SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that
brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States
Constitution.
a. Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’
Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government.
b. Evaluate the major arguments of the anti-Federalists and Federalists during the
debate on ratification of the Constitution as put forth in The Federalist concerning
form of government, factions, checks and balances, and the power of the executive,
including the roles of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.
c. Explain the key features of the Constitution, specifically the Great Compromise,
separation of powers (influence of Montesquieu), limited government, and the issue
of slavery.
d. Analyze how the Bill of Rights serves as a protector of individual and states’ rights.
e. Explain the importance of the Presidencies of George Washington and John
Adams; include the Whiskey Rebellion, non-intervention in Europe, and the
development of political parties (Alexander Hamilton).
The United States in 1783
America’s 1st national
government was the
Articles of Confederation
(1777-1789)
The Articles established a
weak national government in
order to protect state power.
Some of the successes of the Articles
The Articles
established a good
system of settling
western lands
The Land Ordinance of 1785
established an orderly process
for laying out western townships
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed for
local government, statehood, & outlawed slavery
in the Northwest
Major Weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation
Constitutional Reform
• By 1787, the major flaws of the Articles of Confederation
were exposed:
– Shays’ Rebellion broke out among desperate
Massachusetts farmers who faced losing their
farms or being sent to debtor’s prison.
– Congress called for a meeting in Philadelphia to
discuss revising the Articles and improving the
national government.
Shays’ Rebellion gave nationalists like
Washington, Madison, Hamilton the urgency
to call for a stronger national government
Shay’s Rebellion
A Constitutional Convention was held in
Philadelphia to try and fix the Articles
of Confederation.
However, they ended up scrapping the
entire thing and a new government was
created instead
James Madison helped negotiate many of the
compromises that made the Constitution possible &
is referred to as the “father of the Constitution”
The influence of Enlightenment Ideas
• Members of the convention
drew upon numerous
enlightenment ideas, such
as Montesquieu’s
“separation of powers,”
which argued that, to avoid
tyranny, the three branches
of government (legislature,
executive, and judiciary)
should be separated as far
as possible, and their
relationships should be
governed by a system of
checks and balances.
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention
• Virginia Plan: Two-house legislature in which the
number of representatives for each state would
depend on the number of people in the state.
(Benefit larger states)
• New Jersey Plan: Single-house Congress in which
each state was equally represented.
Connecticut Compromise (Great
Compromise): Two houses of
Congress:
–The House of Representatives (based
on population)
–The Senate (equal representation)
The Constitutional Convention
• Each state would elect one member to the House of
Representatives for every 40,000 people in the state.
• This led to a conflict between Northern and Southern
states.
• Southern states wanted to count slaves as part of the
population.
• Northern states said no because slaves could not vote and
if they were counted for representation then they should
also be counted for taxation.
The Constitutional Convention
• Three-Fifths Compromise: every five enslaved
people in a state would count as three free
persons.
• Another compromise targeted the slave trade:
– Congress would not ban the slave trade until
1808.
The Federalist Papers
• The Federalist Papers
were a series of 85
articles supporting
the ratification of the
new United States
Constitution.
• The articles were
written by John Jay,
James Madison, and
Alexander Hamilton.
FEDERALISTS
ANTIFEDERALISTS
Federalist vs. Anti-federalist
Federalist
Anti-federalist
• Favored a strong National
government.
• Believed in a loose
interpretation of the
Constitution that resulted in
a national government that
was strong enough to do
the will of the people
• George Washington, John
Adams, and Alexander
Hamilton were Federalists
• Favored a weak national
government and strong
state governments.
• They believed in a strict
interpretation of the
Constitution.
• Demanded a Bill of Rights
be added to the
Constitution.
• Patrick Henry, Samuel
Adams, and Thomas Paine
were Anti-Federalists.
Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Federalists
• Supported approval • Against approving the
for the Constitution.
Constitution.
