The Confederation Congress & the
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
The SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS & the…
LEE RESOLUTION
LEE RESOLUTION (June 7, 1776)
LEE RESOLUTION SERVED THREE PURPOSES!
“Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND
INDEPENDENT STATES… That a PLAN OF CONFEDERATION be prepared and
transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.”
JUNE 12, 1776
 Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to
PREPARE A DRAFT OF A CONSTITUTION for a union of the
states! (Dickinson presents draft in July 1776)
 …would then be sent to the States in NOV. 1777 & ratified by
the States in MAR. 1781!
* In March 1781, one month after ratification, the Second Continental Congress
became the CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION *
The CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION & the…
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
“…was a document signed amongst the 13 original States
that established the United States of America as a
CONFEDERATION of SOVEREIGN STATES and served as its
FIRST CONSTITUTION.” (proposed to the States November 15, 1777)
State
Government
State
Government
State
Government
CONGRESS
OF THE
CONFEDERATION
State
Government
Why the…
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
THINK: “Why were the Articles of Confederation of utmost
importance to the delegates to the Second Continental
Congress?”
1.) PROVIDED INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY – the basis for foreign aid
& diplomacy (helped transform the States from ‘Outlaws’ into a legitimate State)
2.) CREATED UNITY among the 13 States during the Rev. War
3.) Created a BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP guidance during & after
the Rev. War
4.) Created a STRONGER UNION & GOVERNMENT strong enough to
fend off Great Britain
ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT
 Confederation
• Sovereignty: each State
THREE BRANCHES
 Legislative Branch: UNICAMERAL – States had 1 VOTE
• 9 out of 13 states were necessary to pass laws
• Strengths & Weaknesses?
 Executive & Legislative Branches: None
• Strengths & Weaknesses?
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AS A CONSTITUTION…
 13 out of 13 states had to OK for an amendment
 All powers not delegated to Congress were left to States
ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
MISCELLANEOUS
 Power to TAX? NOPE! (why a problem?)
 Power to REGULATE TRADE? NOPE!
 Power to PRINT MONEY & MAKE LOANS? Yes
 Power to GOVERN WESTERN TERRITORIES? Yes
WAR POWERS
 Power to NEGOTIATE TREATIES? Yes
 Power to DECLARE WAR? Yes
 Power to raise an ARMY and NAVY? Yes
 Power to DRAFT TROOPS? NOPE! (why a problem?)
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
MINI-QUIZ
“The Articles of Confederation created a President to lead the country.”
“States were still independent under the Articles.”
“It was a fairly simple process to change the Articles.”
“Under the Articles of Confederation, the more people a state had, the
more votes it got in Congress.”
“The Congress created by the Articles did not have the power to collect
taxes.”
“Under the Articles, States had to obey the laws Congress passed.”
“When planning for the Constitution, delegates at the Second Continental
Congress agreed that the central government should have more power.”
“For the most part, the States under the Articles got along well with one
another.”
JUNE 7, 1776
Richard Henry Lee proposes the Lee Resolution
Lee proposes a resolution that calls for drafting a declaration of independence and a
CONFEDERAL plan of government.
JUNE 12, 1776
Congressional committee is appointed to draft the Articles of Confederation
Congress appoints a committee chaired by JOHN DICKINSON to draft the plan of
confederation.
JULY 2, 1776
Congressional committee submits draft of the Articles to Congress
John Dickinson's draft of the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION is submitted to Congress
for debate and revision
NOVEMBER 15, 1777
Congress completes the Articles
The final version of the Articles of Confederation is adopted by Congress and
submitted to the states for ratification (approval).
MARCH 1, 1781
Establishment of the United States government
* Maryland ratifies the Articles of Confederation, formally establishing the first
government of the United States and “creating” the CONFEDERATION CONGRESS. *
OCTOBER 17, 1781
Surrender at Yorktown and the end of the Revolutionary War
British General Charles Cornwallis surrenders to the Continental Army at Yorktown,
Virginia, ending the Revolutionary war between the United States and Great Britain.
MAY 25, 1787
Meeting of the Philadelphia Convention
Delegates from all states except Rhode Island meet in Philadelphia for the purpose of
REVISING the Articles of Confederation.
The United States of America (1780s)
AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR