1) Following the American Revolution, two important tasks faced the new nation: creating a central government and determining how it would operate. However, the Articles of Confederation, which were adopted in 1781, provided a weak central government with little power over the states. 2) Economically, the new nation faced challenges like inflation, heavy taxation, and loss of trade with Britain. However, manufacturing grew during this period as Americans were forced to produce goods for themselves. 3) The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established a system for new states to enter the union and guaranteed basic civil liberties, establishing important precedents for governing the western territories.

2. What would Americans do with the independence they had so dearly won? Two
important tasks: How do you create a new central government? And, how will it
operate?

5. Likewise incomplete was the extension of the doctrine of equality to women. Despite
minimal gains during the revolution, most of the women in the Revolutionary era were
still doing traditional women’s work. What major role did women assume following the
revolution?

6. ECONOMIC CROSSCURRENTS
Economic changes begotten by the war were likewise noteworthy. States seized control of former
crown lands, and many large Loyalist estates were confiscated and eventually cut up into small
farms (economic democracy preceded political democracy).
A sharp stimulus was given to manufacturing by the prewar non-importation agreements and later
by the war itself. Ingenious Americans were forced to make their own commodities.
Economically speaking, independence had drawbacks. Much of the commerce of England was still
reserved for the loyal parts of the empire; and now that the Americans were aliens, they were
forced to find new customers.

7. Fortunately, new commercial outlets, especially in Asia, compensated partially for the
loss of old ones.

8. Yet the general economic picture was far from rosy:
1. War had spawned extravagance, speculation, and profiteering
2. Runaway inflation was ruinous to many citizens
3. Congress was ineffective in regulating economic matters
4. The average citizen was probably worse off financially at the end of the shooting than
before.
The whole economic and social atmosphere was unhealthy. A newly rich class of profiteers was
noisily conspicuous, whereas many once-wealthy people were left destitute, and a keen distaste for
taxes had been created. And the wholesale seizure of Loyalist estates had encouraged disrespect
for private property and for law in general.

10. CREATING a CONFEDERATION
The Second Continental Congress of Revolutionary days was little more than a conference
of ambassadors from the thirteen states. It was totally without constitutional authority.
In nearly all respects, the thirteen states were sovereign – examples.
Shortly before declaring independence in 1776, the Congress
appointed a committee to draft a written constitution for the
new nation.
The finished product was the Articles of Confederation,
adopted in 1777. The Articles were not unanimously ratified
until 1781.

11. The chief source of contention was western lands. Six of the thirteen states did not
have any western lands as assets. Why not turn the whole western area over to the
central government?

13. THE ARTICLES of CONFEDERATION:
AMERICA’S FIRST CONSTITUTION
Why was Congress purposely shackled? Identify and explain the two specific
handicaps crippling Congress. Provide some examples of the ineffectiveness
Congress.
In spite of their defects, why were the Articles of Confederation significant and
successful?

14. LANDMARKS in LAND LAWS
Handcuffed though the Congress of the Confederation was, it succeeded in passing
supremely far-sighted pieces of legislation. The first of these red-letter laws was the
Land Ordinance of 1785. Explain this legislation’s provisions.
Even more noteworthy was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which related to the
governing of the Old Northwest. Explain the governing evolution.

15. THE WORLD’S UGLY DUCKLING
Foreign relations remained troubled during the
anxious years of the Confederation. Identify
and describe the major foreign relation
issues plaguing the infant U.S. government.

23. A CONVENTION of “DEMIGODS”
Control of commerce, more than any other problem, touched off the chain reaction that
led to a constitutional convention. The first convention, at Annapolis, Maryland, was a
failure in formulating improvements. But 31 year old Alexander Hamilton, from New
York, called upon the Congress to summon a convention to meet in Philadelphia the next
year, not to deal with commerce alone, but to bolster the entire fabric of the Articles
of Confederation.

24. Congress called for a convention “for the sole and express purpose of revising” the
Articles of Confederation. Every state chose representatives except Rhode Island. 55
emissaries convened at Philadelphia on May 25, 1787 in the statehouse.
Sessions were held in complete secrecy, with armed sentinels posted at the doors. For
honest debate and making difficult decisions, it was important to keep the heated
debates secret.
The caliber of the participants was extraordinarily high – “demigods,” Jefferson called
them. Most of them were lawyers, with experience at constitution making in their own
states.

25. George Washington was unanimously elected chairman. His enormous prestige was a
steadying influence. Ben Franklin added the prestige of an elder statesmen, although he
was loose-tongued in his old age. Most of the fiery Revolutionary leaders were absent –
why was it good that they did not attend?

26. PATRIOTS in PHILADELPHIA
The 55 delegates were conservative, affluent, young, and experienced. 19 of the 55
owned slaves. They strongly desired a firm, dignified, and respected govt. They believed
in republicanism but sought to protect the American experiment from its weaknesses
abroad and excesses at home. The fundamental question was how strong to make the
central govt. Hamilton and Jefferson offered contrasting views:
Other motives included preserving the union, forestalling anarchy, and ensuring security of
life and property from the “mobocracy.” Fear occupied the 56th chair in Philadelphia.

30. SAFEGUARDS for CONSERVATISM
Heated clashes among the delegates have been overplayed. The area of agreement was
actually large. Identify the major areas of agreement.
At the end of 17 weeks (May 25th to Sept. 17, 1787), only 42 of the 55 members remained
to sign the Constitution. 3 of the 42 refused to sign in opposition, and the remainder
adjourned to the City Tavern to celebrate. But no members of the convention were
completely happy about the result. They had to compromise and adopt what was
acceptable to the entire body. State ratification was the next step.

31. THE CLASH of FEDERALISTS and ANTIFEDERALISTS
The Framing Fathers early foresaw that nationwide acceptance of the Constitution would
not be easy to obtain. At least 9 states would have to ratify the document at specially
elected conventions. This was revolutionary – it was in effect an appeal over the heads of
the Congress that had called the convention, and the states that had provided delegates,
to the people. One of the hottest debates of American history commenced.

37. The document was officially adopted on June 21, 1788, but celebrations were tempered.
Four states, two crucial ones, had not ratified.

39. A CONSERVATIVE TRIUMPH
The minority had triumphed – twice (American Revolution; the Constitution). A majority had not
spoken. Only about ¼ of the adult males in the country, chiefly the propertied class, had voted for
delegates to the ratifying conventions. If the Constitution had been submitted to a man-hood
suffrage vote, as in New York, opposition probably would have defeated the new document.
Conservatism was victorious. Safeguards had been erected against mob-rule, while the republican
gains of the Revolution were conserved. Conservatives preserved the principle of republican govt.
through a redefinition of popular sovereignty.
By embedding the doctrine of self-rule in a self-limiting system of checks and balances among these
branches, the Constitution reconciled the potentially conflicting principles of liberty and order.

40. CHAPTER 9 REVIEW QUIZZES
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/Constitution1.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/Constitution2.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/Constitution3.htm