The U.S. Government under the Articles of Confederation

ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

Signed the Treaty of Paris  Terms very favorable to the US  US negotiators John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay did very well considering they had no experience negotiating treaties

Kept the 13 states together  Government was not a threat to states’ powers  Stayed as the “United States” long enough to realize the importance of unity

The Land Ordinance of 1785  Planned for orderly expansion into the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains  Money raised from sale of land would help fund government programs and the repayment of debt  Section 16 designated for public schools!!!  Reflects Jefferson’s belief that education citizens are necessary for democracy to flourish

Northwest Ordinance  Planned for establishment of government in the territories  Expanded basic democratic rights into the Northwest – Congress would guarantee trial by jury, freedom of speech, press, no slavery  Set process for territory to become a state

Territory → State  5,000 voting males, organize territorial government (governor, legislature, non-voting representative to Congress)  Prepare a constitution that must be approved by Congress  Total population 60,000 people – recognized as a state  No special privileges for original 13 states

PROBLEMS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION (1781 – 1789)

Lack of National Unity : Slavery and Sectionalism  South believed that emancipation would be contrary to economic interests- defended the institution as an “economic necessity”  Property rights of the slave holders must be protected  Abolition of slavery could destroy the social order in the South  North gradually abolished slavery as it was not necessary to economic success of the region

Why couldn’t the government of the Articles of Confederation help?  “peculiar institution of the South” is a state by state issue  “property rights” are protected by states  The fragile balance within the union of states might be upset by changes and the Southern states might secede if pressured

Repayment of Debt: Economic Problems  Revolution ended protection of mercantilism  US needed to establish “favorable balance of trade”  US had few industries and continued to import expensive manufactured goods  US had to deal with high inflation, worthless currency, 14(!) types of currency and a huge debt

Why couldn’t the government of the Articles of Confederation help?  Congress can’t regulate trade – each state made own trade laws and taxed goods going from state to state  Congress couldn’t tax – only request money from states to fund programs and pay down debt  Currency is not exclusive power of National Gov’t- confusion on value led to very local markets  Difficult to amend the Articles (13/13)

A Struggle between borrowers and lenders: (Shays’ Rebellion)  States had borrowed money and the lenders wanted high taxes so gov’t could pay back debt  Debtors went farther into debt  Farmers were paid with paper money and had to repay their debts with hard currency – paper currency was worthless and farmers began to lose their farms  Continued……

Shays’ Rebellion  Proposed relief package for economically suffering farmers; passed by lower house of Massachusetts legislature, defeated by the upper house  2000 farmers led by Daniel Shays, rebelled, closed the courthouses to prevent foreclosures on mortgages  Armed rebellion began in summer 1786 – ended in February 1787

Why couldn’t the government of the Articles of Confederation help?  National government could not control value of currency  No uniform currency → inflation and confusion  Government had no power to raise an army to prevent or stop a rebellion

Foreign Problems  British refused to leave forts in Northwest Territory and along Canadian border  Spain controlled Mississippi River and shipping; revoked “right of deposit” at New Orleans  France was angry that the US preferred to trade for British goods and not with France

Why couldn’t the government of the Articles of Confederation help?  No executive branch to enforce terms of treaties  US perceived by Europeans as too weak  Congress can’t tax  No uniform trade policy  No national courts to settle disputes

Why would this time period be called “The Critical Period”? Serious problems need fixed… Can states’ and/or national government under the Articles of Confederation’s plan solve problems???!!!!