ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION The Government That Didn’t Really Work…..

STATE GOVERNMENTS Most states created their own constitutions with an executive and legislative branch. The executive branch was weak, because the colonists feared that a strong governor would act as a king. The state legislatures were often ineffective because they disagreed and could not pass laws and/or taxes.

National Government The 2nd Continental Congress did not want 13 separate countries. They wanted ONE country, but were afraid of a strong central government. The 2nd Continental Congress created The Articles of Confederation as the national government in 1777. It was weak and left many of the state’s powers untouched. It also had NO executive (president). As “a firm friendship…” it barely held the states together. England saw it as weak and ineffective.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Agreed to by Congress November 15, 1777; ratified and in force, March 1, 1781. Article I. The Style of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America." Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power … and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate [continue] mutual friendship and intercourse [communication] among the people of the different States in this Union … the people of each State shall free ingress [enter] and regress [coming back] to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce

How many votes does each state have under the Articles? According to Article II, what happens to powers that are not delegated to the U.S.? The states retain the power. How many votes does each state have under the Articles? Each state has one vote.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Article V. … No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor more than seven members … In determining questions in the United States in Congress assembled, each State shall have one vote … Article VI. No State, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, shall send any embassy [body of representatives] to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with any King, Prince or State… No two or more States shall enter into any treaty, confederation or alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled… No State shall engage [enter] in any war without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, unless such State be actually invaded by enemies…

In a few words, describe the purpose of Article VI. No state shall make alliances or treaties or engage in any war without the consent of the United States in Congress.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Article VII. When land forces are raised by any State for the common defense, all officers of or under the rank of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each State respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such State shall direct… Article VIII. All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred [acquired] for the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, shall be defrayed [provided] out of a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several States … The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid [set] and levied [collected] by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States …

According to Article VIII, who can collect taxes? The state legislatures can collect taxes.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Article IX. The United States in Congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war … — of sending and receiving ambassadors — entering into treaties and alliances … The United States in Congress assembled shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting [existing] or that hereafter may arise between two or more States … The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating [controlling] the alloy [metals] and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective States — fixing the standards of weights and measures throughout the United States — regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians … — establishing or regulating post offices from one State to another, throughout all the United States…— appointing all officers of the land forces, in the service of the United States …— appointing all the officers of the naval forces, and commissioning all officers whatever in the service of the United States … The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority — to borrow money, or emit bills on the credit of the United States and [ask states to contribute from their armies].

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Article X. The Committee of the States, or any nine of them, shall be authorized to execute, in the recess of Congress, such of the powers of Congress as the United States in Congress assembled, by the consent of the nine States… Article XIII. Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration [change] be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State.

Using Articles X and XIII, how many states are needed to pass a law and how many are needed to make a change to the Articles? Nine of the thirteen states must agree to pass laws; all thirteen states must agree on changes to the laws.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Power National State Executive (President/governor) Legislative (power to make laws) x Judicial (court System) Taxation Settle conflicts between states Appoint ambassadors Raise armies Make war Make money Make treaties Regulate postal system

New States? The Articles of Confederation had no provision for adding new states. Congress realized it had to extend its authority over the frontier and bring order and stability to the territory where western settlers reached almost 120,000 by the 1790s. The Western ordinances had a large impact on Western expansion and development of the United States. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided rules for new territories to become states. This let westward settlement happen in an orderly manner.

Trouble with a Capital T The Confederate government had trouble with finances, and with Britain and Spain over landholdings and trade. Many Americans felt the country needed a stronger government to better deal with the problems

Money Troubles It owed soldiers their wages. But because Congress had no power to tax, it did not have a way to raise revenue and pay off this debt. Money was almost worthless. The paper money printed during the Revolutionary War had fallen in value, while the prices of food and other goods soared. Because Congress had no power to tax, it and the states issued paper money. Because there were so many bills in circulation, the value of the money fell.

Solution to Money Trouble? Sorry….. To help solve the financial problems, the Confederacy created a department of finance. Robert Morris, a Philadelphia merchant, headed the department. Morris proposed a plan that called for collecting a 5 percent tax on imported goods to help pay off the national debt. Because of Rhode Island’s opposition, the measure did not pass. A second effort also failed five years later. The country’s financial situation worsened.

Problems with England The problems with Britain concerned landholdings and trade. British troops remained in several strategic forts in the Great Lakes region even though Britain had promised to withdraw all troops under the Treaty of Paris. British merchants closed Americans out of the West Indies and other profitable British markets. John Adams went to London in 1785 to discuss these issues. The British claimed that because Americans had not paid Loyalists for the property taken from them during the war, as agreed to under the Treaty of Paris, they were not willing to talk. Congress recommended payment, but the states refused.

Trouble with Spain The problems with Spain were worse than those with England. Spain closed the lower Mississippi River to American shipping in 1784 in hopes of halting American expansion into their territory. A compromise was reached with an agreement in 1786 that limited American shipping on the Mississippi. It was a good deal, but representatives from the South rejected the agreement because it did not include the right to use the Mississippi River.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSNESS Helped us win the war Held us together Gained the Northwest Territory Expanded foreign trade It could declare war and make peace. It could coin and borrow money It could negotiate with foreign countries and sign treaties. It could operate post offices Failed to negotiate with Spain or England Could not tax to pay debts It was difficult to pass a law or change the Articles The national government could not force the states to obey its laws. There was no strong leadership position. There was no system of national courts Each state could issue its own paper money Each state could put taxes on trade between states.