Unit 2Unit 2Chapter 2, Section 3Chapter 2, Section 3

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

Mr. YoungMr. Young

GovernmentGovernment

Essential QuestionEssential Question

What major weaknesses about the Articles of Confederation led the 1787 Convention to scrap them and write the Constitution?

Articles of Confederation VideoArticles of Confederation Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQtJNK5_8Uk&feature=related

15 Min.15 Min.

Central

Authority

ConfederationWays Government Distributes Power

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation basically continued the structure and operation of government as established under the Second Continental Congress.

By March 1781, all 13 states had ratified, or approved, the Articles of Confederation.

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

RatifiedRatified- approved, on March 1781- approved, on March 1781 States wanted a confederation States wanted a confederation

among the 13 states instead of a among the 13 states instead of a strong national governmentstrong national government

Government under the ArticlesGovernment under the Articles

UnicameralUnicameral- single - single chamber Congress chamber Congress from which from which executiveexecutive positions were chosenpositions were chosen

No federal No federal courtcourt systemsystem

Congress settled Congress settled disputes among disputes among StatesStates

Each state had Each state had one one votevote in Congress in Congress

Government Under the Articles Government Under the Articles Cont.Cont.

Congress had Congress had only powers only powers expressedexpressed in in the Articlesthe Articles

All other power All other power remained with remained with the the StatesStates

Powers of Congress under ArticlesPowers of Congress under Articles

1.1. Make War and PeaceMake War and Peace2.2. Send and receive ambassadorsSend and receive ambassadors3.3. Enter into treatiesEnter into treaties4.4. Raise and equip a navyRaise and equip a navy5.5. Maintain army by help of statesMaintain army by help of states6.6. Appoint senior military officersAppoint senior military officers7.7. Fix standard of weights and measuresFix standard of weights and measures8.8. Regulate Indian affairsRegulate Indian affairs9.9. Establish Post officesEstablish Post offices10.10. Decide certain disputes among statesDecide certain disputes among states

Weaknesses of the ArticlesWeaknesses of the Articles

The Articles of Confederation gave The Articles of Confederation gave Congress Congress powerpower, they still created a , they still created a weak weak nationalnational government government

WeaknessesWeaknesses

1)1) Congress did Congress did not have the not have the power to power to levylevy or or collect collect taxestaxes

It could only It could only raise money by raise money by borrowingborrowing or or requesting requesting moneymoney

WeaknessesWeaknesses

2) Congress 2) Congress did not have did not have the power to the power to regulate regulate tradetrade

WeaknessesWeaknesses

3) Congress 3) Congress could not force could not force anyone to anyone to obeyobey the laws the laws it passed or it passed or abideabide by the by the ArticlesArticles

WeaknessesWeaknesses

4) Laws needed the approval 4) Laws needed the approval of of 99 of 13 states of 13 statesUsually only get Usually only get 99 or or 1010, , each state only has each state only has 11 vote, vote, the the 55 smaller states could smaller states could block the block the 88 larger states larger states

WeaknessesWeaknesses

5) Amending 5) Amending the articles the articles required all required all consent of consent of allall statesstatesThe articles The articles were were nevernever amendedamended

WeaknessesWeaknesses

6) Central 6) Central government had no government had no executiveexecutive branch branchNo unity in No unity in policypolicy making and no way making and no way to to coordinatecoordinate the the work of the different work of the different committeescommittees

WeaknessesWeaknesses

7) No national 7) No national courtcourt system systemState courts State courts enforced and enforced and interpreted interpreted nationalnational laws lawsDifficult to settle Difficult to settle disputes among disputes among statesstates

AchievementsAchievements Greatest Greatest

achievement was of achievement was of a a landland policy for policy for lands west of lands west of AppalachiaAppalachia

Individual states Individual states cededceded or yielded or yielded their claims to the their claims to the central governmentcentral government

Congress enacted Congress enacted two land two land OrdinancesOrdinances- laws- laws

Land OrdinancesLand Ordinances

1.1. Ordinance of Ordinance of 17851785- - surveysurvey and and divisiondivision of West of West landslands

2.2. NorthwestNorthwest Ordinance of Ordinance of 17871787- territories - territories to be to be developed developed for for statehood on statehood on equal basis w/old equal basis w/old statesstates

Other AchievementsOther Achievements In In 17831783, negotiated a , negotiated a

peacepeace treaty with treaty with Great Britain and Great Britain and recognized American recognized American IndependenceIndependence

4 Cabinet 4 Cabinet departments: departments: Foreign Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, Affairs, War, Marine, and Treasuryand Treasury

Provided Provided full faith and full faith and creditcredit to help treat to help treat citizenscitizens without without discriminationdiscrimination

Need for a Stronger GovernmentNeed for a Stronger Government

States quarrel over States quarrel over boundaryboundary lines and lines and deal with deal with foreignforeign nationsnations

1787 government 1787 government owed owed $40$40 million million to foreign to foreign governments and governments and RevolutionaryRevolutionary war war vetsvets

Shays’s RebellionShays’s Rebellion

Armed groups of Armed groups of farmersfarmers closed closed courts to prevent courts to prevent farm farm foreclosuresforeclosures

DanielDaniel Shays’s Shays’s closed the closed the MassachusettsMassachusetts and and then gathered a then gathered a force of force of 12001200 men men and advanced to and advanced to arsenal in arsenal in SpringfieldSpringfield

The Annapolis ConventionThe Annapolis Convention

1)1) Concerned about Concerned about problems between problems between the states of the states of MarylandMaryland and and VirginiaVirginia, called the , called the Mount Mount VernonVernon Convention to Convention to discuss discuss currencycurrency, , importimport duties, and duties, and navigationnavigation

Annapolis ConvetionAnnapolis Convetion

2) In 1786, in 2) In 1786, in AnnapolisAnnapolis, Maryland a , Maryland a convention was called convention was called to discuss to discuss commercecommerce

3) In 1787 a convention 3) In 1787 a convention would meet in would meet in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia to revise to revise the Articles, but they the Articles, but they would scrap them and would scrap them and it would be called the it would be called the ConstitutionalConstitutional ConventionConvention