Articles of Confederation 1781 Government

Cause Independent and need for government Loose network of states Fear of too much government

Issues Powers –No power to tax –No standard currency –No regulating trade between states –No court system –No chief executive –Make treaties with foreign nations –Settle disputes between the states –Took all 13 states to amend

Effect No real power Shay’s Rebellion over taxes Government had no way to control No ability to defend against foreign countries, individual states were defending themselves Limited government- states had more power than the national government States were to provide for individual rights

1787 Northwest Ordinance Only lasting law from Articles government Set the procedure for organizing new states out of the Northwest Territory-land northwest of the Ohio Effect encouraged Americans to move west- equal to other states

Shifting Balance of Power Monarchy Monarchy had all power Confederation States had most power. Congress had very little Republic U.S. Constitution National Gov’t had some power and the States had some power (A More Perfect Union)

Congress Congress was composed of two-to-seven delegates from each state, who voted as one unit No matter how large the state= 1 VOTE The States were afraid of giving Congress power States would not let them handle trade or taxes

Shay’s Rebellion In Massachusetts, debt-ridden farmers were hurt by inflation could not make payments on their farm mortgages. A group of farmers led by Daniel Shays, took up arms against the courts. Massachusetts militia put down Shays Rebellion. George Washington believed that only a strong, national government could save the states from political anf financial ruin.

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison also shared George Washington’s view about the national government They worked together to overthrow the Articles of Confederation and create a new constitution that achieved “ a more perfect union.” Instead of a confederation government- a league of sovereign states, federal government- a union that divides powers between a strong national government and the states

1783 Mount Vernon Conference George Washington helped solve an immediate problem of the Confederation. He hosted a meeting of Virginia and Maryland delegates to settle disputes over fishing rights and navigation improvements on the Potomac River.

1786 Annapolis Conference James Madison arranged for the Virginia legislature to call a meeting of all thirteen states in Annapolis. The meeting failed because delegates from only 5 states came.

Annapolis Conference Proposal: A 1787 Federal Convention Alexander Hamilton wrote a proposal asking Congress to convene in the states in Philadelphia in May 1787 to correct the defects in the Articles of Confederation.