Affects of Revolution:Women, African Americans, Native Americans : Affects of Revolution:Women, African Americans, Native Americans
Women’s Revolutionary Gains : Women’s Revolutionary Gains Some hoped for equality
Marriage
Choose partner, marry out of birth order
Partnership of friends
Easier divorce (men could remarry)
Education
Increase in literacy to teach children
Work
More responsibility in family business
More control over household finances
African-American Gains : African-American Gains 5,000 fought for Patriots
Integrated in North; segregated in South
About 10,000 slaves freed by British
Philosophical dilemma
Wide-scale Northern manumission
Slavery contradicted principles of liberty
Most manumission occurred gradually
Some northern free black property owners could vote
Possibly 50,000 gained freedom by 1790s
Freeing Southern Slaves1780s & 1790s : Freeing Southern Slaves1780s & 1790s Manumission easier until about 1800
1782 Va. law allowed for manumission
Former master had to financially support
Could not be over 50 years old
Reversed in 1806
Many owners realized hypocrisy
Cotton gin (1792) changed economics
Example: Robert Carter, III : Example: Robert Carter, III Virginia colonial elite
16 plantations, 70,000 acres, 500+ slaves
Wealthier than Washington or Jefferson
After 1791, freed 15 slaves/year
Jefferson & Slavery : Jefferson & Slavery “But as it is, we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other.” TJ, 1820
Sally Hemings controversy
Defended Howell brothers, 1770
As Sec. Of State, sought payment for “property” taken by British
Believed in inherent inferiority of blacks
Society could not exist white and black
Blacks should be removed to Africa
Wolf by the Ears, John Chester Miller
Indians After Revolution : Indians After Revolution Continental Congress assumed authority during Revolution
After Rev, harsh treatment for tribes who supported British
“Renegotiated” treaties
Lost land; moved west
New US Congress set Federal Indian Policy
States and individuals had no authority
Indian affairs under War Dept.
Similar to foreign affairs
Treaty-making policy continued
A New Federal Government:Confederation 1781-1787(loose association of sovereign states) : A New Federal Government:Confederation 1781-1787(loose association of sovereign states)
“That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . .” : “That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . .”
Slide 10: What is republican government?
Who were “The People”? Property owners!
60-85% of white males owned property
acted in best self-interest
Free of allegiance to employer or landlord
Close to nature, fresh air, clear thinking
Became “American Dream”
Native Americans with property voted in Mass.
New Jersey - anyone with £50 voted until 1807
State Governments Came First : State Governments Came First Written state constitutions:
Limited gov powers
Created balance of powers
States’ bills of rights protected individuals
Va. Declaration of Rights, George Mason
Slide 12: New United States 1783
Confederation Congress 1781-87 : Confederation Congress 1781-87 Tiny federal authority
Unicameral government
State legislature elected representative each year
Rep voted as directed
No president or executive branch
No Senate / House of Representatives
No federal court system or Supreme Court
Each state had one vote
Responsible for foreign affairs & national defense
Military Issues : Military Issues States objected to standing army
Washington left about 600 active troops
British troops still in north and west
Refused to leave until war debt paid to citizens
Shay’s Rebellion 1786-87
More military control needed
Congress asked states to supply troops
Confederation Achievements : Confederation Achievements Land Ordinance of 1785
Land not claimed by states went to federal gov
Surveyed for sale
Most sold to speculators
Wealthy & investment groups
Established Rectangular Land Survey System
Example of Rectangular Land Survey System: Oklahoma base line & meridian(Rose State T11N, R2W) : Example of Rectangular Land Survey System: Oklahoma base line & meridian(Rose State T11N, R2W) Base Line Indian Meridian
Rectangular Land Survey System : Rectangular Land Survey System < ------------ Six miles -----------> <----------- 640 acres ----------> Township – 36 sq. miles Section – 1 sq. mile
Boone Township(6 sq. mi.)(Midwest City & Tinker) : Boone Township(6 sq. mi.)(Midwest City & Tinker) Rose State
Northwest Territory, 1787(First lands added to new United States) : Northwest Territory, 1787(First lands added to new United States)
Northwest Ordinance 1787 : Northwest Ordinance 1787 Established Northwest Territory
Congress appointed first territorial government
Set population requirements for statehood
Set pattern for all other lands acquired
New states come in “on an equal footing as original states in all respects whatsoever”
Try to deal fairly with Indians
Protect from white intruders
Prohibited slavery in Northwest
Northwest Territory& Southwest Territory(France 1800Spain 1763) : Northwest Territory& Southwest Territory(France 1800Spain 1763) 13
Original
States
Southwest Ordinance 1790 : Southwest Ordinance 1790 South of Ohio River
Settled by Southerners
Brought plantation farming, Southern culture with
Made slavery legal in new southern areas
Soon became Ky, Tn, Al, Miss
A New Kind of Government: From Confederation to Constitution 1787-1788 “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” : A New Kind of Government: From Confederation to Constitution 1787-1788 “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Constitutional Convention : Constitutional Convention Philadelphia, 1787 (not publicized)
George Washington, president
No political parties yet
Biggest problem:
Small vs. large states
4-month internal debate
Result:new governmental organization : Result:new governmental organization Three branches
Executive (president and cabinet)
Judicial (US Supreme Court and federal court system)
Legislative (Senate & House of Rep )
All states equal in Senate, House based on population
Evened influence between small and large states
Biggest problem:
What to do with slaves??
Count as citizens? (population)
Don’t count at all?? (taxation)
Checks and Balances : Checks and Balances President elected by electoral college, based on majority vote in each state
Judiciary ruled on constitutionality of laws passed by congress
President could veto laws congress made
Constitutional amendments required 3/4 of congress and 2/3 of states to approve
Slide 28: US Constitution “Three-Fifths Clause”:
Slaves counted as 3/5 person for headcount, as property for taxation
Gave Southern states greater influence in gov
“ Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”
Public Debate on Constitution : Public Debate on Constitution Published nationwide and discussed
Emerging philosophies of two-party system resulted partly from discussions
Political differences:
Strict interpretation of Constitution
Narrow interpretation of Constitution
Bill of Rights : Bill of Rights First 10 amendments to Constitution
Ensured individual liberties
Strong central government with special safeguards of personal rights
Also widely published and discussed