HISTORY 1301 LECTURE : Life in the New Republic I. Results of the Revolution A. The Treaty of Paris (Peace of Paris) ended the Revolution (1783), and created a new nation, the U.S. 1. Large territory east of the Mississippi River (except Florida) B. Americans were a confident people in 1783, and while retained many aspects of English heritage, began to tinker with the system C. A mood of democracy swept the new nation 1. Wider suffrage; wider land/property ownership 2. End of primogeniture 3. No monarchy 4. Separation of church and state 5. Limits on power of politicians 6. Beginning of anti-slavery and woman's rights movements a. Vermont entered union as 14th state & as free state b. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire also abolished (1) 1775 first anti-slavery organization founded in Philadelphia (2) All but three states abolished foreign slave trade (Carolinas and one other?) c. Major slaveholders freed slaves - perhaps even G. Washington (need verification) d. Growing confidence among African-Americans as result of experiences during Revolution (1) both free and slaves participated (2) fought on both sides (a) British offered freedom if slaves ran away to their side; also seized slaves (b) Crispus Attucks, one of first to die in Revolutionary era (c) African-Americans at Lexington & Concord, Bunker Hill (3) But participation had been controversial (a) Oct. 8, 1776, a few months after Declaration of Independence, exclusion of African-Americans in Continental Army established (b) African-Americans already in the Army complained and were allowed to continue, re-enlist (c) But exclusion had been based on the assumption that it would be a brief war (d) By summer 1777, that assumption obviously incorrect (e) So exclusion ended because states having trouble meeting quotas of troops required (f) Also "substitution system" - could buy replacement in Army, stimulated acceptance of African-Americans (g) Still many states would not allow (1) Massachusetts did not but all other New England states did (2) In South, only Maryland allowed without restrictions (3) Virginia allowed only free African-Americans to serve; then only as drummers & fifers (4) Estimated 755 in 14 brigades in 1778 with largest percentage from Connecticut (a) most privates providing support services (b) orderlies, commissaries, drummers, waiters, cooks, guides, messengers, spies, laborers (c) In Navy, officers' boys, powder boys; in Maryland and Virginia as pilots since slaves did that as civilians (4). Continental Congress urged slave owners free for service, suggested owners be compensated $1000, slave would get freedom and $50 (a) Still Georgia and South Carolina refused e. The number of free African-Americans grew as result of war - freedom as result of military or in surge of individual owners freeing f. But the rhetoric of the Revolution and "all men are created equal" most motivating and confidence grew 6. Women reflected ideals of "republican motherhood" - simplicity, less elegance a. Women grew confident as result of experiences in Revolution, yet no moved to give political rights although few women even suggested such a radical move b. Still, women contributed to the Revolution and in the process, self-confidence increased (1) The women of Groton, Mass. defended their town in aftermath of Lexington & Concord; dressed in men's clothing; armed selves with muskets & pitchforks; captured a unit of English soldiers (2) Molly Pitcher (fictional name; probably composite of several women including Molly Hayes) (3) women served as cooks, nurses, laundresses (a) "The itch" was some skin disease that plagued Continental Army; probably related to lack of clean clothing (4) women served as guides, seamstresses, and porters (5) Many women took over running farms & businesses while men in Army (6) And a few began to question their status (a) Mercy Otis Warren - most important woman intellectual of Revolutionary era; wrote articles using man's name; said women should have rights (b) Her friend, Abigail Adams and future First Lady, went so far as to suggest the Articles of Confederation address the rights of women; said men misused political power by denying women rights D. American confidence also a product of youth of nation and the standard of living 1. 1/2 Americans after the Revolution were 20 years or younger 2. But only 1/4 the population lived to be 25 or older 3. But if made to 60, could expect to live into 80s; 60 year old in 1780s could expect to live longer than 60 year old today 4. Standard of living a. Most Americans lived better than average European b. Hunger & thirst rare c. Diet better than average today d. American men averaged 2 inches taller than European & Sudanic African men e. Also drank more - 6 gallons alcohol per year for those over 15; today 2 1/2 gallons E. An American identity was emerging - a unique culture 1. This reflected the multi-cultural nature of American society 2. This can be seen in the music and dance that reflected both African and European influences like the VIRGINIA REEL II. Not all was ideal, however; the Revolution also created problems A. Economics - taxes and debt increased B. Political uncertainty - totally experimental C. What to do about Loyalists D. For American Indians, the Revolution a disaster E. In foreign policy, the U.S. got little respect 1. dumping cheap goods on 2. Spain shut access to Mississippi River (1784) and still controlled much of North America 3. N. African (Algerian) pirates harassed, held sailors for ransom (1785) and U.S. could not afford to pay; sailors sold into slavery or died in prison G. Transportation and