Articles of Confederation
The Beginnings of our Great Country
Vocabulary
• Bicameral – having two separate lawmaking chambers
• Republic – a government in which citizens rule through
elected representatives
• Ordinance – law
• Depreciate – to fall in value
• Depression – a period when economic activity slows and
unemployment increases
• Proportional – having the proper size in relation to other
objects or items
• Compromise – a settlement of a dispute by each party giving
up some demands
The colonies have won their
independence from England and are
officially the United States of America.
NOW WHAT????????????
Step One: Set up the Government
• Write a constitution (plan of government)
• Decide what type of government
• Who should have the power
Articles of Confederation
• The Articles of Confederation was a constitution
written during the American Revolution to
establish the powers of the new national
government.
But one problem…..
The Articles of Confederation
displayed many
weaknesses.
Weaknesses/Problem #1
• Created a weak national government
National
Govt.
Weakness/Problem #2
• Congress could not tax or regulate trade
between the states
We’re Broke!
USA
Govt
.
Weakness/Problem #3
• NO common currency
Do you take
Virginia
Dollars?
What? Only North
Carolina Dollars here!
Weakness/Problem #4
• Each state got one vote regardless of size
(The small states really liked this, but why?)
Are you kidding
me? That’s not
fair!
Yeah for
us!
Weakness/Problem #5
• No executive or judicial branch.
(This means there was no President or no
judges or justices)
I guess I won’t
be needed!!
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
• Congress had no power to raise taxes
• Congress had no power regulate foreign or
state trade
• Laws had to be approved by 9 out of 13
states
• Congress did not have the power to enforce
laws
Strengths of the Articles of
Confederation
• The Treaty of Paris 1783 was signed
• The Northwest Ordinance was past
• Had the power to declare war and peace,
print money, make treaties and settle state
disputes
Strengths of the Articles of Confederation:
Settling Western Lands
• The Land Ordinance of 1785, stated that
land in the west was to be surveyed using a
grid system to establish 6 mile blocks
• The Northwest Ordinance assisted in the
orderly expansion of the United States, it
outlined a plan for applying for statehood to
western territories
– 5,000 free males who own 50 acres can start
govt
– Population of 60,000 could become a state
Settling Western Lands
• The Northwest Ordinance
provides an orderly
settlement process in the
West
• It promised
–
–
–
–
no slavery
education
freedom of religion
trial by jury
Northwest Territory
• The Northwest
Territory was east of
the Mississippi River
and north of the Ohio
River. The states of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, and
Wisconsin would be
formed from this area.
Reasons for Shay’s Rebellion
• Farmers are required to pay
debts in gold, they have no
money because they were not
paid during the war
• Wealthy lawmakers invested
their money in the war too.
And seek to get money from
the farmers debts
Shays’s Rebellion
• Poor farmers are not
represented in the
Mass legislature and
cannot pass debt
relief laws
• The rebellion will free
debtors from prisons
and close courts that
are hearing cases
against farmers
Shays’s Rebellion
• The Mass militia is called out to stop it
• Poor farmers in 1791 elect officials who
support their stance and will close courthouses
and demand financial help from the Congress
• Shays’s Rebellion will prompt national leaders
to create a stronger central government
Samuel Adams Said What?!
• “Rebellion against a king
may be pardoned, or
lightly punished, but the
man who dares to rebel
against the laws of a
republic ought to suffer
death”