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The American Yawp - Chapter 6: A New Nation

Jul 1, 2024

The American Yawp - Chapter 6: A New Nation

Section 1: Introduction

  • July 4th, 1788: Philadelphians celebrated the new national Constitution with a federal procession
    • Workers, blacksmiths, potters, clergymen, and rabbis participated to symbolize unity and diversity
  • April 1789: George Washington's presidential inauguration in New York
    • Washington called for a day of thanksgiving
  • Despite early celebrations, the new nation faced internal conflicts and uncertainty

Section 2: Shays' Rebellion

  • 1786-1787: Economic struggles and debt burden led to Shays' Rebellion in western Massachusetts
    • Farmers faced foreclosures; government sided with creditors
    • Led by Daniel Shays, farmers used tactics from the Revolution to block foreclosures
    • Governor James Bowdie called up the militia, insurgents were arrested
  • The rebellion illustrated the need for a stronger central government
    • Thomas Jefferson: rebellions maintain freedom
    • James Madison: need for strong central government to prevent anarchy

Section 3: The Constitutional Convention

  • 1787: Delegates from 12 states met to revise the Articles of Confederation in Philadelphia
    • Main issue: federal government’s inability to levy taxes
  • James Madison proposed the Virginia Plan for a new national Constitution
    • Proposed a strong federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, judicial
    • Congressional representation based on population size
  • Key Compromises:
    • Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature (House of Representatives and Senate)
    • Three-Fifths Compromise: Enslaved individuals counted as 3/5 for representation and taxes
    • Executive power: Single president elected by the Electoral College

Section 4: Ratifying the Constitution

  • Constitution sent to Congress and needed state ratification
    • Anti-Federalists objected due to lack of a Bill of Rights
  • Federalist Papers: Arguments for ratification by Hamilton, Jay, Madison
  • Massachusetts and other states: Ratified but proposed amendments
  • Virginia’s close vote highlighted the divisions
  • 1793: Ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, added to the Constitution

Section 5: Rights and Compromises

  • The Bill of Rights did not address:
    • Women's rights
    • Voting restrictions
    • Slavery protections were maintained
  • Compromise on the slave trade:
    • Dirty Compromise: New England and Deep South agreement
    • Slave trade protection for 20 years in exchange for support of commerce legislation

Section 6: Hamilton’s Financial System

  • Alexander Hamilton: Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington
    • Proposed federal assumption of state debts and creation of a national bank
    • Tied economic interests of wealthy to government stability
    • Created federal bonds and bank stocks
  • Opposition:
    • Southern states objected (already paid debts)
    • Bank's constitutionality questioned by Jefferson and Republicans

Section 7: The Whiskey Rebellion and Jay’s Treaty

  • 1791: Federal excise tax on whiskey
    • Western farmers resisted, leading to the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794
  • Washington's response:
    • Dispatched troops to quell rebellion
    • Demonstrated federal power to maintain order
  • Jay’s Treaty (1794): Sought to resolve tensions with Britain
    • Federalists approved; Republicans opposed
    • Failed to end impressment of American sailors

Section 8: The French Revolution and Limits of Liberty

  • Initial American support for the French Revolution shifted due to violence and terror
    • Citizen GenĂŞt affair and Reign of Terror led to divided opinions
  • XYZ Affair: French demands for bribes angered Americans
    • Led to the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)
    • Restricted speech and targeted immigrants
  • Opposition to these acts led to Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions asserting states’ rights to nullify federal laws

Section 9: Religious Freedom

  • Disestablishment of state churches: Gradual process, last in Massachusetts (1833)
    • Separation of church and state debated
  • Constitution of 1787: Limited to federal government, not state governments
    • Supported missionaries, chaplains, and debated religious matters like Sunday postal service

Section 10: The Election of 1800

  • Adams vs. Jefferson: Adams lost confidence, Jefferson won in a tie-breaking vote
    • Known as the “bloodless revolution”
  • Established peaceful transfer of power
  • Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established judicial review by the Supreme Court

Section 11: Conclusion

  • Constitution established strong federal government but could not resolve all conflicts
    • Whiskey Rebellion and Hamilton’s banking system highlighted federal power
    • Religious liberty clashed with popular practices
    • Political parties and foreign wars tested unity
  • Federalists and Anti-Federalists recognized the Constitution’s importance
  • Washington's farewell address warned of dangers of excessive partisanship

Full transcript