Chapter 7 A More Perfect
Union (1777-1790)
Section 1 The Articles of
Confederation
Second Continental Congress
• Needed a plan of
government that met the
needs of all 13 states
• The states joined to fight
against the British, but
would they be able to
work together and
maintain their
independence?
• The states’ first task was
to establish their own
political institutions.
State Constitutions
• May 1776, Congress
asked the states to
organize their
governments.
• Each state adopted a
constitution (Plan of
government)
• Each learned from British
rule and did not want too
much power for a single
ruler.
• Pennsylvania even had
an elected council with
12 members.
• Each had limited power
for the governor.
Limiting Power
• States also divided
• The writers of the
government functions
constitutions
between the governor
wanted to keep the
and the legislature
power in the hands
of the people.
• Most states
established bicameral
(two-house)
legislatures to divide
power even further
Limiting Power (cont.)
• Elections were frequent .
• In order to vote (in most states) you
had to be a white male, 21 years old or
older, and own property.
• Some states allowed free African
Americans to vote.
Forming a Republic
• Americans agreed that
they should be a
republic
• Citizens rule through
elected representatives.
• Disagreements arose
on organization of the
powers.
• Most Americans wanted
a weak central
government.
Forming a Republic (cont.)
• Each state would be like independent
countries.
• States would act independently on
most issues.
• The central government would only
wage war and handle relations with
other nations.
Planning a New Government
• 1776- Congress appointed a
committee to draw a
constitution
• November 1777- The Articles
of Confederation was adopted
• Was America’s first constitution
• Central government in which
the states kept most of their
power
• Under the Articles Congress
had the power to conduct
foreign affairs, maintain armed
forces, borrow money, and
issue currency
John Hanson- 1st
President of the United
States under the
Articles of
Confederation
Weaknesses of the Articles
• Congress could not regulate trade
• Or force citizens to join the army
• Or impose taxes
• If Congress needed money
they had to ask the state
legislatures- but they were NOT
required to contribute
• Congress lacked a chief executive
The Confederation Government
• 1781-1789
• Did not provide a strong enough
government
• To pass a law 9 states had to
agree
• Despite weaknesses it made
some important achievements
• Under the Confederation
government, Americans won
independence and expanded
foreign trade
• Also helped with the governing if
western territories
Moving West
• 1790- About 120,000 lived west
of the Appalachian Mountains
• Settlers hoped to organize
lands as states and join the
union
• Land claims were given up and
Congress took control of these
lands
• 1784- Congress divided the
western territory into selfgoverning districts
• When the number of people in
a district reached the
population of the smallest
existing state, that district could
petition for statehood
The Ordinance of 1785
• 1785- Congress passed an
ordinance (law) that
established a procedure for
surveying and selling
western lands north of the
Ohio River
• Divided the massive
territory into 6 miles by 6
miles townships
• Townships were divided
into 36 sections (640 acres)
• Each would be sold at
public auction
• To govern the territory, a
new ordinance was needed
The Northwest Ordinance
• 1787- Created a single
Northwest Territory
• North of the Ohio River
and east of the
Mississippi River
• Divided into 3 to 5
smaller territories
• When the population
reached 60,000 the
people could petition for
statehood
• Each new state would
have the same rights as
the original 13 states
More of the Northwest Ordinance
• Had a bill of rights for settlers
• Guaranteed freedom of
religion and trial by jury
• Slavery was outlawed
• This clause (condition added
to a document) marked the
first attempt to stop the
spread of slavery in the US
• The Ordinance of 1785 and
the Northwest Ordinance
opened the way for
settlement of the Northwest
Territory in a stable and
orderly manner
Financial Problems
• By 1781- The money printed during the Revolutionary
War depreciated (fell in value) so far that it was
almost worthless.
• Taxes could not be collected so Congress and the
states printed their own paper money.
• Not backed in silver or gold, so it had no real value.
• War for independence left Congress with a huge debt.
• Congress owned money to American soldiers,
citizens, and foreign nations.
• Did not have the money to send.
Robert Morris’s Import Tax
• 1781- The finances were collapsing.
• Congress created a department of
finance led by Philadelphia merchant
Robert Morris.
• Morris proposed a 5% tax on
imported goods to help pay the debt.
• The plan called for a change to the
Articles to give Congress the power
to tax.
• Rhode Island refused so it did not
pass.
• The financial crisis continued to
worsen.
Problems With Britain
• The British did not leave the forts they were supposed to
according to the Treaty of Paris (1783)
• Americans complained that the British were keeping them out
of the West Indies and other British markets
• 1785- John Adams was sent to London to discuss the
problems
• The British responded that the United States did not live up to
their side of the Treaty.
• The states never paid the loyalists that lost their land and
property
Problems With Spain
• Spain wanted to stop American expansion into its
territory
• Spain closed the lower Mississippi River to
American shipping in 1784
• Westerners no longer had this trade route
• The Confederation could not handle the issues
properly.
• These problems worried many leaders and they saw
that there was a need for a stronger government.
Assignment
• On a separate sheet of paper, choose one
passage from this section and write a paragraph
explaining something new you learned.
• Be sure to use the Elephant Paragraph format:
– Introduction sentence
– Supporting information sentence
– Supporting information sentence
– Outside information sentence
– Concluding sentence