Wed.+March+21

The American Revolution led to the independence of the thirteen colonies in the 1780s. However, this new victory did not bring them social order and economic prosperity. On the contrary, they faced new challenges from both domestic society and foreign countries. Domestically, the weakness of the Confederation government, huge debt, trade protection from each state and economic depression caused Shay’s rebellion, the army’s revolt and political struggles between “classes with and classes without property.” Abroad, London blocked Americans’ trade with the British West Indies and other countries, North African pirates attacked and disputes arose with Spain over West Florida and the Mississippi River. Facing serious social chaos, the founding fathers proposed a convention to seek a solution. In order to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty, these founding fathers were determined to create a constitution and make thirteen states into a strong nation. In the 1630s, the pilgrims gave up some personal rights in order to establish a government and to ensure collective survival. Again in the 1780s, the founding fathers agreed to give up part of their own states’ powers in order to establish a “more perfect Union.” We will learn how the founding fathers found solutions and resolved conflicts of interest among big states and small states, free states and slave states, northern states and southern states, etc. We will see how they established a much more powerful federal government, while maintaining “checks and balances” and convincing the people that they could accept a strong federal government without giving up most of the states’ powers. This is the second time for Americans to find good solutions to their critical political crisis and made a unified and strong United States of America.
 * __Wed. March 21:__** **__Political Challenge in 1789 - the Constitutional Convention and Its Impact__**
 * Questions:**
 * What kind of challenges did the United States face in the 1780s?
 * What is the nature of the debates held during the Constitutional Convention?
 * Why did the delegates decide to replace Articles of Confederation with the Constitution?
 * What are different interest conflicts between conservative and democratic groups, large and small states, and northern and southern states?
 * How do the three branches of government work on their own and “check and balance” each other?
 * Explain the heritage, compromise, creation and rationale of the Constitution.



Movies: Newburgh conspiracy []

Shay's rebellion part 1 []

Shay's legacy part 5 []

//Creating the Constitution//, a Yale course by Professor Freeman
 * Presentation:**
 * []**