LECTURE 2
REVOLUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION
Political Science 200
David Tabb
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Apr.1775 1776 1777 1786 1787 '88-'90
Revolution Dec. of Art.of Con-
Yorktown Const.
Ratification
Independence federation
Conven.
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Revolutionary War
I. Introduction: Constitutionalism and the Structure of Power
II. Three Explanations for the Revolution and the founding period.
A. Philosophical principles: The Democratic ethos
1. The dread of public power as a threat to liberty
2. Faith in direct communal democracy --wish for direct democracy;
assumption of consensus; people live in small homogeneous
communities
B. Political strife and radicalizing of the Colonists
1. Coalitions in conflict: New England merchants, Southern planters and Royalists opposed by small farmers and urban lower and middling classes.
2. The colonies' relationship to England: Boston Tea
Party and Tax Acts.
C. Economic explanations
1. Declaration of Independence as a necessary step for securing foreign aid from France in the ongoing war.
2. Articles of Confederation and nationalism
a. Huge debts to war veterans and citizens who lent money during the war
b. Debts to foreign governments
c. Dependence on State's for revenues
d. Congress could not pay interest on debts
e.. The need to tax and the founding of nations
III. The Constitutional Convention
A. Constitution as a economic framework to protect property, commerce and check radical state legislatures
B. A political document dealing with conflicting views toward democracy and
expediency
2. Politics, slavery and "Three -Fifths Compromise"