1. Warm-up October 26, 2017
If you could set up the government, how would you do it? Explain in detail what you would allow the government to do, who would be in charge, rights for the people, etc.

2. The States: Experiments in Republicanism
Revolutionary state constitutions served as experiments in republican government
Insights gleaned from state experiences later applied to constructing central government 7

3. Blueprints for State Government
State constitution writers insisted on preparing written documents
Precedents in colonial charters, church covenants
Major break with England’s unwritten constitution

4. Most States Wrote Constitutions
Constitution—document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government
Bill of Rights—list of freedoms that the government promises to protect
Reasons for a written constitution:
would spell out the rights of all citizens
would limit the power of government

5. Natural Rights and the State Constitutions
State constitutions guaranteed natural rights
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Private property
Trial by jury
Governors weakened
Elected legislatures given most power 8

6. Power to the People
Procedure for adoption of Constitution pioneered by Massachusetts
Constitution written by a special convention
Ratification by referendum of the people
Dangers to the new constitutions
Population succumbed to material temptation and greed
Personal liberty threatened property 9

7. Stumbling Toward a New National Government
War for independence required coordination among states
Central government first created to meet wartime need for coordination 10

8. Articles of Confederation
John Dickinson’s plan for central government
Proposed cession of West to Congress opposed
Proposed equality in state representation opposed
Articles of Confederation severely limited central government’s authority over states 11

9. The Articles of Confederation
Congress’s powers were limited:
nine states had to approve a law before it could go into effect
could not regulate trade
had no power to tax; had to ask the states for money; states could not be forced to contribute
there was no president to execute, or carry out, the laws
there were no courts to settle conflicts
Congress could:
declare war
appoint military officers
coin money
take care of foreign affairs
Articles of Confederation—first American constitution; created a loose alliance of independent states

10. Articles of Confederation: Central Government Structure and Power
Each state had one vote
Could send two to seven representatives
No executive
No taxing power
Amendments required unanimity
In charge of foreign and Native American relations, military, and disputes between states
No western lands

12. Articles of Confederation: Central Government Structure and Power
Each state had one vote
Could send two to seven representatives
No executive
No taxing power
Amendments required unanimity
In charge of foreign and Native American relations, military, and disputes between states
No western lands

13. Western Land: Key to the First Constitution
Native Americans lost out when British left
Maryland’s ratification of Articles delayed for Virginia’s renunciation of western claims
1781—Virginia took lead in ceding western claims to Congress
Other states ceded claims to Congress
Congress gained ownership of all land west of Appalachians 12

14. Western Land Claims Ceded by the States

15. How Congress Admitted New States to the Union
Land Ordinance of 1785
set up a survey system that divided the land into townships and sections
set aside land to support public schools
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
set up a government for the Northwest Territory
guaranteed basic rights to settlers
outlawed slavery in the territory provided for the region to be divided into separate territories; 5,000 settlers needed to elect an Assembly; once a territory had 60,000 free settlers, it could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state, equal to the original states

16. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Land Ordinance
Orderly division of land into sections and townships
One section set aside to finance school system
Land to sell for minimum of $1 gold per acre
Speculation
Manasseh Cutler and the Ohio Company 13

17. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Created three to five new territories in Northwest
Population of 5000 may elect Assembly
Population of 60,000 may petition for statehood
Bill of Rights provided
Slavery outlawed
South of the Ohio River
Settlement more chaotic
Daniel Boone and Kentucky
State of Franklin

18. Northwest Territory

19. Land Ordinance of 1785 13

20. Weaknesses of the Confederation
Conflicts between states
The central government did not have power to resolve such conflicts.
Money problems
The central government did not have power to raise taxes. States often refused to contribute money. The government could not pay its debts.
Continental Congress had printed paper currency, or money. However it had little value because it was not backed by gold or silver.
Each state printed its own money, which caused confusion.
Foreign countries took advantage of the confederation
Britain refused to pull troops from the Ohio Valley.
Spain closed the port of New Orleans to Americans.

21. Strengthening Federal Authority
Dissatisfaction with Confederation
Economic recovery after the Revolution slow
People thought stronger central government would restore economic growth 14

22. The Nationalist Critique
Restoration of trade with Britain caused trade deficit and hard currency shortage
Congress unable to address trade, inflation, and debt
Congress had no power to tax
Nationalists versus localists
Failure to pay soldiers sparked “Newburgh Conspiracy” (squelched by Washington)
Failure of reform prompted nationalists to consider Articles hopelessly defective 15

23. Diplomatic Humiliation
Congress failed to get states to collect debts owed British merchants
In retaliation, British refused to evacuate Ohio River Valley
Spain closed New Orleans to American commerce in 1784
John Jay to negotiate re-opening Mississippi
Instead signed treaty favoring Northeast
West and South denounced, Congress rejected Jay-Gardoqui Treaty 16

24. “Have We Fought for This?”
By 1785, the country seemed adrift
Washington: “Was it with these expectations that we launched into a sea of trouble?”

25. Constitutional Reform
May 1786—Annapolis Convention agreed to meet again, write a new constitution
Shay’s Rebellion, 1787
Tax revolt of indebted veterans
Symbolized breakdown in law and order as perceived by propertied classes
Crisis strengthened support for new central government 18

26. Why Americans Called for a Change in the Articles
The nation suffered a depression—a period when business activity slows, prices and wages fall, and unemployment rises.
Massachusetts raised taxes, and the courts seized the farms of those who could not pay. Many farmers took part in Shays’ Rebellion, led by Daniel Shays. They attacked courthouses and kept officials from seizing farms.
Many Americans saw Shays’ Rebellion as a sign that the Articles of Confederation did not work.

27. Shay’s Rebellion