Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Ohio Standards
Connection:
Economics
Benchmark C
Identify connections
between government
policies and the economy.
Indicator 4
Explain how lack of power
to regulate the economy
contributed to the demise
of the Articles of
Confederation and the
creation of U.S.
Constitution.
Lesson Summary:
Students will debate the pros and cons of four economic
provisions of the Articles of Confederation. They will
investigate the economic problems that arose from the weak
government under the Articles and the demise of the
Articles due to these problems. Students will then
investigate how this led to the writing of the U.S.
Constitution and how these economic problems were
addressed through that new document. Assessment consists
of completing a chart and answering questions in an
extended response essay format.
Estimated Duration: Five to six hours
Commentary:
A New Country – the United States of America! The war is
won, but how to form a government? A strong central
government might feel like a monarchy, but what if the new
government is too weak? What might happen?
In order to better understand the multiple perspectives that
were involved in the formation of the U.S. government,
students will debate the merits of certain provisions in the
Articles of Confederation. This lesson is best used when
students have an understanding of the Revolutionary War
and the early American distrust of a strong central
government. This lesson can be combined with related
indicators that also address the Articles of Confederation
(History Indicator 5 and Government Indicator 3) to form a
unit on early United States government. The assignments
for the lesson involve art, debate, reading and writing in
order to reach students with differing learning styles. A
textbook may serve as a basic source for this lesson, but
more information will be needed. School or public libraries
should be able to provide extra sources.
Pre-Assessment:
 Post the indicator for the class to read together and discuss
the main concepts of the indicator by underlining the key
words and phrases.
1
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight



Have students answer the following questions in writing:
1. What is meant by the term “economics?”
2. What were the purposes and provisions of the Articles of Confederation?
3. What are the purpose and main provisions of the U.S. Constitution?
Gather student papers for assessment of the students’ prior knowledge and use in
organizing the four heterogeneous groups needed for the activities.
Conduct a discussion of the answers.
Scoring Guidelines:
 Four or five correct answers = expert.
 Two or three correct answers = proficient.
 One or no correct answers = novice.
Acceptable Answers to the Pre-Assessment:
1. Economics refers to the way that a society fills its wants, what products it produces, and
trades for, and how it handles money.
2. The Articles of Confederation were enacted to loosely connect the 13 states under a
framework of laws in 10 articles. Most of the power remained with the states and the
central government had little power. Examples: No federal power to tax or raise an army,
all federal laws had to be approved by all states.
3. The U.S. Constitution was written to provide a more effective central government for the
United States. It contains seven main articles that delineate the roles of the three
branches of government. Examples: Congress with two houses, president as executive,
courts to review laws, checks and balances. The U.S. Constitution is the body of
fundamental laws for the United States.
Post-Assessment:
 Distribute the first page of the Post-Assessment, Attachment A. Have students complete
the chart using their notes. Allow them to complete the chart for homework and study the
chart for part two of the post-assessment.
 After collecting Part I of the Post-Assessment, distribute the second page of Attachment
A, Extended Response Questions. Have students answer the extended response questions
without use of their notes.
Scoring Guidelines:
Use the rubric on Attachment A to score the chart and the extended response questions.
Instructional Procedures:
Day One
1. After conducting the pre-assessment, start class with a brainstorming activity related to
current taxation. Using chart paper to record ideas, ask the question, “What do you know
about taxes in America?” Add ideas to the chart and steer students with the question,
2
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
“What things are accomplished using the tax money that is collected?” Add pertinent
information as it arises. Ask the question, “What would happen if we did not have this tax
money?” Hold a class discussion regarding the issues raised. Save the chart to refer back
to as the lesson progresses.
Brainstorm reasons and circumstances that brought America to rebellion against Britain
(taxation without representation, Stamp Act, etc). This will lay the foundation for the
reasons why the Articles of Confederation were written as they were.
Write brainstormed ideas on chart paper to be posted for the duration of the lesson.
Remind students that during the Revolution, the colonies were loosely held together by
the Continental Congress.
Review the purpose of the Articles of Confederation (binding the 13 new states under a
central government).
Break the class into four heterogeneous groups. Give all students the Matrix for Class
Notes on the Articles of Confederation, Attachment B.
