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Origins of American Government
Section 3
MAIN IDEA
The states’ first attempts to build a national government, the Articles of
Confederation, proved too weak to last.
Key Terms
Articles of Confederation the first constitution of the United States
ratify formally approve
Northwest Ordinance 1787 legislation that established a plan for settling the Northwest
Territory
Shays’s Rebellion a rebellion of Massachusetts farmers who were angry at the prospect
of losing their land
Taking Notes
As you read, take notes on the advantages and disadvantages of the
Articles of Confederation. Record your notes in the graphic organizer
below.
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Section 3 continued
Section Summary
FIRST NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
In anticipation of declaring independence, the Second
Continental Congress began designing a plan for a
national government in June 1776. By June 12, 1777,
the Congress adopted the first constitution of the
United States, the Articles of Confederation, a name
reflective of the friendly confederation the delegates
wished the former colonies to become.
However, not all of the states were ready to ratify,
or formally approve, the Articles. In particular, small
states were afraid that large states with claims to
western lands would become too powerful. Once the
Congress agreed that the entire Confederation would
control the Western lands, ratification was completed
in 1781.
The Articles left most power to the states, creating
only a weak federal government with no executive or
judicial branches. While a one-house legislature called
Congress was created—in which each state had one
vote—at least nine states would have to approve
legislation in order to pass it, and the approval of all
13 was needed to approve any changes to the Articles
themselves. Congress was given the power to act on
matters of common interest to the states, admit new
states and organize western lands, organize a postal
service, coin and borrow money, appoint military
officers and raise an army, declare war, make peace,
and conduct foreign policy. The states retained all
other powers, including those to collect taxes, enforce
national laws, and contribute funds to the national
government as they deemed necessary.
WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES
There were many problems with the Articles of
Confederation, including the lack of a federal
executive branch to carry out laws and a federal court
system to apply them. Also, since the Articles did not
allow Congress to tax the states, it had no formal way
of raising money—and the states chose not to
contribute much. Furthermore, Congress could not
regulate commerce between states, even when
interstate tax laws were unfair, and its power to coin
money conflicted with the states’ same power,
How would legislation pass
in the new Congress,
according to the Articles of
Confederation?
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Did the new national
government successfully
raise money? Explain.
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Section 3 continued
resulting in several different currencies in circulation.
Finally, very rarely did 9 of the 13 states agree to pass
legislation, making it difficult for Congress to act
decisively.
PRESSURES FOR STRONGER GOVERNMENT
It gradually became obvious to Americans and their
new government that the Articles of Confederation
would not work as a constitution. While in 1787
Congress did manage to pass the Northwest
Ordinance—legislation that established a plan for
settling the Northwest Territory, banned slavery in the
territory, created a system for admitting new states,
and guaranteed certain rights to settlers—it met little
success in other areas, especially when it came to
raising money to pay national war debts. Events such
as Shays’s Rebellion, a rebellion by thousands of
Massachusetts farmers angry at the prospect of losing
their land, highlighted Congress’s military and
economic weaknesses.
In March 1785, George Washington and
representatives from Virginia and Maryland met at
Washington’s Mount Vernon home to discuss how to
resolve a trade dispute between the states. When the
talks were successful, certain state officials were
inspired to ask Congress to call a meeting of all the
states to revise the Articles of Confederation. The
meeting was scheduled for May, 1787 in Philadelphia.
What happened in
Massachusetts that further
highlighted Congress’s
weaknesses?
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