Western Lands What process allowed states to join the union?

Policies for Western Lands Western settlers want to organize land and join the Union British had given up control of lands north of the Ohio River and west of the Appalachian Mountains Polices for settlement and achieving statehood need to be established Need an orderly process for territories to become states.

Ordinance of1785 Confederation Congress sets up law tthat set up a process to survey & sell lands Divides area into townships Further divided into 36 sections Government sold each section at public auction (at least $1 an acre) Richard Henry Lee (president of the Congress) urged, “the rights of the property be clearly defined” by the government. Congress drafts another law

The Northwest Ordinance 1787 Single Northwest territory north of Ohio River and east of Mississippi Divided into 3-5 smaller territories Territory has 60,000 residents, can seek statehood Same standing as original 13 colonies.

Northwest Ordinance Bill of rights for the settlers Freedom of religion Trial by jury “There shall be no slavery no involuntary servitude in said territory” First attempt to stop slavery in the U.S. In general -- successful

Land Act of 1800 Made it easier for people to buy land in the territory (ex. Pay for a land a little at a time) Required to purchase 320 acres at a price of $2 per acre. Pay ½ at time of purchase and the rest in four yearly payments

Summary What is an ordinance? Why did Congress set up such a precise system for measuring out and dividing out land? Why would the government encourage settlement of western lands? How did the Land Act of 1800 benefit settlers? Activity suggestions: illustrate one of the laws; create a double bubble to compare and contrast two of the laws

Problems Under the Articles of Confederation In what ways was the Confederate government weak?

Problems at Home and Abroad Weakness = problems for Confederation government $$$$$. Continentals (paper bills printed by Continental Congress during the war)– depreciated Congress couldn’t exchange or trade for gold or silver 1779 = 40 continentals to by single Spanish silver dollar; 1781 = 146 Continentals

$ problems Price of food goes up  Riots  Still owe soldiers pay  Continental Congress has large debt  No power to tax  No way to raise $  Ask states for help – but they aren’t required States provide less than ½ the money asked for

Import Tax Facing collapse of country’s finances 1781 = department of finance (Robert Morris- Philadelphia merchant) Proposes 5 percent tax on imported good Requires change to Articles of Confederation 12 states – Rhode Island  Tried again in 

Relations with Britain Troubles w/foreign governments  British blocking Americans from West Indies and other British markets Treaty of Paris– Britain has promised to withdraw from lands east of Mississippi British troops in Great Lakes region  John Adams goes to London British unwilling to talk.

U.S. not keeping promises? British said U.S. failed to: Pay loyalists for property taken during the war. Congress proposed states do this, but they refused.

Spain Bigger problems European power – controlled FL & lands west of Mississippi Don’t want American expansion Spain closed lower Mississippi to American shipping (1784) Western settlers can longer use

1786 = Trade Agreement or  American diplomats reach agreement with Spain Representatives from Southern states blocked agreement – wanted use of Mississippi River

What to do???????? Americans begin to agree on a need for a stronger government.

Summary How did the weaknesses of the Articles lead to financial issues for the Confederate government? Why was Britain unwilling to withdraw from forts in the Great Lakes region? Why was an agreement with Spain blocked by Southern states?