1. 5.1 Articles of Confederation HW 5.2

2. Revolution or Evolution? Egalitarian movements: Quakers found antislavery society in 1775 Anglican church is disestablished Primogeniture laws repealed Property-holding voting requirements reduced or abolished Trade organizations spreading Expansion of women’s roles – “republican motherhood” NOTE: Departure of many prominent Loyalists and Tories means that there are few “conservative” elements

3. REPUBLICANISM Americans after the revolution believed: Power arises from the consent of the governed = the people DID NOT WANT a direct democracy. (WHY?) THEREFORE, a Republic was the best form of government. PROS?CONS?

4. HOW TO RULE? Republic, YES. Supreme power? NO!!! SOLUTION  a confederation How is a confederation different from a federal government ( what we have today)?

5. Confederation to Constitution 1775, Colonies form state constitutions 1780, Massachusetts holds first constitutional convention 1781, Articles of Confederation approved Economic Democracy spreading as Loyalist estates divided, pensions to rev. soldiers, Land Ordinance of 1785  Western Lands opened w/o slavery Northwest Ordinance of 1787 ensures that land rich and land poor states share equally in debts and riches of independence

6. Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation were debated for almost as many years as they were in effect. Proposed in 1775, they were not ratified until 1781. Eight years later, the Constitution replaced them. Eighteenth-century citizens hotly debated the virtues and shortcomings of the Articles, and historians have continued to disagree over the merits of this blueprint for a first American government. (The National Archives of the United States published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Photograph by Jonathan Wallen.) Articles of Confederation Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

7. FEDER AL GOVE RNME NT 13 COLO NIES CONFEDERATION VS. FEDERALISM

8. THE WESTERN LANDS PROBLEM The most powerful states (VA, NY, MA) claim lands in Ohio and beyond old line of demarcation MD refuses to sign Articles. WHY? SOLUTION: Lands become property of the UNITED states LAWS: Land Ordinance of 1785 = rules for surveying the new lands Northwest Ordinance of 1787 = rules for dividing the land into states and admitting them to the union.

9. Map: The United States in 1787 The United States in 1787 This map shows the extent of American westward settlement in 1787 and the limits placed on that settlement by French and Spanish claims west of the Mississippi and in Florida. Plans for the creation of three to five states in the Northwest territory were approved by Congress in 1787, ensuring that the settlers in this region would enjoy the same political rights as the citizens of the original thirteen states. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

10. Map: Western Land Claims and Cessions, 1782-1802 Western Land Claims and Cessions, 1782-1802 After the United States achieved independence, states competed with each other for control of valuable lands to which they had possible claims under their original charters. That competition led to a series of compromises among the states or between individual states and the new nation, which are indicated on this map. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

11. Map: The Northwest Territory, 1785-1787 The Northwest Territory, 1785-1787 The Ordinance of 1785 provided for surveying land into townships of thirty-six sections, each supporting four families on 160-acre plots (approximately twenty-five people per square mile). In 1787 the Northwest Ordinance stipulated that states would ultimately be created in the region. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

12. Jefferson/Hartley manuscript map, 1784 In 1784 Thomas Jefferson proposed a scheme for organizing the new nation's western lands. His plan divided the region on a grid pattern, yielding fourteen new states (with names such as "Metropotamia" and "Pelisipia") composed of 19-mile- square "hundreds." After a year of debate, Jefferson's plan was replaced by the one adopted in the Land Ordinance of 1785, which is described in the text. (Clements Library, University of Michigan) Jefferson/Hartley manuscript map, 1784 Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

13. Articles of Confederation The Limits of Limited Government: 1.No common currency or banking laws 2.Unable to settle disputes over commerce between states 3.Unable to have stable govt. funding or to collect taxes 4.Unanimity necessary to amend (Rhode Island creates problems!!!) 5.Unable to deal with foreign powers, i.e. N. African Pirates 6.Weak army and navy 7.Unable to respond to Shay’s rebellion

14. Look on page 129. What were the two biggest problems facing the new government? In light of this, what were the greatest weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

15. Free ain’t Easy Problems in the Confederation Political and Economic 1.States are unbalanced politically in regards to population 2.War debt 3.Continental Currency is worthless 4.No trade regulations, taxes, or tariffs Borrowers vs. Lenders 1.Bankruptcies increasing 2.High taxes 3.Cheap currency lowers debt, hurts banks Foreign Relations 1.Spain menaces borders 2.France demands repayment 3.Navigation Acts still a problem 4.N. African Piracy a growing problem

16. 1779 South Carolina Continental currency Every state issued paper money to finance its part in the Revolution. Because this currency had little solid backing, it lost value almost immediately. By the time these South Carolina notes were printed, their real value was only 10 percent of their face value. One outcome of such drastic drops in the value of money was that even inelegant dressers like patriot Samuel Adams had to pay $2,000 for a new hat and suit. (Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society) 1779 South Carolina Continental currency Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

17. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress A.Was specifically designed to be weak B.Had no control over public land policy C.Had no power to regulate commerce D.Had no tax-collecting authority