Articles of Confederation

Unit 2: Central Questions What were the first attempts at creating a US government? What compromises were made? What is the basic set-up of the US government? What were the memorable acts and legacies of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson? What enabled the US to expand westward? What were some motivations and consequences of this expansion?

Where are we? We’ve just finished fighting (and winning) the Revolutionary War The year is 1783 and the Treaty of Paris has just been signed The only government for the colonies (as a whole) is the Second Continental Congress Each colony has its own state legislature America wasn’t “one big, happy family” but rather “neighbors that work well together”

Articles of Confederation The colonists’ first attempt at a government The A of C was drafted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777, but it wasn’t ratified (approved) by all the states until 1781 Confederation = a loose alliance of states that agree to work together Each state got one vote in Congress 9 out of 13 votes required to ratify decisions

What the Continental Congress COULD DO under the Articles of Confederation Keeping peace and making war (army) Post office Could coin money (but each state had its own currency, so this wasn’t very important)

Tax (and therefore pay for itself) Have a federal judiciary system (judges that had power over the states) Enforce the few rules that it made – It had no power or mechanism to make states pay attention to its authority to make coins, run the mail service, or make war and peace decisions What the Continental Congress COULDN’T DO under the Articles of Confederation

So… Why wouldn’t early Americans want a strong central government? – Learned their lessons with Britain – Each state had different interests and didn’t want the others to mess them up And yet… TWO THINGS that were actually accomplished under the Articles of Confederation – Land Ordinance of 1785: set up how land won from Britain but not claimed by a state would be divided and sold. – Northwest Ordinance of 1787: New states (like from the LO of 1785) would be equal to the original 13 in all ways. Slavery was banned in the new states (at first; this was changed later).

What Now? Constitutional Convention, 1787 – Some of the guys: James Madison, George Washington (president of convention), Benjamin Franklin (old), and Alexander Hamilton (Thomas Jefferson was in France, Sam Adams wasn’t selected to go) – Had to figure out a new system of government that would unite the states without being too large and overbearing. – Ideas being thrown around: Democracy: government led by the people Republic: government led by representatives elected by the people Constitution: document that includes… – basic laws of the land – rules that set up the government – rights guaranteed to the people