communication awful 1. few bridges 2. mud roads 3. Took weeks to travel from Boston to Charleston S.C. 4. A month to travel from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in the frontier G. And for those Americans who headed off into the wilderness in search of land, life was very hard FILM III. One of the main problems that faced Americans was what kind of government they would have A. During the Revolution, Continental Congress ratified the first constitution, the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION B. Very different than today's constitution C. Created a weak association of states 1. Weak central government due to fear of power as result of problems with England 2. Most power in the states 3. Central government powers: a. wage war, foreign policy b. run post office c. coin money d. handle relations with American Indians 4. Central government could not: a. organize a standing army b. regulate commerce c. enforce laws including taxes 5. Other limits: a. no executive department b. no federal judiciary c. 2/3 states to approve any new laws d. unanimous vote to amend Articles of Confederation 6. Very quickly, some Americans began to criticize this government as being to weak, unable to cope with problems IV. One of most pressing problems was the economy A. Money (meaning gold & silver) in short supply 1. Most common money in use Spanish dollars or "pieces of eight" 2. Often cut into quarters - or "two bits" B. Before the Revolution, still no money but not a problem due to bartering but the Revolution changed this 1. Taxes increased to pay for Revolution and other services that England had provided - couldn't barter for taxes 2. Importers also demanded gold & silver, U.S. industry still in infancy so dependent on imports 3. Shopkeepers needed gold & silver to get goods so demanded from customers 4. Most customers farmers and they didn't have gold & silver C. Debts grew and people began losing property or were thrown into debtors prisons 1. In 1780s, 70% of those in debtors prisons were farmers; no merchants 2. 1/3 all men over 16 in debt 3. Result - polarized society; set stage for class conflict between debtors and creditors D. At first debtors sought relief from state governments but dominated by business class - said debts due to laziness & wastefulness E. So farmers began to take more drastic steps 1. Since many were veterans of Revolution, they took up arms 2. Forcibly stopped auctions of farms and court actions 3. In Massachusetts, particularly severe and the violence grew 4. In 1787, the Mass. legislature raised taxes again 5. Anger erupted into SHAYS REBELLION, a 1787 uprising over taxes and debts a. Led by Revolutionary War hero Daniel Shays b. 2000 followers c. Attacked arsenals, stores, merchants and battled state militia d. Mass. government reacted by passing so-called "riot act" - ordered the rebels to desist or be arrested (1) arrests followed including Shays (2) several even executed (3) Shays sentenced to death but escaped to Vermont; pardoned 1788; died 1825 poor e. It ended when Mass. elections were held and more sympathetic politicians won control of government (1) taxes lowered (2) rebels pardoned F. To many Americans Shays Rebellion sign of impending anarchy 1. This despite the fact that the uprising was controlled without major loss of life 2. But visions of murderous mobs scared many Americans 3. They threatened private property 4. Central government could do nothing to stop 5. Many Americans becoming more conservative; the radicalism of Revolution declined; by 1787 many Americans feared the very radicalism that led to Revolution - they began to fear too much democracy 6. Only Thomas Jefferson said a little rebellion is good now and then V. Jefferson turned out to be in the minority for when delegates from the states met in 1787, they made a momentous decision A. Originally, the convention had been called to discuss needed revisions in the Articles of Confederation B. They decided to start all over although not authorized to do so C. Some historians suggest it was a second revolution D. They wrote the U.S. Constitution 1. The 55 delegates not representative of the average American a. more conservative than population at large because opponents boycotted convention b. wealthier than population at large - all but one wealthy (exception William Few of Georgia, a yeoman) c. all white males and all but two Protestants d. they were lawyers, plantation owners, businessmen, investors, and one college president 2. At same time, most Americans would have agreed that they were the "natural leaders" 3. No major protest when they referred to themselves as "We the people..." 4. Of course, most people had nothing to say about it a. propertyless men could not vote b. women, American Indians, slaves had no voice c. out of population of 2.5 million the "Founding Fathers" represented approximately 10% of the population in a literal sense d. they like the English before them argued "virtual representation" E. But it is easy to be critical of the delegates from today's perspective but that unfair - they were an interesting assembly of men 1. Included four of so-called "Big Six" of American history (Franklin, Washington, Madison, ALEXANDER HAMILTON - one of the most conservative authors of the U.S. Constitution, President Washington's Secretary of the Treasury who was killed in a duel) a. The other two, John Adams and Jefferson, out of the country - Adams in England, Jefferson in France F. Their major goals: 1. Protect private property 2. Balance a. Did not want one area of government to have too much power b. Wanted to protect the