Articles of Confederation Chapter 7, Lesson 1

The Articles of Confederation In May 1776 Congress requested that the states organize their governments. They moved to adopt a state constitution and were very cautious about giving the governors too much power (power was limited) given the recent history with Great Britain. Methods used to limit power Divided power between the governor and the legislature. Legislature was usually most powerful due to heavy restrictions on governor. Some took it a step forward by creating bicameral (two-house legislature) They also kept power in the hands of the people and elections occurred frequently and were popularly elected (most votes wins) Most states restricted voting to white males who were 21 years or older and owned a certain amount of property or paid certain amount of taxes. Few states allowed free African Americans to vote.

The Articles of Confederation State legislatures attempted to make taxes fair, but faced much disagreement. Americans agreed the country should be a republic (representative democracy; citizens rule through elected representatives) They could not agree on how to organize the powers of their new republic. At first, American favored a weak central government, with the states acting more so like small, independent countries. They would essentially work together through the central government in order to wage war and handle relations with other nations. The Second Continental Congress had a committee drawing up plans for a new government. After debating they adopted the Articles of Confederation, in November of 1777.

The Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation – The First plan of government for the new nation. States gave up little power, essentially thinking of the Articles as “a firm league of friendship” in which each state retained “its sovereignty, freedom, and independence.” The central government was basically the congress. Powers included: conducting foreign affairs, maintaining armed forces, borrowing money, and issue currency. It could not regulate trade, force citizens to join army , or impose taxes and if it needed money it could ask the states but could not force them to give it. It did not have a chief executive (President) The Articles of Confederation only allowed one vote per state regardless of population size. In order for the Articles of Confederation and any amendments to pass a unanimous vote (100% of states voting for the same decision)

The Articles of Confederation After some disagreements about land claims to the west, Maryland finally votes in favor of the Articles and becomes the formal government of the new nation on March 1, 1781. The Articles of Confederation did not create a strong enough central government. 9 States needed to approve new laws. All 13 needed to approve amendments to the Articles of Confederation. It succeeded in helping us gain our independence expanded foreign trade. It also settling and governing the nation’s western territories. The Articles of Confederation did not explain how a new state could join the Union. During the 1780’s all states except for Georgia gave up land claims in order for the national government in order to bring order to the territory.

The Articles of Confederation Thomas Jefferson proposes a plan in 1784. Divides the western territory into self-governing districts where if the population reached the population of the smallest existing state, could petition (apply) for statehood. The Ordinance of 1785 – an ordinance (law) establishing the procedure for surveying and selling the western lands north of the Ohio River. Divided lands into townships 6 miles long and 6 miles wide which would be divided further into 36 sections of 640 acres sold for $1 an acre. Richard Henry Lee proposes that in order to avoid the lawless from moving into Western lands, “Property rights must be clearly defined.”

The Articles of Confederation The Northwest Ordinance (1787) – Created a single Northwest Territory out of lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. It was further divided into 3 to five smaller territories. When the population of a territory reached 60,000 the people could petition for statehood. New states came in with the same rights as the original 13. The ordinance also included a bill of rights providing for freedom of religion, trial by jury, and did not allow for slavery or involuntary servitude to exist in these new lands. (THIS IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT IN THE U.S. TO STOP SLAVERY!) The Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance opened a way to settle the Northwest territory in an orderly manner.

The Articles of Confederation The new nations financial problems. Money depreciated (lost value) during the revolutionary war. Congress and states printed their own money that quickly became worthless while food and other goods soared (No gold/silver to back it up) leading to food riots in area like Boston. Congress was mostly in debt due to the war as it borrowed money from foreign nations, American citizens, and still needed to pay the soldiers. Congress requested money from the state but received little help. Robert Morris’s Import Tax (1781) – Proposal to apply a 5 percent tax on imported goods to help pay the debt. The Articles needed to be changed to allow Congress to tax 12 states approved but Rhode Island refused, not allowing the change. In 1783 they tried again but also failed. Problems or problems with Britain and Spain.

The Articles of Confederation Problems with Britain arise as they continue to occupy several strategic forts in the Great Lakes region. Americans complained they were not allowed in the West Indies and other profitable British markets. John Adams (1785) – Goes to London to discuss these difficulties but Britain was unwilling to talk. They made reference that the U.S. should honor its promise to pay Loyalists (promised in the Treaty of Paris) for taken property during the revolution. (THEY DID BY THE WAY! But the states refused to pay the Loyalists.) Relations with Spain were worse (1784) Concerned with Americans expanding into their territory and halts their use of the lower Mississippi River to American shipping. An agreement is reached with Spain but it was blocked by the Southern states for now allowing the use of the Mississippi River.

The Articles of Confederation These weakness began to make American leaders and people realize that the Articles of Confederation needed to go and a much stronger government was needed.