Could not levy taxes

c)             Could not regulate commerce

3.             Ratification of the articles was delayed

a)             The smaller states felt that the larger states were claiming land that was not rightfully theirs

b)            

c)             The Articles convinced the states that claimed these lands to give them up, which was a tremendous accomplishment for a weak central government

4.             Land Ordinances

a)             Set up how new territories would become states

b)             Set up how the states would be organized once they became states (education,

c)             We still use this blueprint today when admitting new states

d)             A Bill of Rights was set up for the people in these new areas

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II.              Troubles and Controversy

A.             Financial Trouble

1.             Tried printing paper money called continentals, but they were worthless because there was nothing backing them up

2.             The army was owed money from the government and was not paid

B.             Jay-Gardoqui Treaty

1.             John Jay, secretary of foreign affairs, went to Spain to negotiate a treaty with Spain.  He was able to negotiate a very lucrative trade agreement for the northeast part of the US in exchange for allowing Spain to close the Mississippi to American trade

a)             This treaty was good for the coastal states, but harmed states like Kentucky and Tennessee (west and south) because they needed the Mississippi to trade

b)             Friction between the north and the south

2.             The deal never went through because people in the US were so angry about it

C.            Indian Raids

1.             Native Americans would raid American states then go back to Spanish Florida for safety

D.            Shays Rebellion- the last straw

1.             In Massachusetts, the taxes were very high

2.             Daniel Shays led a rebellion to shut down the prisons to prevent the judges from condemning people to debtors prison (if there were no jails, the judges would not be able to send debtors to jail)

3.             In Boston, the citizens raised an army to combat the rebellion

4.             The government lowered the taxes, and the whole thing went away

5.             This showed we needed a national government that could deal with these issues

III.            Constitutional Convention, 1787 Philadelphia

A.             Issue at hand- what kind of government?

1.             Agreed to toss the articles and write a new Constitution

B.             Most of the delegates were lawyers, merchants, and planters (rich white men)

C.            George Washington was elected to preside- the force of his personality got things going

D.            The Delegates

1.             Most of the delegates were lawyers, merchants, and planters (rich white men)

2.             Many delegates thought it should be a secret so people wouldn’t hear things the wrong way and take them out of hand

3.             The delegates believed in the innate selfishness of man

E.             Issues

1.             Representation

a)             Virginia Plan- two houses based on population

b)             New Jersey Plan- unicameral legislature with equal representation

c)             There was so much fighting, and Benjamin Franklin (a deist) decided to start each session with a prayer to calm everyone

d)             Great Compromise- two houses, one based on population and one with 2 representatives from each state

2.             Slavery

a)             Southerners wanted the slaves to be counted for representation but not for taxation, the north disagreed

b)             The 3/5 Compromise- every 5 slaves counted as 3 people for taxation and representation

3.             Tariffs/taxing

a)             South wanted low taxes (because they had to import and export)

b)             North wanted high taxes to protect their fledgling industries

c)             Compromise- there is a tariff on imports only

4.             The President- what kind?

a)             They knew George Washington was going to be president

b)             One 4 year term to be reelected without limit (that has been changed, now you can only be president for 2 terms)

c)             President can control foreign policy

d)             President can veto legislation

e)             President can be impeached

f)               Electoral college was established to choose the president (however electors are not legally bound to vote for the candidate who wins the state, they are only morally bound)

g)             If no candidate gained a majority in the electoral college, the election would go to the House

F.             Ratification

1.             They needed 9/13 states to ratify the Constitution

2.             Five states ratified immediately,

3.             The Federalist papers were written to persuade everybody else

4.             By June, 1978, they had 9 states ratified, but New York and Virginia (two of the biggest states) did not ratify yet, so the Federalist papers were pushed in NY and Washington pushed in Virginia.  Once these two states ratified, all the other states who had not ratified yet did

G.            Amendments that would appear on the AP

1.             12- separate ballots for president and vp

2.             13, 14, 15- civil rights amendments

3.             18- prohibition

4.             19- women’s rights

5.             21- repealed prohibition