The Confederation Era
The war is over, now what?
• America was now and independent
nation having won the Revolutionary
War, but now what? What would the
country and the government look like?
The Articles of
Confederation
• The Articles of Confederation was the
name of the first government of the
United States.
• It had been started back in 1776 in the
Continental Congress, and finally
approved by all the states in 1781.
The Articles of Confederation
was weak, on purpose
• Americans were afraid of a strong national
government. After all, they had fought a war over
it. So, the government they decided on was
weak.
• The national government under the Articles did
not have the power to tax or enforce laws.
• The national government did have the power to
wage war, but since they couldn’t tax, there was
no way to pay for it.
• The government could also issue money, but the
states didn’t have to use it. The states had their
own money.
Weaknesses of the Articles
• Since the national government could not tax,
and the national money was worthless, debt
became a huge problem.
• Debt = owing money
• The biggest problem was that the soldiers
who had fought the war, had not been paid,
and they were mad.
• Most of the soldiers were farmers, and they
were unable to pay their debts.
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
Declare War &
Establish an
Army/Navy
No Power to
Draft Soldiers
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
Make Peace &
Sign Treaties
No Power to
Enforce Treaties
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
Borrow Money
No Power to
Collect Taxes
from the States
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
Organize a
Post Office
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
No Chief Executive
No national court system
No Power to Regulate
Interstate Commerce
No National Currency
Difficult to Pass laws
(2/3 vote)
The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
Congress was given
the power to:
Difficult to
Amend
(unanimous vote
needed to change the
articles)
The Articles of Confederation
• Congress given the •
•
power to:
•
• Declare War
•
• Make Peace
•
• Sign Treaties
•
• Borrow Money
• Establish an Army & •
•
Navy
•
• Organize a Post
•
Office
No Chief Executive
No National Court System
No Power to Draft Soldiers
No Power to Control Interstate
Commerce
No Power to Enforce Treaties
No Power to Collect Taxes from
the States
Difficult to Pass Laws (2/3 vote)
No National Currency
Difficult to Amend
(Unanimous Vote Needed to
Change Articles)
What is happening in the
following picture?
• You are going to be looking at a picture
in a few seconds? See if you can figure
out what is going on in the picture. Look
at the picture closely.
• Describe the people, objects, where the
event is happening, and what is
happening. (Who, what, where, and
objects)
Shays’ Rebellion
• Farmers were taken into court, then to
jail, and their land was taken away from
them because they were in debt.
• In 1786, an armed revolt by farmers
against the state government took
place.
• The revolt was led by Daniel Shays.
• The farmers began to forcibly prevent
the courts from meeting so they couldn’t
take anyone else’s land away or put
them in jail.
• Early in 1787, the Governor sent 4,400
men against the rebels and the rebels
were defeated.
• Shays and the other rebels were
pardoned. (An official act of
forgiveness)
Results of Shays’ Rebellion
• Shays’ Rebellion showed the leaders of
America that the Articles of
Confederation were too weak, and a
stronger national government was
needed.
Conclusion
Why did the Founding Fathers
Choose a Confederation plan
of government?
They feared that a strong central
government would create tyranny,
and stamp out the peoples natural
God given rights.
Conclusion
Why Did the Founding Fathers
believe the Articles needed to be
replaced by the US Constitution?
The nation needed to function as
ONE united country & not 13
small unorganized nations.
Shay’s rebellion proved the need
to strengthen the government.