Celine Liang

10/4/14
Anzalone P.6
A.P. 171-177
The Continental Congress created the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 in order to ensure that all western
land gained by the United States would become public domain, finding a way to appease the landhungry states and preventing further disunity from breaking up the newly formed nation.

Eastern states like Pennsylvania and Maryland were unhappy that western states had the ability
to attain more newly gained land, so states like Maryland refused to ratify the Articles of
Confederation until March 1, 1781.
Congress was able to prevent the newly formed nation from breaking up over land disputes by
promising that the western land be "public domain," so that states would not fight over more
land.
States also were more willing to remain in the new Union to reap profits from the sale of
national land to pioneers.

The depreciation of state currencies in 1786 and the inability of many farmers to pay their land
mortgages caused uprisings like Shays' Rebellion, leading to the passing of debtor-relief laws to counter
the effects of the states' printing of different currencies.

Currency in different states was so depreciated that many states passed laws sanctioning the
semiworthless money.
Daniel Shays and other debtors demanded that the state issue paper money, lighten taxes, and
suspend property takeovers.
The Massachusetts legislature eventually passed debtor-relief laws, confirming Thomas
Jefferson's fear of "democratic despotism."

Peopling: The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 created by the Continental Congress allowed territories to
eventually become states, encouraging pioneers to settle west and expand the stretches of the United
States. This was important because if Congress had attempted to subordinate new territories, it would
have eventually led to another Revolution.
Politics and power: Individual states had more power than the national government, making it difficult
for the Continental Congress to unite the states and get them to work together to strengthen the nation
as a whole. For example, the national government could not tax the states and so was unable to pay off
the national debt caused by the Revolution.

Celine Liang
10/4/14
Anzalone P.6
A.P. 177-189
The deadlock caused by the Virginia and New Jersey Plans during the Constitutional Convention of 1787
resulted in the Great Compromise, which called for both representation by population and by state,
allowing for a new Constitution to be written to replace the previous ineffective Articles of
Confederation.

Due to the widespread fear of mob rule and democratic despotism after Shays Rebellion, the
delegates decided to completely scrap the Articles of Confederation and start the government
anew.
Small states like New Jersey refused to cooperate with the Virginia Plan because they were
afraid that large states would band together and swallow their votes.
After the Great Compromise was agreed upon, the convention was significantly expedited,
and the representatives were able to proceed with writing the specifics of the new Constitution.

Because the Articles of Confederation required unanimous ratification by all thirteen states, the
delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 decided to appeal to the general population instead,
allowing the minority to cast off the unwanted Articles of Confederation, similar to how the colonial
minority had cast off British control.

The Articles of Confederation had required unanimous ratification, and so in 1787, Congress
submitted the Constitution to the states to present to their populations.
The framers appealed to the people who could vote so that they could claim greater popular
sanction for the document.
As during the American Revolution of 1776, the minority triumphed once again by throwing out
the old Articles of Confederation and implementing a new Constitution.

Identity: Americans begin to see themselves as Anti-Federalist, who were against a strong central
government, or Federalist, who supported a strong central government, leading to a drawn-out struggle
in many states over ratification of the new Constitution.
Politics and power: Through the effects of Shays Rebellion and Congress direct appeal to the people for
ratification instead of the states, it can be seen that it is the people of the United States that hold the
power and ability to govern themselves, rather than the central government that has power over the
people.

Celine Liang
10/4/14
Anzalone P.6
A.P. 190-195
The Bill of Rights was created in 1791 to protect the freedom of the American citizen, fulfilling Congress
promise to include guarantees of individual and state rights in the Constitution and reassuring many
states that the American beliefs were still preserved.

Antifederalists had criticized the Constitution drafted in Philadelphia for its failure to guarantee
individual rights such as freedom of speech and trial by jury.
The first ten amendments were written by James Madison, who also wrote the Constitution,
and adopted in 1791 by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress.
The 10th amendment preserved the states rights by ensuring that all rights not explicitly
delegated would go to the states and the people.

The Bank of the United States was created by Congress in 1791 to serve as the national strongbox and to
stimulate business by keeping federal funds in circulation, ensuring a national currency that could be
printed when urgently needed.

Having a national bank would ensure that the Continental dollar would no longer be worthless,
like when different states printed their own currencies.
Stock was open to public sale, which oversubscribed in less than two hours.
Federal funds would stimulate business by remaining in circulation, providing a stable national
currency.

Politics and power: Thomas Jefferson argued that having a national bank would be violating states
rights, since it was not specified in the Constitution, but Hamilton invoked the elastic clause and said
that having a bank was necessary and proper, illustrating that the interpretation of the Constitution
was politically flexible.
Ideas, beliefs, and culture: The addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution ensured that the
American ideals of freedom and liberty would be guaranteed by the Constitution, demonstrating that
the people of the United States believed in controlling how they would like to be governed.

Celine Liang
10/4/14
Anzalone P.6
A.P. 195-199
President Washingtons summoning of the militias of several states to put down the Whiskey Rebellion
of 1794 illustrated the great increase in power that the new federal government now possessed, leading
to the governments condemnation for having used such an unnecessary force.

The Whiskey Boys had been angry about Hamiltons taxing their medium of exchange, so they
tarred and feathered revenue officers, similar to the actions of protestors during the anti-stamp
tax days.
President Washington summoned a militia of thirteen thousand from several states to put down
the Whiskey Rebellion.
Enemies of the federal government condemned its brutal display of force and did not believe
that such a show of power had been necessary to put down the rebellion.

The Neutrality Proclamation of 1793 proclaimed the American governments official neutrality in the
French and British conflict in the West Indies and was the first step in the United States isolationist
policies, leading to the development of Americas isolationist tradition.

The Franco-American alliance of 1778 technically bound the U.S. to help the French defend their
West Indies against the British, but President Washington believed that war had to be avoided
at all costs.
America was not strong enough militarily, economically, or politically to engage in warfare with
other larger countries.
As Americas first formal declaration of aloofness from Old World quarrels, Washingtons
Neutrality Proclamation helped start Americas spreading isolationist tradition.

Politics and power: After the Neutrality Proclamation of 1793, America now has the power to declare its
own neutrality and isolate itself from Old World quarrels. Since America is still politically unstable,
Washington decides to delay any conflicts until the American population is large enough to sustain a war.
America in the world: The United States does not want to be involved in any conflicts for the time being
due to its weak economy and military. It decides to be neutral to the French and British conflict in the
West Indies, which starts the growth of the American isolationist policy.