CHAPTER OUTLINE

Government under the Articles of Confederation The role of Congress Strengths and weaknesses Accomplishments Development of a committee system Organization of three departments Finance in the Confederation government Role of Robert Morris, superintendent of finance Reasons for failure to get financial stability Growth of the congressional debt Development of a land policy Basis for congressional action Provisions of three major ordinances Land surveying and sales System of territorial government A system for lands south of the Ohio River Obtaining claims to Indian lands Economic life under the Confederation The war’s impact on agriculture Problems of merchants Trade with Britain and others Development of small-scale American manufacturing Diplomacy under the Articles British irritants Conflicts with Spain Other problems Need to promote domestic manufactures Demands for currency or other legal tender Causes and importance of Shays’s Rebellion Calls for a change in government Advocacy of strong government Federalists or nationalists Preliminary meetings Call for a convention Drafting the Constitution Characteristics of the convention Delegates and their organization Political philosophies Organization of the convention Decision for secrecy Madison’s role Conflicts among major plans Provisions of the Virginia Plan Provisions of the New Jersey Plan Content of the Connecticut Compromise The conflict over slavery leads to the three-fifths compromise Lack of consideration given to women Features of the new government Separation of powers Nature of the bicameral Congress Role of the executive Provisions for the judiciary Concept of countervailing forces Basis for ratification The fight for ratification Characteristics of Federalists and Antifederalists Motivation of the framers Arguments of The Federalist The process of ratification The genius of the Constitution