poor from oppression by the wealthy c. Reflected Enlightenment ideals - power corrupts; government corrupt by definition d. Led to system of "checks & balances" and separation of powers G. Had to make many decisions; disagreement and debate about each 1. Underlying issue - exactly how much power government should have 2. Some like Hamilton wanted a strong central government a. Representative from New York, born in Nevis, W. Indies in 1755 or 57, out of wedlock b. Went to work in "countinghouse" in St. Croix where showed talent in accounting and commerce c. Funds collected by friends to further his education in N. Jersey and N. York (at King's College or Columbia) d. Joined Revolution as agitator - spoke, wrote articles against England e. During war, served as captain of artillery f. Impressed with Hamilton's courage and ability, Washington appointed him as his aide and personal secretary (1777) g. but, Hamilton longed for battle so resigned 1781 and went on to command a New York regiment at decisive Battle of Yorktown h. married 1780 to Elizabeth Schuyler of influential NY family i. after Revolution studied law and became one of most prominent lawyers in NYC j. wrote resolution that led to constitutional convention 1787 3. Many of his suggestions did not make the Constitution a. he wanted a very strong central government b. He feared the "amazing violence" of the common people c. believed people needed control d. wanted Presidents to serve for life e. probably least racist of "Founders" - believed African-Americans equal to whites in abilities, etc. f. Although many of his ideas excluded, threw self into ratification process g. one of the authors of Federalist Papers; probably wrote 51 of 85 essays; argued for approval h. his influence still with the U.S. as will see when get to economics of new government H. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Convention delegates worked out a plan for government 1. To Hamilton's relief decided to create a standing army although many Americans feared; might be used against the people 2. Decided on one person executive (President) rather than committee but had to face re-election every four years but no term limits 3. One of biggest controversies erupted over representation a. How should states be represented in legislature? b. Big states wanted by population c. Small states wanted all equal d. This led to THE GREAT COMPROMISE (1) established bicameral (two house) legislature in central government with each state electing two Senators while population determined the number of repre- sentatives in the House (2) Senators elected by states legislatures (3) Representative directly by people 4. That led to another controversy - how to count slaves in determining Representatives in the House a. North - did not want to count b. South - wanted to count c. Led to 3/5 COMPROMISE - established the counting of slaves as partial persons in determining a state's number of representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives (1) Indentured servants counted as whole persons (2) American Indians not counted unless paid taxes 5. Another controversy dealt with the method of electing presidents a. decided on Electoral College - a compromise b. some delegates wanted ultimate decision removed from people c. One, James Wilson of Pennsylvania, wanted direct election by the people d. Others wanted a system that would discourage political partisanship from determining the outcome e. So we got the electoral college (1) each state chose electors equal to number of representatives in House and Senate (2) These could be chosen in anyway a state decided (3) each elector voted for two people at least one not from own state (4) whoever got most became President; second Vice President (5) if tie or no majority, House would decide (6) they did not anticipate the rise of a two party system I. In some ways, however, it was what the "Founding Fathers" did not say that was most significant 1. slavery not debated and word "slave" does not appear in the Constitution (referred to "other persons" or "persons held" 2. Most delegates and most Americans believed that slavery would just go away without interference 3. And delegates knew that debate over slavery would wreck any chance of getting a new constitution a. it was easy to ignore slavery; most Americans never saw institution at worst in South due to isolation 4. Delegates did agree to abolish all foreign slave trade by 1808 5. Did recognize congressional authority to regulate territories including banning slavery - led to ban in territory north of Ohio River 6. But also established legality of pursuing runaway servants and slaves into free states and territories J. Delegates also did not say anything gender specific - women neither specifically excluded or included K. And, there was no Bill of Rights - no specific reference to freedoms, rights of individuals or states 1. This omission caused the greatest controversy when the U.S. Constitution was submitted to the states for ratification a. a system the delegates created themselves b. Required 2/3 of states approve for ratification 2. The opposition was formidable - called selves Anti-Federalists a. some opposed the power of the new central government b. but most opposed lack of Bill of Rights c. so the "Framers" promised if ratified they would add a Bill of Rights L. In 1788, Constitution ratified and took affect in 1789 M. And ever since, Americans have been trying to figure out what the U.S. Constitution really means N. Would be up to the first President to begin process of interpretation - our next topic: George and Martha Washington
