CHAPTER FIVE SECTION ONE
AMERICA’S FIRST GOVERNMENT
The Articles of Confederation
• A limited government with most power in
the hands of the states
• One branch of government- legislative
• No executive or judicial branch
• Each state chose delegates to Congress,
each state only had one vote
A Weak Government
• No power of taxation- they could petition
the states for money, but had no power to
enforce this request
• Any request for money required a vote by
nine of the thirteen states
• Changes would require a unanimous vote
The Nationalists Oppose the
Articles
• Economic issues include huge national debt,
•
•
•
problems with interstate commerce, and
inflation
Some feared that a weak government could lead
to disorder
Others said the United States would not get the
proper respect from other nations
Those who had strong beliefs in democracy
feared that if the US collapsed, the cause of
freedom would as well
Shays’ Rebellion
• Those who had loaned money to the
states demanded repayment
• Massachusetts tries to comply with this by
raising taxes on the people
• These taxes cause a rebellious responsetaxes are a dirty word to working class
Americans
The Rebellion Intensifies
• Farmers, led by Daniel Shays, resist taxes
in an increasingly violent manner
• The government does not have the
necessary authority to keep order and
quiet the rebellion
• Finally, Massachusetts raises an army
which ends the rebellion
Reactions
• Thomas Jefferson, author of the
Declaration says this is a good thing “the
tree of liberty must be refreshed from time
to time with the blood of patriots and
tyrants”
• James Madison disagrees: “Liberty may be
endangered by abuses of liberty as well as
the abuses of power”
The Calls for Change are Heeded
• Meeting in Philadelphia is called with its
goal to revise the Articles to preserve
order
• The delegates to this convention will
decide to come up with a whole new plan
for government- The Constitution