Lesson 1 · The Articles of Confederation
American History
Name _____________________________ Class ________________ Date: ________________
The U.S. Constitution
Lesson 1
The Articles of Confederation
Key Terms and People
republic A government in which the people elect representatives to govern
republicanism The idea that governments should be based on the consent of the
people
Articles of Confederation
the United States
The set of laws that established the first government of
confederation A loose alliance of states
Land Ordinance of 1785 A law that set up a plan for surveying land west of the
Appalachian Mountains
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Law that organized the Northwest Territories
Before You Read
In the last lesson you learned how the American colonists won their
independence from Great Britain. In this lesson you will learn how
the colonists tried to create a new government.
As You Read
Use a graphic organizer to take notes on the Articles of
Confederation.
AMERICANS DEBATE
REPUBLICANISM
What style of government did
Americans favor?
In the years following the
Revolutionary War, the American states
created their own constitutions based
largely on the ideals of republicanism.
They limited the power of the
government and guaranteed specific
rights for its citizens. Some of these
rights included freedom of speech,
religion, and the press.
The states constitutions also differed
from one another. Some states granted
voting rights to all adult males who
paid taxes. Others continued to make
property ownership a requirement for
voting. Those who qualified to vote were
generally white. With few exceptions,
women were not allowed to vote.
After winning their independence
from Great Britain, the American
colonists had to govern themselves.
Most Americans believed that a
democracy, government directly by the
people, gave too much power to the
uneducated masses. They instead
favored a republic—a government in
which the people elect capable leaders
to govern. The idea behind this style of
rule is republicanism, the notion that
government should be based on the
consent of the people.
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51
Guided Reading Workbook
Lesson 1 · The Articles of Confederation
American History
Name _____________________________ Class ________________ Date: ________________
Lesson 1, continued
Ordinance of 1787 organized the land
into territories. It also established a
procedure for how these territories
eventually could become states.
1. What kind of government did the
state constitutions create?
______________________________
2. What powers did the Articles of
Confederation give the new national
government?
______________________________
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
DEBATES
What issues did the Continental
Congress face?
______________________________
______________________________
While the states develop their own
constitutions, the Continental Congress
sought to create a government for the
entire nation. In doing so, the Congress
had to address three basic issues. The
first was how much representation each
of the different-sized states would receive
in Congress. The Congress decided that
each state would have one vote,
regardless of the number of people in
the state.
The second issue dealt with how the
states and federal government would
share power. In addressing this issue, the
Continental Congress proposed the
Articles of Confederation. This set of laws
established a two-tier government. State
governments were supreme in some
matters, while the national government
was supreme in other matters. The
delegates called this new form of
government a confederation, or alliance.
The Articles of Confederation gave the
new national government power to
declare war, sign treaties, borrow money,
and establish a postal service. However,
the Articles created no separate executive
or judicial departments. The Articles of
Confederation went into effect in 1781.
By this time, Congress also had to
address a third issue: how to govern the
land west of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Land Ordinance of 1785 established
a plan by which the federal government
surveyed the land and sold it to settlers at
affordable prices. The Northwest
THE CONFEDERATION
ENCOUNTERS PROBLEMS
What were some weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation had
many weaknesses. First, the new
government did little to unify the
country. The states continued to act in
their own interests, with little regard for
other states or the nation as a whole. In
addition, the one-vote-per-state policy
created an imbalance of political power.
Furthermore, all states had to agree to
amend the Articles. As a result, changes
in government were difficult to achieve.
The Continental Congress also had no
power to tax. This meant that it could
not collect money.
The federal government’s weakness
hindered its efforts to deal with foreignrelations problems as well. After the
Revolutionary War, Britain refused to
evacuate its military forts on the Great
Lakes. In addition, the Spanish attempted
to strengthen their presence in the West
by closing the Mississippi River to
American navigation. Lacking money
and support from the states, the Congress
could do little to address these issues.
3. Why were changes to the Articles of
Confederation difficult to achieve?
______________________________
______________________________
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
52
Guided Reading Workbook
Lesson 1 · The Articles of Confederation
American History
Name _____________________________ Class ________________ Date: ________________
Lesson 1, continued
As you read, answer the questions in the graphic organizer concerning
the new federal government.
1. Why did most Americans favor a republic over a democracy?
2. What rights did state constitutions guarantee to citizens?
3. How did voting rights differ between the states?
4. How did the Continental Congress deal with these three issues?
how much representation the different-sized states would have
how state and federal government would share power
how to govern the land west of the Appalachian Mountains
5. What were some weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
53
Guided Reading Workbook
The U.S. Constitution
______________________________________
LESSON 1
Summary
1. governments with limited powers;
guaranteed specific rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press
2. power to declare war, sign treaties, borrow money, and establish a postal service
3. All states had to agree in order to amend the Articles.
Graphic Organizer
Possible answers:
1. They believed that a democracy gave too much power to the uneducated, while in a republic, capable elected
leaders govern.
2. freedom of speech
freedom of religion
freedom of the press
3. Some states allowed all males who paid taxes to vote;
some states required that citizens own property in order to vote;
voters were generally white;
women were not allowed to vote
4. representation: each state would have one vote, regardless of the number of people in the state;
sharing power: a two-tier government;
state governments had authority in some matters, the federal government in others;
western land: the federal government would survey the land and sell it to settlers;
the land was organized into territories;
a procedure was established for how territories could become states
5. They did little to unify the country;
the one-vote-per-state policy created an imbalance of political power;
the Continental Congress had no power to collect money through taxes;
the federal government had problems dealing with foreign relations