Articles of Confederation1781-1789

©2012, TESCCC Grade 08, Unit 04 Lesson 01

Yay! We are

free!

©2012, TESCCC

• Loose • Describe the opposite of a confederation.

• Why did the colonists prefer a weak central government instead of a strong central government?

Confederation: Central government has limited power and the states hold most of the power

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Colonists

Colonists vs.

Great Britain

American Revolution

Self-GovernanceIndependent

Art

icle

s of

C

onfe

dera

tion

U.S.Constitution

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Who should have more power?The states or the national/central

government?

A dilemma our country still struggles with even today

©2012, TESCCC

Articles of Confederation1781-1789

Can you predict what replaced the Articles of Confederation?

Why did it need to be replaced?

Second Continental Congress

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Articles of Confederation: Strengths

• Wage war• Issue money• Sign treaties (make peace)• Set up post offices• Appoint ambassadors• Settle conflicts between states

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Articles of Confederation: Weaknesses

• No President (Executive)• No national army only state militias• No national/federal court• No power to enforce laws (regulate trade)• No power to tax • States were sovereign• One vote per state regardless of the state

population• 9/13 states to pass a law• 13/13 states to amend (make changes)©2012, TESCCC