Do-Now Now that you’ve had a look at the components of the actual Articles of Confederation, recall last week’s “Continental Congress” and the task you faced:

• What major problems did you face in your groups?

• In retrospect, would your document have successfully held together the new nation? Protected it? Why or why not?

Tuesday, December 2nd

AgendaDo Now Homework DiscussionNotes on the Articles of Confederation Constitution

HomeworkRead Chapter 5, Section 1Answer reading comprehension questions #1-5 on page 149

The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation

Explain the difficulties that the continental congress had in accomplishing tasks by majority consent…(Think of your own continental congress experiences)

Introduction

This was the Colonies’ first attempt to establish a national government…

• Written in 1776-1777 during the American Revolution by the Second Continental Congress

• Enforced from March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1788

• Later replaced by the current U.S. Constitution

A Slow Start

• Original proposal written by John Dickinson

• Called for a strong central government

– Altered greatly by the states before ratification

• Three years passed beforeall states approved (fighting over western land claims)

A Stated Purpose• Protection of the new nation

• General Welfare of the people

Governmental Structure under the Articles Confederation of States

- Each state had one vote in congress

• Regardless of population or number of representatives

– Individual State Court System

Voted on nearly all of congress’s decisions- National government- Single house of Congress- Had control over armed forces and western territories- Could request financial donations from states; could NOT levy taxes

Governmental Structure (cont.)

Making Changes

• Passing laws required 9 of 13 states’ consent

• Amending the Articles required approval from congress and unanimous approval from the states

*power resided in states

Weaknesses of the Government

• Central Government had no power over states– Couldn’t enforce taxation– Couldn’t regulate trade within US or with foreign

nations

• Difficult to make laws or amendments

• No national leadership

Accomplishments of the Articles

• Established a central government and a method for law making.

• Northwest Ordinances

– Created a source of Income for congress

– Established system for the addition of new states

Disagreement over Articles:

ABANDON

• Country in economic depression

• Govt. lacks power to do anything

• States disputed over borders and tariffs on imported goods

KEEP

• Economy began to recover and stabilize by 1786

• Process established by the Northwest ordinance

• States unwilling to surrender freedoms

The Constitutional Convention

• Representatives from 12 states met in Philadelphia in 1787 to REVISE the Articles

– All changes had to be approved by congress and the states before taking effect

– Resulted in the present-day constitution after throwing out Articles

Addressing the Articles’ Flaws

ARTICLES V.• Unanimous state consent

for amendments

• Single house- 2-7 reps per state

• No separate executive branch- president of congress had limited powers

• States levy taxes; congress makes requisitions

CONSTITUTION• ¾ states approval needed

• 2 houses- upper with set number of reps per state and lower based on population

• Separate executive branch established

• Federal government can levy taxes

Quickie Role Play

• 5 volunteers needed to recreate the scenes in the following BRIEF comic strip on the Articles of Confederation– 1 “Narrator”– 4 “Framers”

• Simply position yourselves to mimic the characters on the scene and read the quotes associated with each