• Were well-organized
–Distrusted a
and educated.
government that
• Used Federalist
removed power
Papers to argue for
from control of the
ratification and gain
people.
public support.
–Wanted more
protection of
personal liberties.
• To win approval of the Constitution, the
Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights to
protect the people’s liberty.
• By 1788, all states except Rhode Island and
North Carolina had ratified the Constitution.
Nine states were all that were necessary for
ratification
• All 13 states ratified the Constitution by 1790.
Effects of the
Constitutional Convention
What are the Checks and Balances?
1. Parts of the Constitution
Essential Question:
What were some events that
happened in Washington’s
Presidency?
Actions taken by President
Washington
Created a Cabinet
Judiciary Act of 1789
Stopping the Whiskey
Rebellion
Proclamation of Neutrality
Farewell Address
Washington’s Cabinet
• State
DepartmentSecretary of
State
• Foreign Affairs
• Thomas
Jefferson
Washington’s Cabinet
• War DepartmentSecretary of War
(now known as the
secretary of the
defense)
• Manage military
affairs
• Henry Knox
Washington’s Cabinet
• Treasury
Department
• Secretary of the
Treasury
• Oversee the
nation’s finances
• Alexander Hamilton
Hamilton’s Beliefs
• Hamilton believed that the
nations future depended on
a strong federal government
controlled by the wealthy
• The best way to strengthen
the government was to
establish economic polices
that helped business and
industry
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
“Ham”-ilton”
• Pay off the National
Debt
• Pay bonds
(certificates issued in
exchange for loans) in
full
• Federal Government
should pay off all states
debts
National Debt
• The nation owed money to other
countries
• To have good standing on
additional loans, the nation must
pay the original debts off
Bonds
• During the Revolutionary War, the new
government of the colonies borrowed
from individuals to finance the war
• The government issued bonds to the
lenders, but the bonds were virtually
worthless.
• Hamilton felt that the government had to
make good on all bonds made.
A REVOLUTIONARY WAR BOND
State Debts
• Many of the Southern States had already
paid off their debts they had from the
Revolution
• The Northern States had not
• Southern States were compromised with
a pledge that the Nation’s Capitol would
be located across the Potomac River from
Virginia. This was Washington D. C.
Hamilton’s Bank Proposal
• Create a Bank of the
United States, or a
National Bank
• This would provide a safe
place to deposit
government funds and
establish uniform currency
(paper money)
• The bank could make loans
to assist the government.
Judiciary Act of 1789
• Established a federal
district court for each
state
• Specified that there
would be 6 justices of
Supreme Court to be
nominated by the
President and
approved by the
Senate
Pennsylvania Farmers
Whiskey Rebellion
• Federal Government placed a
tax on whiskey.
• The government intended to
raise money for paying its
debts
• This hurt the Pennsylvania
Farmers
• They rebelled by marching to
Philadelphia as an angry mob
Whiskey Rebellion
• Washington sent in
the colonial militia
and ended the
rebellion.
• It was the first
action of “enforcing”
the law by a
President.
France
• In 1789, the French
people revolted against
the king and the
aristocracy
• The people of the
United States were
split on helping the
French people with
their revolution
France
• On one hand, the French
Monarchy had supported
the U.S. in the Revolution
• On the other hand, the
people of France were
resisting a Monarchy that
was not treating its
people as participants in
government.
France
If the United States
were to get involved
on the side of the
French people, it
might bring the U.S.
into war with Britain,
who had sided with
the Monarchy.
Neutrality Proclamation
President George
Washington believed
that no involvement in
Europe was the best
course. In 1793, he
issued the
Proclamation of
Neutrality stating that
the U.S. would not get
involved.
Farewell Address
• “steer clear of
permanent alliances
with any portion of the
foreign world”
• Dangers of forming
political parties
• Government is good if it
is based on religion and
morality
Election of 1796
• Sectionalism- loyalty to a particular part of
the country, further contributed to the
emergence of political parties.
