American Government
Chapter 2 – Origins of the U.S. Government
2-3 The First National Government
Seeds of Shay’s Rebellion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ImIEcsTEVo&feature=related
The First National Government
CA Standards:
12.1.4 Explain how the founding Fathers’
realistic view of human nature led directly to the
establishment of a constitutional system that
limited the power of the governors
Objectives:
• What were the powers of the national government under the
Articles of Confederation?
• How did limits on its power weaken the national government
under the Article’s?
• How did Shay’s Rebellion highlight the need for a stronger
national government?
Homework
Write definition of terms under Political
Dictionary found on page 35 of textbook
• Virginia Plan
• New Jersey Plan
• Great Compromise
Read pages 35 - 39
Holt American Government
Prepare for Open notebook Quiz
The First National
Government
Main Idea
The Revolutionary War ended with the U.S. victory at
the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. In the same year the
war ended the 13 independent states created a
confederation, or what they called a “league of
friendship.” The weaknesses of this confederation,
however, made unity among the states difficult and
created pressure for a stronger national government.
The First National
Government
Terms & Names page 31
• Articles of Confederation
• Ratification
• Northwest Ordinance
Articles of Confederation
Powers:
The powers of the new government lay in a unicameral legislature,
the Congress.
 Delegates to the Congress were chosen by each state’s
legislature.
 Each state delegation had one vote. Majority vote was enough to
pass most decisions.
 Nine votes were necessary to pass major decisions, such as
whether to wage war or to sign a treaty
Articles of Confederation
 Any amendment to the Articles required the approval of all 13
states.
 Only Congress, not the individual states, had the power to declare
war and conduct foreign policy
 The Articles also gave Congress the authority to borrow money,
establish state raised military forces, settle arguments between
states and manage relations with American Indians.
Articles of Confederation
Limits on power:
The Articles of Confederation limited the powers of the national
government to keep it weaker than the states
 The exclusion of a president and an executive branch meant that
there were no officials to carry out Congress’s laws.
 Congress had no power to tax.
 Congress could not prevent states from issuing their own money.
 Congress had no power to regulate trade among states or with
foreign countries.
 There was no national court system
Pressure for Stronger
Government
Some states refused to pay taxes to the national
government, obey laws passed by Congress,
and respect the terms of foreign treaties.
An armed rebellion in Massachusetts (1786)
showed that a stronger national government
was needed to maintain order and to protect
and promote the public good of citizens in all
states.
Pressure for Stronger
Government
Shay’s Rebellion:
This rebellion involved groups of armed farmers
trying to prevent the state from seizing the
property of people who could not pay their
debts.
The rebellion was put down by force, but it
caused our leaders to express frustration that
the new nation could win a difficult war but
could not keep order in peacetime
Pressure for Stronger
Government
States agreed to send delegates for a meeting in
Philadelphia. The official purpose of the
meeting was to revise the Articles of
Confederation.
Taking Up Arms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vQjYzyx9Q&feature=relmfu
A Civil War Looms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHabpxcXK5c&feature=relmfu
Be prepared for open
notebook quiz