September 25, 2007
Articles of Confederation
I) A New Nation of Independent States
A) Each colony became its own independent state
B) Well prepared to govern itself
C) Could not do everything on its own
1) Raise an army
2) Maintain an army
D) Second continental Congress made plans for union of the states
1) Drafted the article of Confederation
2) The first constitution of the United States
3) Confederation – group of individual states who bad together for a common
purpose
II) Structure of the Articles of Confederation
A) One house legislature
B) Each state had one vote
C) Legislature controlled army
D) Legislature had power to deal with foreign countries
III) Limited Power
A) Bad experience with central government (Great Britain)
B) Legislature had no power to enforce laws
C) Legislature had no power to tax
D) Could ask states for money, but not demand it
IV) Weaknesses of the Articles
A) 1781 all 13 states ratified, or approved, articles
B) Legislature could not pass laws without 9 states approval
C) All 13 states had to approve any changes to articles
D) NO POWER TO ENFORCE LAWS
E) NO POWER TO TAX
V) Shaky National Government
A) Treaty of Paris signed in 1783 ended Revolutionary War
B) America in serious financial trouble
C) State governments in heavy debt
1) Began to tax citizens heavily
2) Tariffs in trade goods high
D) Central government powerless to “fix” problems
VI) Country in Turmoil
A) Americans feared government could not provide security
B) Riots broke out across the country
VII) Shay’s Rebellion
A) Daniel Shay, a farmer in deep debt, led an armed uprising on Massachusetts state
arsenal
B) Courts threatened to take farm to repay debt
C) Uprising quickly stopped
D) Many political leaders in country began to call for a stronger central government
E) 12 states sent delegates to Philadelphia to meet to revise the articles of
Confederation
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