Summary pt. 3 Essay Plans AQA A -level History 2G: Birth of the USA
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Course
AQA History A-Level 2G The Birth of the USA
Institution
AQA
Detailed essay plans covering entire period of American History. I compiled these notes and achieved an A* in the 2022 paper. There are a range of examples and arguments and it covers what to write from introduction to conclusion.
Part two: establishing the Nation, 1776–1801
Section five: Founding the Republic, 1776–1789
The Ratification of the AOC
→ 11th June 1776- Second Continental Congress appointed a committee tasked with
determining what form the confederation of the colonies should take.
→ Committee was composed of one representative from each colony. John
Dickinson (Penn/Delaware) was the principal writer
→ 16th December 1777 - Virginia was the first to ratify.
→ 1st March 1781 - All 13 states ratified and the AOC came into being.
Why was the AOC fiercely debated by Congress?:
→ Concerns re Dickinson’s draft: national govt, representation, taxation and
control of the West.
→ Stated:
- One vote per state,
- Expenses (requisitioning approportioned according to total population) would
create problem with slave states,
- Did impose restrictions on those states and grant extensive powers to Congress.
- Powers over Western lands were removed from Congress. Virginia had a claim
vs Pennsylvania who didn't. Financial upset
→ Resolution:
- Approved when Congress adopted Article Two ‘Each state retains its
sovereignty’.
- Pushed for by Thomas Burke of NC, joined congress recently.
- Affirms legal supremacy of states and undermines AOC in the future.
- Wins over Congress and they send AOC to states to be ratified.
Why was ratification delayed?:
→ Landless states disappointed over the lack of congressional authority over
Western lands.
→ Resolution:
- landed states (primarily Virginia) agreed to cede their claims to land in western
territories. Convinced Delaware to ratify. LINK: creates problem after mass
exodus to western territories.
, - Pressure on Maryland: Pressure from the French (Luzerne refused to supply
ships until AOC ratified and war in the South).
To what extent did a political revolution occur in the American Revolution from 1775-
1787?
Intro:
CFJ:
→ Change (complete overhaul of the previous system of governance)?
→ Terms of the DOI realised?
→ Establish Fundamental change?
Factors:
→ Nature of the AOC (national)?
→ Nature of state politics?
→ Who was involved?
Revolutionary Revolutionary change:
● Created a sovereign, national government:
→ Articles enshrined republicanism
→ Ideology of republicanism enshrined at state level. ‘Republicanism’
- government by the consent of the governed enshrined in state
constitutions.
→ Articles safeguard against arbitrary government/tyranny e.g. 13
needed to ratify, Article 2, one vote per state.
● States ensured democratic practices:
→ Reynolds (America,Empire of Liberty) - ‘democratic despotism of
the state assemblies’. ‘Wild’ Democracy on a state level
→ Most states adopted more democratic constitutions: widened
franchise, voting age men over 21, property tax qualification (70% if
white male pop).
→ Constitution included safeguards (checks & balances) e.g. separation
of powers (judiciary, executive & legislative), Bill of rights (protection of civil
, liberties drafted by Richard Henry Lee and George Mason, Virginia 1st to
ratify).
● State governors limited powers:
→ Ordinary folk had a far greater voice in state politics (e.g. new men +
‘democrats’), men who led committees of safety now have a more active role in
state politics. Emergence of younger men who push for even greater
democratic reforms. Extra-legal committees.
● Religious toleration:
→ 1786 Act of Establishing Religious Freedom (Jefferson)
Not Revolutionary
Not complete revolutionary change:
● The AOC ‘was an incomplete and irregular system’:
→ Articles enshrined power of the states (significant powers under
salutary neglect).
→ Strengthened divisions that bester America pre-AWI
→ Created an alliance of states NOT a cohesive nation driven by state
interests e.g. growing division between North and South, some Northern
states already abolosihed slavery whilst southern states were desperate to
keep it.
● Division within states:
→ Anti loyalist legislation in the states. e.g. 1779 in New York, state legislation
allowed all Patriots to take loyalist land + any debts to loyalists don’t need to be
paid back.
→ Civil war in the South
● ‘Wild democracy’ exaggerated (democratic deficit):
→ State constitutions not mandated by the people
→ Sovereignty given to the states, not the people.
→ Only Pennsylvania abolished property qualifications for voting.
Radical Massachusetts restricts the number of people who can vote. Maryland
only 10% of male population have the vote.
→ Excluded slaves and NAs.
● Wealthy continued to dominate politics on a state and national level:
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