Inform the class that they will pretend to be members of the Continental Congress
forming a government for the United States. The four groups will each be assigned one of
the economic provisions of the Articles to present to the class. The class will then vote on
each provision for inclusion in the new government.
Break each group into two predetermined parts. One half of the group will take the “pro”
position and the other half will take the “con” position, with the two halves working
separately. The pro group will decide why they think the provision should be included in
the Articles (from an early American perspective) and the con group will decide why it
should not, giving thought to what problems may arise because of that provision. (For
example, if government can’t require the states to pay taxes, what would happen if there
was a war and no money to pay for it?)
Give the groups 10 minutes to come up with one or two plausible reasons for their
positions and have each student write them in the appropriate place on his/her matrix.
Circulate around the room checking to see that students are on the right course, giving
helpful hints as needed. The pro and con sections of each group should choose a
spokesperson who will present the reasons persuasively as in a debate. Give time for
groups to practice.
Day Two
9. Begin with one volunteer group to present their provision first. Have the whole group
come forward, with the pro section reading the provision aloud and advocating that it be
added to the new government. They should present their reasons in a persuasive manner.
Then allow the con section a few minutes to tell persuasively why the provision should
not be added. Allow class members a short time for discussion and questions.
10. Recap the main reasons, pro and con, and have the students add these in the appropriate
sections of their matrix. You may wish to write them on the board or on an overhead.
3
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
11. At this point ask the class to vote whether the provision should be added to the new
government or not. Tally the vote and allow a few students to share why they voted as
they did.
12. Have students record the result of the vote for that provision on their matrix.
13. Repeat this process with one more group, finishing the process on day three.
Day Three
14. Repeat the presentation and debate procedures with the remaining two groups.
15. Using a variety of resources such as textbooks, trade books, and Internet sources, have
student groups research the Articles of Confederation. Groups should work together to
determine why the provision they presented was added to the Articles and what economic
problems resulted from it. Students can record their findings on notebook paper. Circulate
around the room and assist students as needed.
16. Have students continue their research for homework and prepare to discuss the
information at the next class meeting.
Day Four
17. When class meets again, make a quick visual check that all students have a page of
research notes about their assigned provision of the Articles.
18. Allow 10 minutes for students to discuss within their groups what they found out about
their provisions and determine three or four main points to share with the class. Each
group must choose a spokesperson. Circulate and assist.
19. Have a spokesperson from each of the four groups present the group’s main points. You
may want to use an overhead transparency of the matrix to record the notes. You may
also want to add important information at this point. Record the main points on the
transparency and have all students add them to their matrix.
20. Read aloud to the class a short description of Shays’ Rebellion. Discuss how desperate
the economic problems had become due to the lack of central government power under
the Articles of Confederation.
21. Distribute the worksheet entitled Shays’ Rebellion: You were there!, Attachment D. Have
students add notes to the page from the class reading. Explain the writing assignment and
have students write a letter to the government of Massachusetts as though they were
participants in Shays’ Rebellion. This should be completed for homework.
Day Five
22. Ask students to discuss a few of the ideas they put into their writing assignment regarding
Shays’ rebellion.
23. Hold a class discussion regarding the Articles of Confederation and the economic
problems that arose because of the inability of the government to wield power over the
states. Draw out inferences about what the United States would have to do to fix the
problems (for example, strengthen the power of the central government). Review the
4
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
taxation discussion chart from day one to determine reasons why a government needs to
tax.
24. Distribute Matrix for Class Notes on the Constitutional Convention, Attachment C. Have
students work in the same groups to research which part of the U.S. Constitution
corrected their provision from the Articles of Confederation. Steer students primarily to
Article 1 of the Constitution which deals with legislative powers.
25. Have each group share with the class how its provision was changed and corrected in the
Constitution. As a class, fill in the matrix with notes from the groups. Link the taxation
discussion chart to current taxation by marking where taxation appears in the
Constitution.
26. Distribute the Post-Assessment Part I chart from Attachment A. Explain that students
may use their notes from class to fill in this new chart. Have them complete the chart for
homework. Students are to study the chart in order to answer the final assessment
question during the next class meeting.
Day Six
27. Collect completed post-assessment charts. Distribute copies of the final extended
response questions on Attachment A and give students time to complete it without using
notes or charts.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the
intent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the
specified indicator(s).
