1. Do Now
“The American War is over, but this is far from being the case with the American Revolution…. Nothing but the 1st act of a great drama is closed”
1. Why does the author feel that the Revolution is not over yet?
2. What questions need to be answered? (Give at least 3 questions that still need to be answered by the newly formed nation)
Now that the war is over we still have to create a government!!!
What will our new government look like?
Who should have more power, a national government or each individual former colony and why?
How much power and what specific powers should the national government have?
Should each colony have the same amount of power in the national government or should the big states like NY and Va. Have more power?
Should there be an individual national leader, like a king or president and why?
How should the new territory we got in the west from the war be divided?

2. Articles of Confederation1777(81)-1789
Our original government of the US
Adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress during the war: officially approved by all 13 colonies in 1781

3. Confederation Loose union of independent states that work together
“firm league of friendship”
Using these phrases as a guide,
1. How much power will the national government have and…
2. Who will be more powerful, the states or the national government??????
WEAK!!!!!!
STATES ARE SUPREME!!!!

4. REPUBLIC US was the largest true republic in the world at the time
REPublic- people vote for representatives to make laws for them
Realize, the US isn’t or never was a direct democracy,, why???
PEOPLE ARE STOOOOOPID!!!!!
Large, spread out civilization

5. NATIONAL GOVERNMENTPOWERS UNDER THE ARTICLES-
Work in groups of 4-Using your knowledge of colonial development and the reasons the colonies revolted from England:
2 people in the group must come up with at least 4 powers that the government can do. (5 minutes)
Explain why you have allowed the national government to have that specific power
The other 2 must come up with 4 things that the new government should not be able to do (that a number of other countries’ governments do!)
Explain why you have prevented the government from having that specific power
Then you will give your list and your reasoning to the other pair in the group and they will come up with 3 reasons why it wouldn’t be good for the new country!! (5 minutes)

6. National Gov’t under the Articles
WEAK CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
STATE GOVT SUPREME TO THE NATIONAL GOVT
EACH STATE HAD 1 EQUAL VOTE IN THE NATIONAL GOVT
1 BRANCH OF GOVT- CONGRESS
We had NO president or national courts!!!!!
9/13 to make a law
ALL 13 TO CHANGE THE ARTICLES

7. POWERS UNDER THE ARTICLES-
GOVT CAN
Make laws
Declare war
Issue and borrow $$$
GOVT CAN’T
Tax
Regulate interstate trade
Interfere with treaties made between states and foreign countries
Enforce national treaties

8. Early Problems!! Western lands??? State of Franklin???
Most states had in their charters that their land went straight across to the Pacific, except for Penn. and Md. Should these states keep this land? Or does the national government own it?
States relented to give up this land to national Congress
Mainly b/c Virginia was about to be attacked and they needed those 2 states help!!!!
State of Franklin???
They applied for statehood, were denied!!!
All land south of the Ohio River became “Southwest Territory?”

9. Problems!! $190,000,000 debt from the Revolution
Who did we owe the $$$ to??
Foreign countries
Private citizens (bonds, loans)
State govts
Why is this a major problem for the Articles?
They couldn’t tax, so they had no $$$$$
Spain crossing into our territory
Shay’s Rebellion
Mass. Farmer who was Revolutionary hero, injured in battle, not paid for 6 yrs. Of service, comes home and now has to pay taxes on his house,,, he had no $$$ cuz he just fought a war for our freedom!!!!!!
He leads his followers to overtake local govts in Mass.
Mass. Asks for help
National gov’t has no $$
Other states decline to help!

10. Summary *****Exit slip*****
In your opinion, what was the most important reason the Articles of Confederation failed as a government

11. Achievements of the Articles
Winning the war?
Treaty of Paris 1783 was very favorable for us considering the actual military reality
Land Ordinance set aside 1 section in blocked out towns for public education
Northwest Ordinance 1787

12. Northwest Ordinance-1787 Divided Ohio River Valley into sections
Future statehood application rules
60,000 population
Organized local govt
No slavery