Download - ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION• First Constitution of the

United States.

• Approved by Continental Congress in 1777.

• Established in the middle of the war for independence.

• Colonies needed a government that would allow them to be organized against Britain.

Articles of Confederation

• Created a federal government.

• One legislative branch with limited powers.

• A congress where each state had one vote.

National Government Powers


• Declare War


• Maintain the armed forces.


• Make treaties with other countries.


• Settle disputes between states.


• Borrow money.

State Powers

State Powers

• Collect Taxes

State Powers

• Create court systems.

State Powers

• Enforce laws passed by Congress.

State Powers• Collect taxes

• Create court systems

• Enforce laws passed by Congress.

National (Congress) Powers

• Declare war

• Maintain the army

• Make treaties

• Borrow money

• Settle disputes between states.

Weaknesses –Articles of Confederation


• Congress cannot collects taxes.

• Congress cannot enforce laws.


• Congress cannot control trade.

• Congress cannot enforce laws.


• No executive branch to force states to obey.

• No judicial branch to settle disputes.


• Required 9 out of 13 states to pass laws.

• All states needed to agree to amend the constitution.

The Articles of Confederation

• Weak central government

• Limited power

• No power to enforce laws

Problem: Territory• New territories

available for settlement.

• More than 120,000 people moved to new territories.

• States disputed the land.

The Ordinance of 1785• Law proposed by

Thomas Jefferson.

• Land would be sold and divided into towns.

• Each town would be divided into 36 sections of 640 acres.

The Northwest Ordinance• States would be

organized from Northwestern territories.

• Territory could apply to become state when it reached a population of 60,000.

• Territory must draft a constitution.

• Slavery would be outlawed.

Problem: Economy• Money had lost it’s value.

• Government was in debt with foreign countries and American citizens.

• Congress tried passing taxes without success.

• Economic depression.

Problem: Shay’s Rebellion• Farmers in Massachusetts

grew tired of the economic situation.

• A group of farmers under the leadership of Daniel Shays rose up in arms.

• Their farms where taken away when they couldn’t pay the state taxes.

Problem: Shay’s Rebellion• Shays led more than 1000

farmers against the government.

• The state militia confronted them.

• Many rebels died and others were hanged.

The union was falling apart.