New Country = New Gov’t After Revolution, question lingering on minds of Founding Fathers on what kind of nation to build Was it going to be a loose confederation of largely independent states? Was it going to be a tight federation with a national gov’t? Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of 13 to draft a constitution for a confederated type of government

Issues to be Resolved Need to organize a nation and military Maintain civil order Establish international recognition and credit Defend territory against British Resolve internal quarrels and competition

New Country = New Gov’t Final draft of Articles of Confederation was approved by Second Continental Congress in 1777 and was sent to states for final ratification The Articles were the unofficial constitution of the states during most of the Revolutionary War Articles became the official constitution of the states in 1781 All 13 states had to ratify the Articles of Confederation

Critical Period ( ) Unity Most Americans shared a common English language and culture – growing sense of one people Single geographic unit States had no tradition of hostility or war against each other Cooperation to win independence

Critical Period Disunity Divided by loyalties to individual states Lacked close contact – poor transportation Not interdependent economically No longer faced common enemy

Wholesale Price Index:

Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist Strongholds at the End of the War

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation A unicameral Congress [9 of 13 votes to pass a law]. 13 out of 13 to amend. Representatives were frequently absent. Could not tax or raise armies. No executive or judicial branches.

State Constitutions Republicanism. Most had strong governors with veto power. Most had bicameral legislatures. Property required for voting. Some had universal white male suffrage. Most had a “bill of rights.” Many had a continuation of state- established religions while others disestablished religion.

Occupational Composition of Several State Assemblies in the 1780s

Indian Land Cessions:

Disputed Territorial Claims Between Spain & the U. S.:

State Claims to Western Lands

Northwest Ordinance of 1785

The United States in 1787

American Exports, To & From Britain:

Annapolis Convention (1786) 12 representatives from 5 states [NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA] GOAL  address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states. Not enough states were represented to make any real progress. Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

Shays’ Rebellion: Daniel Shays Western MA Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes.

Shays’ Rebellion:

There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders. -- George Washington