The Articles of Confederation

- In 1776, - In 1776, Continental Continental Congress asks Congress asks states to states to organize their organize their own state own state constitutions constitutions

- States divide - States divide government government between a between a governor and a governor and a bicameral bicameral legislature = (2 legislature = (2 parts)parts)

(12 (12 man council in PA) man council in PA)

Voting Voting = 21 year = 21 year old white, old white, male, male, property property ownersowners

(New Jersey; women landowners vote till 1800)

Where / Where / with whom with whom should should power be power be held? held?

QUESTION: QUESTION:

- Power with - Power with peoplepeople

- - Republic Republic = = citizens who citizens who rule through rule through elected elected representativerepresentativess

ANSWER: ANSWER:

What level What level should hold should hold the most the most power? power?

QUESTION: QUESTION:

Local, State, or Federal? Local, State, or Federal?

-Most want Most want state level state level powerpower

- Concern is - Concern is having too having too much much National National power (King)power (King)

ANSWER: ANSWER:

The Rebels needed a The Rebels needed a government to help government to help fight the war so… fight the war so… the Articles allow the the Articles allow the Federal Government Federal Government to:to:

1) Conduct foreign affairs 1) Conduct foreign affairs

2) Maintain Armed Forces 2) Maintain Armed Forces

3) Issue Currency3) Issue Currency

Pennsylvania Money Pennsylvania Money DelawareDelaware MoneyMoney

4) Borrow Money4) Borrow Money

1)1) Regulate Trade

….. Didn’t like Navigation Acts

THE ARTICLES CANNOT: THE ARTICLES CANNOT:

2) Draft soldiers

THE ARTICLES CANNOT: THE ARTICLES CANNOT:

3) Impose Taxes

……. Didn’t like British Acts . Didn’t like British Acts

THE ARTICLES CANNOT: THE ARTICLES CANNOT:

THE ARTICLES CANNOT: THE ARTICLES CANNOT: 4) Have a President

… Don’t like having a King

Speed bumps to Approval!

Speed bumps to Approval! Speed bumps to Approval! a. All 13 states had to approve them

Speed bumps to Approval! Speed bumps to Approval! b)b) Each state Each state receives receives one vote one vote (major (major argument)argument)

Should Should Virginia get Virginia get the same the same number of number of votes as votes as Delaware? Delaware? Why or why Why or why not?not?

Speed bumps to Approval! Speed bumps to Approval! c) Rights to the c) Rights to the western lands western lands are up for are up for grabs grabs (Maryland)(Maryland)

-States -States stake stake claim!! claim!! Then they Then they give it up!give it up!

Speed bumps to Approval! Speed bumps to Approval!

Speed bumps to Approval! Speed bumps to Approval! - Finally Ratified March 1, 1781 -

Articles have success!Articles have success!

1)1)It helped It helped the United the United States States

win the win the RevolutionRevolution

2) It 2) It helped helped the U. the U. S. S.

plan the plan the west west (1780’s)(1780’s)

- - Population Population west of west of AppalachiaAppalachians grows! ns grows! (1,000’s to (1,000’s to 100,000)100,000)

- Jefferson - Jefferson proposes proposes 10 self 10 self governing governing districts districts (petition to (petition to join)join)

Ordinance = law (for surveying, selling land)

THE ORDINANCE OF 1785

Townships - 6 mile by 6 miles

SectioSections – ns – 640 640 acres acres (36 (36 total) total) at at least least a a dollar dollar (chea(cheap!!!)p!!!)

The Northwest Ordinance July 13, 1787, in which this invention was embodied, also

consecrated the region to freedom both of conscience and of labor. It provided the model for all subsequent territories. As a political document, it ranks in our history

second only to the Constitution of the Untied States.

At Marietta, Ohio, on July 13, the government of the territory northwest of

the Ohio was formally inaugurated. Winthrop Sargent, secretary of the

territory, read the Northwest Ordinance to the New Englanders of the Ohio Company, who, at the junction of the Muskingum and the Ohio, had founded the first American City in the new region. Back of him in the

mural stands Governor Arthur St. Clair, the English army officer, who had come to

America to fight the French, and stayed here to fight against the English for

independence. Friend of Washington, soldier and statesman of ability - in spite of

his own defeat by Indians - his administration, begun on the day represented by the mural, merits

everlasting remembrance.

-Government must protect settlers rights

The Northwest Ordinance -

Lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY The Ordinance of July 13, 1787 provided "...there shall be formed in said territory, not less than three nor more than

five states..." The original boundaries were defined as: Eastern State (numbers 1,2,3,4); Middle State (numbers

5,6,7,8,9) and Western State (numbers 10,11,12,13,14,15). These divisions are marked by broken lines on the map.Congress later decided to divide the Northwest Territory

into the states of Ohio (1803), Indiana (1816), Illinois (1818), Michigan (1837), Wisconsin (1848) and Minnesota (1858); as

shown by the heavy solid lines on the map.

The Northwest Ordinance - - Wanted 3

to 5 smaller

territories - 60,000 people =

application for

statehood

-New states have “equal footing” with old

Wait….There is good fur trading out there…. Why not just use that land to trade, or tax the valued trade heavily to pay off war debts?

-Free religion, trial by jury, and NO SLAVERY!!!

Even if the state was not here during the revolution, it will receive the same treatment as those original states. This map shows the 5 states that were created out of the Northwest Territory.

ARTICLES HAVE PROBLEMS!!!

1) 9 of 13 1) 9 of 13 states must states must approve to approve to PASS NEW PASS NEW LAWS in the LAWS in the ArticlesArticles

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Delaware and Virginia may all want a law, but the South Carolina, Delaware and Virginia may all want a law, but the 5 other states can stop them from getting it! 5 other states can stop them from getting it!

12 States can want a law CHANGED, one state (like R.I.) an stop it from 12 States can want a law CHANGED, one state (like R.I.) an stop it from happening! Change becomes a challenge! happening! Change becomes a challenge!

2) 13 of 13 2) 13 of 13 states must states must approve to approve to CHANGE AN CHANGE AN OLD LAW in OLD LAW in the Articlesthe ArticlesFor Rhode For Rhode

Island, the Island, the Hope on the Hope on the flag really flag really meant nope in meant nope in this case! this case!

ARTICLES HAVE PROBLEMS!!!

3) 3) FINANCIAFINANCIAL L ISSUES:ISSUES:

- Printed - Printed money falls money falls in value = in value = depreciatiodepreciationn

- Congress - Congress prints $ prints $ with no with no backing backing (gold or (gold or silver)silver)

Imagine if everyone Imagine if everyone could print money… could print money… would it be worth would it be worth anything???anything???

- Food Riots!!!!!- States give 1/6 of the money needed (Govt can’t tax)

-Robert Morris’ (PA) 5% Import tax shot down (RI won’t accept)

4) PROBLEMS WITH BRITAIN

- Britain won’t withdraw troops in west- George Rogers Clark keeps fighting- John Adams tries to discuss this, Britain won’t talk-Colonist have not paid loyalists for land vacated (T of P)

5) PROBLEMS WITH SPAIN

Spain closes lower Mississippi to America (1784)

5) PROBLEMS WITH SPAIN

- Spanish Florida / Georgia border is accepted in return for limiting American shipping

"Leaders of the Continental Congress" by Augustus Tholey.  From left to right, John Adams, Robert Morris, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson.  As weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation became apparent, serious debate began on the benefits of a stronger national

government. 

6) ECONOMIC DEPRESSION

Depression = economic activity slows, unemployment rises

- Trade slows (Britain closes West Indies to U.S.)

6) ECONOMIC DEPRESSION