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Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

October 22, 2008

Today in class we watched a video which covered some of the main points that will be on the chapers 5-8 test tommorrow. Some of the information from the movie was:
  • The Unites States won it's independence in 1783
  • The first independant governments were those of the states
  • Everyone in the colonies believed that the government needed to be ruled by the people but they disagreed on the exact details. For example: Massachusetts had 2 legislatures while Pennyslvania had one
  • Some of the problems with the Continental Congress was that it could not tax or raise an army. These were both issues during the American Revolution.
  • It took 5 years to ratify the Articles of Confederation
  • The northwest ordinance guaranteed that once enough people settled in the western territories that they could become states equal to those of the original 13.
  • Children began to gain the right to choose their marriage partner
  • Movements in support of free public schools began
  • In 1777 Vermont became the first territory to outlaw slavery. Around the same time African American's became more of a part of the community. For instance, in Philadelphia black churches were formed.
  • Shays Rebellion: Due to the revolutionary war, the US had lost England as a trading partner. Due to this, many farmers in Massachusetts were in debt. They first brought attention to their cause by protest meetings and petitions but they were not addressed. In January of 1787 Daniel Shays and over 1200 farmers attempted to overtake the arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts and to destroy the courts. This rebellion is known as Shay's Rebellion.
  • Constitutional convention: in May of 1787, 55 delegates came to Philadelphia for this cause. They all met in Independence Hall.
  • James Madison had already composed a version of the constitution before he arrived at the convention. It is known as the Virginia Plan. It called for a national government that was stronger than those of the states, a House of Representatives and a Senate, and representation based on population.
  • Smaller states disliked this plan.
  • The created the New Jersey Plan which was in favor equal voting numbers for each state, or a one state one vote system.
  • A version of the Virginia Plan was chosen
  • A small group led by Benjamin Franklin decided that the house of representatives should be based on a states population and the senate should call for equal numbers of delegates from each state.
  • According to the Constitution, slaves could be counted as 3/5 of a person when deciding a states population.
  • States' acceptance or rejection of the Constitution was decided at state conventions
  • Federalists were in support of the Constitution while antifederalists where not.
  • George Wachington became the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789
  • In 1791 10 amendments were added to the Constitution in the form of a Bill of Rights. They were modeled after the English Bill of Rights and declared the: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, protected criminals, and put a limit on the federal government's power.
  • Alexander Hamilton became George Washington's advisor
  • The Whiskey Rebellion: A revolt caused by the approval of the Whiskey tax. It caused the farmers to feel that they were becoming poorer and the rich were just getting richer. It also lead to the power for the US government to march an army into any state in order to keep the peace.
  • In 1789 France overthrew their king and started a republic
  • The French Revolution begins
  • Democratic Republicans supported the French
  • The US attempted to remain neutral
  • John Adams became the next president after George Washington stepped down after two terms.
  • Birth of political parties: federalists and democratic republicans
  • Alien and sedition acts: Enacted in 1789 and declared that no negative comments could be printed against the government. It was reversed in 1800.
  • President Adams appointed "midnight judges" on the night before he left office. They were all of course federalists.
  • The supreme court was given the power to decide if laws are legal according to the Constitution.

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