 Have students work in heterogeneous pairs or groups to research information for their
participation in “pro” or “con” presentation.
 Provide a graphic organizer or letter format outline for completing Shays’ Rebellion
homework assignment.
 Allow students to use their completed chart of information, as needed, for the final
extended response.
 Allow students to formulate their own government framework for a fictitious country.
Extensions:
 Have students perform skits about the provisions studied to act out problems that can
arise. Students could portray a state and act out what happens when all states had to
agree to pass legislation. Have them use issues that are pertinent in their own lives.
 Have students create drawings to show the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
On one side of the paper draw a provision of the Articles, with the Constitutional solution
on the other side. For example, a picture of President George Washington with his
pockets turned out to show no federal money and then a picture of the federal
government collecting federal taxes.
5
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Homework Options and Home Connections:
 Have students continue research at home if resources and computers are available.
 Have students create an opinion survey regarding taxes and how the government collects
and uses tax revenue. Have students poll adults at home and then create a class graph of
the results.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
English Language Arts
 Writing Applications
Benchmark E: Write a persuasive piece that states a clear position, includes relevant
information and offers compelling evidence in the form of facts and details.
Indicator 5: Write persuasive compositions that:
a. establish and develop a controlling idea;
b. support arguments with detailed evidence;
c. exclude irrelevant information.
 Research
Benchmark B: Evaluate the usefulness and credibility of data and sources.
Indicator 2: Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple
sources (e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internetbased resources).
 Communication: Oral and Visual
Benchmark G: Give presentations using a variety of delivery methods, visual displays
and technology.
Indicator 9: Deliver formal and informal descriptive presentations that convey relevant
information and descriptive details.
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson formulated by the Ohio Department of
Education should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that particular resource, or any of
its contents, by the Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education does
not endorse any particular resource. The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main
page, therefore, it may be necessary to search within that site to find the specific information
required for a given lesson. Please note that information published on the Internet changes
over time, therefore the links provided may no longer contain the specific information related
to a given lesson. Teachers are advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
For the teacher: Chart paper, overhead transparencies, markers, reading on Shays’ Rebellion.
For the student: Chart paper, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, drawing paper, textbooks,
trade books, encyclopedias, access to the Internet.
6
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Vocabulary:
 Articles of Confederation
 federal
 tariffs
 treaties
 mint
 trade
 regulation
 commerce
 constitution
 convention
 debt
 foreclosure
 bankruptcy
 depression
 interstate
Technology Connections:
 Supplement research materials with Internet sources.
 Have students use presentation software to present their research.
 Use online resources to research Shays’ Rebellion and find images.
Research Connections:
Marzano, R., et al. Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for
Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2001.
Summarizing and note taking are two of the most powerful skills to help students identify
and understand the most important aspects of what they are learning.
Cooperative learning grouping has a powerful effect on student learning. This type of
grouping includes the following elements:
o Positive interdependence;
o Face-to-face promotive interaction;
o Individual and group accountability;
o Interpersonal and small group skills;
o Group processing.
7
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
General Tips:
 Giving general guidelines for debates ahead of time is helpful. These would include
respecting each participant’s turn to talk, keeping to a time limit and remaining polite
even when debate is emotional.
 You may choose to have students use their post-assessment chart in the writing of the
post-assessment extended response.
 If the resources you have do not discuss the Articles of Confederation fully enough, refer
to online sources by searching for the key words “Articles of Confederation.”
 A vocabulary activity could be added prior to the lesson. Students could each define,
illustrate and present one of the vocabulary words to the class on a small poster, which
could then be posted for the duration of the lesson.
 This lesson can be combined with History Indicator 5 and Government Indicator 3 to
create a complete unit on the Articles of Confederation.
Attachments:
Attachment A, Post-Assessment
Attachment B, Matrix for Class Notes on the Articles of Confederation
Attachment C, Matrix for Class Notes on the Constitutional Convention
Attachment D, Shays’ Rebellion: You were there!
8
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Attachment A
Post-Assessment, Part I
Name: ______________________________________________
Directions: Use the following chart to show how four provisions of the Articles of
Confederation caused economic problems in the United States in the 1780s.



Describe the provision and why it was written into the document
Explain the economic problems that arose because of this provision
Show how the problems were addressed in the writing of the U.S. Constitution
Economic Provision
of the Articles of
Confederation
Why was it written into
the Articles of
Confederation?
