CHAPTER 6 In 1776 John Dickinson, who rejected to sing Declaration of independence, drafted a proposal for national constitution.

It was weak but Congress adopted this that was called Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. These articles reserved sovereignty, independence and freedom of each state and declared a form of government in which American citizens were citizens of their own state first and citizens of the United States second. They established a Confederacy of states in which each state must have a separate government and separate army. Congress couldnt impose taxes without approval of each state nor it could control commerce. By 1781 all states ratified articles so confederation was. After many politicians realised that the model of Confederation is weak they tried to change political system. Nationalists were dissatisfied with the Confederation. Merchants and shippers wanted a government powerful enough to secure trading abroad for them and to ensure economic stability. (1786- 1787) 2000 of Massachusetts farmers, who had to pay taxes to pay off the debts caused by revolution, considered this government tyrannical and started the rebellion under the leadership of farmer Daniel Shays. In 1787 they won control over the Massachusetts legislature and cut taxes. With this movement started a serious demand for centralized government. Rural colonists were against centralized power. They referred to ideas of French Revolution. Subjects within a state in Europe were not more subjects as in medieval period; that changed with The Enlightenment and influenced US. Opponents of strong centralization realised that federation was better for economy but still they warned against federation because they feared for rights of individuals. They thought that human, citizen rights will be in danger and didnt wanted president to rule because they feared he will be something like kings in Europe. They didnt want monarchy with another king on the throne. Other people who wanted hierarchical rule and federation didnt think that America will be under tyrannical rule in federation; they were in fear of anarchy and chaos in country without federation. According to them democracy wasn't something good, it had negative connotations in 18th century, it referred to mob rule and they called it mobocracry. They regarded it as concentration of power in the hand of the uneducated masses of people. But in the other hand, those who wanted democracy considered ideal government the one that would balance the interests of different classes to prevent any group from gaining absolute power. Federal supporters showed Shayss Rebellion as a bad example what will happen in the future without federation. After this rebellion a serious demand for centralized government started. Congress then asked each state to appoint delegations to meet in Philadelphia to propose amendments to the Articles of Confederation. In May, 1787, 55 delegates from each state except Rhode Island gathered at Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. (Independence Hall) among them were George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. Delegates shared nationalist views; all of them considered confederation weak and wanted more centralized, nationalized and stronger government. They had two main problems. First was the question if they should just amend articles of confederation or to replace it with new constitution in which national government

would have power. And the second was how to balance conflicting interests of small and large states. First proposal that answered each of these questions was Madisons proposal from Virginia. It called for strong central government rather than federation of states and gave Congress unlimited power of imposing taxes, it could put veto on states laws and it had authority to use military force against states. Virginia Proposal specified bicameral legislature in which states had fixed representation in both houses of Congress depending on the number of population. The voters would choose members of lower house who would elect those in upper house and these two houses together would name countrys president and judges. This plan was opposed especially because of the call for representation according to population. According to this plan 4 largest states will be on best positions. On June, 15, William Peterson offered New Jersey Plan which proposed single-chamber congress in which each state would have equal vote just as in the Articles. By it seven smallest states, which included 25% of all Americans, would control Congress. This plan also supported Congress to impose taxes, to control commerce and to use military force against states and it also defined congressional laws as the supreme laws of the state. These two plans were gathered in Connecticut Compromise on July 17, (1787) each state had equal vote in the upper house and proportional voting in the lower house. This compromise showed willingness of delegates to make something good together. Constitution of the United States was finally approved on September, 17, 1787 and it reconciled conflicting interests between small and large states. Congress had authority to impose and collect taxes, to regulate interstate commerce and diplomatic affairs but it couldnt banish laws of the states. It could control national laws but not laws of the states individually and states couldnt interfere with contracts, debts and taxation. They established three branches: executive, legislative and judicial within the national government in which they prevented a single branch to dominate over the other two. Also in cases when state constitutions conflicted the executive, the Constitution gave the President the power to put veto on acts of Congress but, in order to prevent diversion of this veto, they also gave right to Congress to override the president by the 2/3 majority in each house. President and his appointees could also be moved from office by Congress for high crimes. Those who supported Constitutions were called Federalists and the opponents were Antifederalists. Anti-federalists views spread among small farmers in great speed who saw Constitution as protection for city inhabitants and wealthy merchants. Constitution became land law on June, 12, 1788 when the ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified it. Federalists won support. Anti-federalists demanded bill of rights to protect Americans basic freedoms. President electors unanimously elected George Washington president of the United States.