1. Articles of Confederation

2. May 1776 Continental Congress asks each state to organize a government and a Constitution.
December 1776 South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire had done so.
1777- New York and Georgia
1780- Massachusetts
Connecticut and Rhode Island retained colonial charters.
State Constitutions

3. Most states divided power between governor and legislature.
Pennsylvania had council, not governor.
Most had bicameral legislatures.
Not one person having too much power.
Legislatures most powerful branch of government.
Limited Power

4. A government which citizens rule through elected representatives.
At first most favored weak central government.
States similar to small independent countries.
Forming a Republic

5. 1776 Second Continental Congress
Drafted Articles of Confederation
Adopted in 1777
Federal government could:
Conduct foreign affairs
Maintain armed forces
Borrow money
Issue currency
1776 Second Continental Congress

6. Articles of Confederation
State Legislatures needed to agree to give money or troops.
Federal government could not:
Regulate trade
Force citizens to join the army
Impose taxes
Articles of Confederation

7. Organization No chief executive
Congressional committees carried out business
Each stat had one vote in Congress- regardless of population
Organization

8. Population and votes- larger states believed they should have more votes
Settling westward- Maryland insisted New York, Virginia and other states abandon claims to lands west of the Appalachians
Slavery
Issues

9. 1781-1789 Not a strong central government
Congress could not pass laws unless 9 of the 13 states agreed
Did provide for foreign trade and settling westward

10. 1780s All states except Georgia gave up land claims to the west of Appalachians
1784 western territory divided into self- governing districts
When district reached population of least populated state, they could petition Congress for statehood
Ordinance of surveyed and sold western lands
1787-Northwest Ordinance-single territory North of Ohio River and East of Mississippi 3-5 smaller territories-when population 60,000 petition for statehood
Land policies

11. New government had large war debt could not repay Loyalists for lands seized as promised in Treaty of Paris
Robert Morris PA proposed import tax, but Rhode Island refused to give federal government right to tax
Britain- would not allow trade in West Indies
Spain- wanted to stop western settlement of U.S. and closed off lower Mississippi to American shipping
Many Americans agreed a stronger central government was necessary
Financial Problems