1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
STANDARD(S): 12.1 Students explain the fundamental principles and moral values of American democracy.
CH 2-SEC 3
LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
Describe the structure of the government set up under the Articles of Confederation.
Explain why the weaknesses of the Articles led to a critical period for the country in the 1780s.
Describe how a growing need for a stronger national government led to plans for a Constitutional Convention.

2. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
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ID NUMBER!
CH-2-3

3. A BULLDOG ALWAYS
Commitment
Attitude
CARES
Respect
Encouragement
Safety

4. Key Terms
Articles of Confederation: the agreement, effective in 1781, that established the first central government of the United States
delegate: a representative
ratification: formal approval of a proposal
Presiding officer: Chair of an organization or group
Repeal: recall, take back, void

5. Introduction
What weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation made a lasting government impossible?
The Confederation Congress lacked key powers - it could not raise taxes or regulate trade.
9 of 13 state delegations had to agree before Congress could act.
The Articles could only be changed with the consent of all 13 state legislatures.
The Congress could not make states obey the laws it passed.

6. Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress had to create an official national government.
Congress approved the Articles of Confederation in 1777, but they were not ratified until 1781.

7. Powers of the 2nd Continental Congress did not have…

8. Articles of Confederation
The 2nd Continental Congress Set up the New Government under the Articles of Confederation
created a single unit of government, the Congress.
Congress was unicameral in structure, with each states electing its delegates each year.
Each state delegation had one vote in Congress.

9. Federal Government
The national government had no executive or judicial branch.
Special congressional committees exercised executive and judicial functions.
Each year Congress would elect a president of the Congress (but not the nation).

10. Guided Reading
The Articles of Confederation
1. Describe the structure of the government set up by the Articles of Confederation.
Congress was unicameral and was the only branch of government.
committees would handle executive and judiciary functions.
Congress would choose the president of the legislature
(not the same as the President of the U.S.)

11. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
2. make war and peace

12. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
3. send and receive ambassador

13. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
4. make treaties

14. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
5. borrow money

15. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
6. Set up a monetary system

16. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
7. establish post offices

17. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
8. build navy

18. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
9. raise army by asking States for troops

19. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
10. fix uniform standards of weights and measures

20. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
11. settle disputes among States

22. States Under the Articles
States obligations to other states:
Treat citizens of other states fairly
Respect the laws and court rulings of other states
Allow open travel and trade among states
Submit interstate disputes to Congress
Turn over fugitives from other states
Obey the Articles and acts of Congress
Provide funds and troops requested by Congress
The states kept all powers not given to Congress.

23. UNDER the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
UNDER the Articles of Confederation
12. What obligations did States have to one another?
to treat citizens equally; to surrender fugitives;
to give full faith and credit to legal documents;
to permit open trade and travel between States;
to submit State disputes to Congress

24. States Under the Articles
States obligations to citizens:
Protect life, and property
Promote the general welfare of the people
The states kept all powers not given to Congress.

25. UNDER the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
UNDER the Articles of Confederation
13. What obligations did States have to citizens?
to protect life and property;
to promote the general welfare of people

26. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
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ID NUMBER!
CH-2-3

27. Weaknesses of the Articles
Only a “firm league of friendship” among States
Only one vote for each State, regardless of size
No national court system
A 9/13 majority required to pass laws.
Amendments required the consent of all States

28. UNDER the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
UNDER the Articles of Confederation
14. What powers did Congress not have?
the power to tax,
the power to regulate trade between the States,
and the power to enforce its own laws

29. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
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ID NUMBER!
CH-2-3

30. Problems with the Articles
After the end of the Revolutionary War, states stopped cooperating with each other and the national government.
They refused to supply troops or money.
Some made their own treaties with other nations.
Most raised their own military forces.
They taxed goods from other states and banned trade with some states.
They printed their own money.

32. Problem with the Articles, cont.
The economies of many states struggled as a result of all the bickering and poor planning.
Much of the newly printed money was worth very little. Prices soared and loans became hard to get.
Many people fell into debt.
The economic crisis led to Shays’ Rebellion in Massachusetts.
Indebted farmers and other small property owners lost land and possessions when they could not pay their debts or their state taxes.

33. Shays’ Rebellion
In 1786, former revolutionary officer, Daniel Shays led an armed uprising of farmers.
State troops finally ended the rebellion after rebels attacked state courts and a federal arsenal. Shays fled to Vermont.
The State government of Massachusetts's passed laws to ease the burden of debtors.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Above image depicts Daniel Shays’ rebellion, which made the need for a stronger government clear.

34. Guided Reading Guided Reading
The Critical Period, the 1780s
15. What government action took place in response to Shays’ Rebellion?
The Massachusetts legislature passed laws that eased the burden of debtors.

35. Stronger Government
The call went out for a stronger, more effective central government.
In 1785, Maryland and Virginia settled a trade dispute after meeting at George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon.
In 1786, Virginia called for all the states to meet to discuss trade issues.
Five states attended the resulting meeting at Annapolis, Maryland.
These delegates called for another meeting, this one in Philadelphia in Congress eventually gave its support for this meeting.

36. Stronger Government, cont.
Delegates first met at Alexandria. They met again at Annapolis. The First and Second Continental Congresses met at Philadelphia.

37. Constitutional Convention
The Philadelphia meeting, held in 1787 had the goal of revising the Articles of Confederation to better suit the needs of the U.S.
However it quickly turned into the Constitutional Convention. Instead of revising the Articles, it would replace them with something new.
What significance might this building have had for the Constitutional Convention?
Image Question Answer: The first nation’s first national government, the Second Continental Congress, had come together in Independence Hall. The Declaration of Independence was drafted there as well. The delegates at the Convention might have seen this history as a good omen for great changes to come.

38. Guided Reading Guided Reading
A Need for Stronger Government
16. What was the goal of the Constitutional Convention?
to revise the Articles of Confederation to better suit the needs of the U.S.

39. chair of an organization or group
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
B. Reviewing Key Terms
17. ratification
formal approval
18. presiding officer
chair of an organization or group

40. Review
Now that you have learned about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation that made a lasting government impossible, go back and answer the Chapter Essential Question
How does the Constitution reflect the times in which it was written?

41. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
Fill in your
ID NUMBER!
CH-2-3

42. Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
Guided Reading
Guided Reading
Congressional Powers Under the Articles of Confederation
2. make war and peace
7. establish post offices
3. send and receive ambassadors
8. build navy
4. make treaties
9. raise army by asking States for troops
5. borrow money
10. fix uniform standards of weights and measures
6. set up monetary system
11. settle disputes among States