– Federalists Party- led by Alexander Hamilton and
John Adams
– Democratic Republican Party- led by Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison
Federalist Party
Merchants, Manufacturers,
lawyers and church
leaders from New England
and the Atlantic seaboard
tended to support the
Federalist Party.
Federalists wanted to
promote the development
of commerce, particularly
with Britain.
Democratic-Republican Party
• Planters, small farmers,
wage earners, artisans,
workers, and trades
people. Very strong
influence from frontier
and the south.
• They believed that
farmers deserved the
greatest voice in
government.
Federalists versus Republicans (short for
Democratic-Republicans)
• Presidential Election of 1796
– Federalist candidates- John Adams and Thomas
Pinckney
– Republican candidates- Thomas Jefferson and Aaron
Burr
– Adams (having the most votes) became President
– Jefferson: (having the second amount of votes) became
Vice President
– Both Men were on opposite party lines, but worked
together in the Executive Office
Events in John Adams’ Presidency
• XYZ Affair
• Alien and Sedition Acts
• Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions
• John Marshall appointment
as Chief Justice
• Midnight Judges
XYZ Affair
• France was upset with
the U.S. for making Jay’s
Treaty with Britain.
• The U.S. sent
representatives to meet
with the Prime Minister
of France, Tallyrand
XYZ Affair
Instead of meeting
Tallyrand, they met
three French officials
that were named only,
“Mr. X, Mr. Y, and Mr.
Z”. These secret men
told the U.S.
representatives they
may see Tallyrand, if
they pay $250,000.
XYZ Affair
• The XYZ Affair infuriated the U.S.
citizens
• The U.S. began to build a large
impressive navy after this situation
• The quote of the time was, “millions
for defense, not one cent for
tribute”
Alien and Sedition Acts
• Series of laws intended to protect the nations
and to weaken the republicans
• Authorized the president to imprison or expel
“all such aliens (foreigners) as he shall judge
dangerous to the peace an safety of the United
States.”
• Sedition targeted U.S. Citizens, anyone who
wrote or said or printed anything false,
scandalous, and malicious (with ill will)” about
the government, the Congress, or the president
could be fined and jailed.
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
• Denounced the Alien and
Sedition Acts as
unconstitutional
• Jefferson wrote the
Kentucky Resolutions and
Madison wrote the Virginia
Resolutions.
• These resolutions asked
congress the to repeal the
acts, but Congress refused.
Election of 1800
• The Federalist
Candidates:
–John Adams
–Charles
Pinckney
Results of the votes:
• Jefferson and Burr (both republicans) received
the same amount of votes
• Neither was indicated to be the President or
Vice President, so this had to be decided by
Congress (specifically the House of
Representatives).
• Alexander Hamilton convinced the Federalists
in the House of Representatives to vote for
Jefferson because he felt Burr was
“unprincipled and dangerous”
The Twelfth Amendment
• Added to the Constitution in 1804
• This amendment requires electors to
vote for presidential and vice
presidential candidates on separate
ballots
Hamilton and Burr
• Hostility between Hamilton and Burr
continued to grow over the years.
• IN 1804, Hamilton publicly criticized Burr,
who was then running for governor of
New York
• Burr’s demand for an apology led to a
duel in which Burr shot and killed
Hamilton
The Federalists and the Judiciary
• On his last day in office,
President John Adams
placed a number of
Federalists in Judicial
appointments.
• These last minute
appointments became
known as the
“Midnight Judges”
John Marshall
• One of the Midnight
Judges that was appointed
Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court that
served at this position for
30 years.
• John Marshall’s time as
Chief Justice established
many basic principles of
U.S. Constitutional law.
Marbury v. Madison
• One of the Midnight Judges was
William Marbury
• James Madison, was Jefferson’s
Secretary of State and he refused
to allow Marbury to take office.
• This case brought up the
interpretation of the Constitution
by the Supreme Court
• This case was the first case of
Judicial Review- the power of the
courts to declare an act of
Congress Unconstitutional