View of republicanism Too big, people too diverse to unify Colonists loyal to states not nation Fears of strong central government State Constitutions Change balance of power between branches Governors almost no power Worried threaten popular liberty Legislature- powerful Believed constitutions were apart from and above government

Articles of Confederation-1781 Created loose confederation of sovereign states- weak central government Continuation of 2 nd cont. congress Little interest No executive branch No policies on finance, foreign policy and war, could not levy taxes or regulate trade States make and execute laws *Afraid of arousing opposition (colonists tend to rebel against centralized authority)

British influence in Canada- forts kept (can’t force out) No enforcement of territories Spanish encourage secession of southwesterners Cumberland Gap to reach KY and TN Spanish close Mississippi River Disputed land claims and territories Landed vs. landless states Legislatures no longer bourgeoisie- poor men has more representation but focus on area not common good.

Land ceded by states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin) Congress held territory Until occupied by 5,000 residents then legislature est. When 60,000 apply for statehood (3-5 states) Northwest Ordinance Fears of democratic excess withheld full self-government from these new territories until statehood. Ordinance established an orderly way of incorporating the frontier into the federal system Guaranteed basic rights Freedom of religion, trial by jury, support for public education Outlawed slavery

South depended on slavery Condemned Parliamentary taxation as political slavery- all men created equal Human property a right of Republicanism Af. Am. Status unchanged- slavery grew and expanded