What economic problems
arose as a result of this
provision?
What solutions
were written into
the U.S.
Constitution?
1. Congress may
request tax
payments from
states according to
the size of their
white population
but cannot require
the states to pay
them.
2. States can mint
their own coins and
print their own
money.
3. Congress cannot
resolve matters of
commerce and
trade between states
without the consent
of all 13 states.
4. States have the
right to place their
own taxes on goods
from other
countries.
9
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Attachment A (continued)
Post-Assessment, Part II
Name: ______________________________________________
Extended Response Questions
Directions: Using examples from the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution,
answer the following questions as an extended response essay. Organize your response by
answering the questions in the order they are listed. Use full sentences and supporting
details.




Which provision of the Articles of Confederation do you think most weakened the
economy of the early United States? Explain.
Why was this provision included in the Articles?
What economic problems did this provision bring about and how did this lead to the
writing of the U.S. Constitution?
How were the problems of this provision solved within the U.S. Constitution?
Post-Assessment Scoring Rubric
4: Exceeding the
Standard
Four accurate reasons
for inclusion
3: Meeting the
Standard
Three accurate reasons
for inclusion
2: Approaching the
Standard
Two accurate reasons
for inclusion
1: Attempting the
Standard
One accurate reason
for inclusion
Chart -Problems
that arose
Four problems
described
accurately
Three problems
described
accurately
Two problems
described
accurately
One problem
described
accurately
Chart -Solutions
in U.S.
Constitution
Four solutions
described
accurately
Three solutions
described
accurately
Two solutions described
accurately
One solution
described
accurately
Extended
Response –
Content
Accurate answers on all
four parts of question
Accurate answers on
three parts of question
Accurate answers on
two parts of question
Accurate answer on
one part of question
Extended
Response –
Organization and
Detail
Well organized,
questions answered in
order with supporting
details
Shows some
organization but lacks
supporting details
Lacks organization and
contains
few details
Poorly organized and
contains no
supporting details
Extended
Response –
Mechanics
Few spelling or
grammar errors
Some spelling or
grammar errors
Many spelling or
grammar errors
Many errors which
impede
understanding
Chart – Reasons
for Inclusion in
the Articles
10
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Attachment B
Matrix for Class Notes on the Articles of Confederation
Name:___________________________
Directions: Fill in notes as you investigate your topic and as other students present their topics.
Provision
Pro
Con
(reason to adopt this provision) (reasons against this provision)
1. Congress may
request tax payments
from states according
to the size of their
white population but
cannot require the
states to pay them.
2. States can mint their
own coins and print
their own money.
3. Congress cannot
resolve matters of
commerce and trade
between states
without the consent
of all 13 states.
4. States have the right
to place their own
taxes on goods from
other contries.
11
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Attachment C
Matrix for Class Notes on the Constitutional Convention
Name:____________________________
Directions: Fill in notes as you investigate your topic and as other students present their topics.
Provision of the Articles
of Confederation
1. Congress may
request tax payments
from states according
to the size of their
white population but
cannot require the
states to pay them.
Problems that arose due to this Solution written into the U.S.
provision
Constitution
2. States can mint their
own coins and print
their own money.
3. Congress cannot
resolve matters of
commerce and trade
between states
without the consent
of all 13 states.
4. States have the right
to place their own
taxes on goods from
other countries.
12
Economic Provisions of the Articles of Confederation –
Grade Eight
Attachment D
Shays’ Rebellion: You were there!
Name: ___________________________
Notes on Shays’ Rebellion:
Assignment: Imagine you have been transported back in time to western Massachusetts in
1787. You are a farmer who has been suffering hard economic times and may lose your land
because you can’t pay your debts. You are ready to join Daniel Shays and take matters into
your own hands. You decide to first write a letter to the state government stating your case
one last time.
Scoring Guideline: 3 = Excellent
2 = Adequate
1 = Poor
Be sure your letter:
_______ Is written in letter form with an appropriate date and full sentences.
_______ Shows the economic problems you have encountered with emotion.
_______ Tells what assistance you want to get from the state government.
_______ Tells what you will do if your requests are ignored.
_______ Total out of possible 12 points
13