1. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

3. Notes on the Articles of Confederation
*First plan of government for the US
* It created a weak central government:
Examples: Congress could not tax or enforce laws
* Replaced by the US Constitution

4. Visual 1: No Chief Executive
Why Included?
States feared that a strong central leader would result in an abuse of power (tyranny).

5. Visual 2: Laws needed 9/13 to be approved
Why Included?
New states wanted to protect their power. They feared that a strong central government could lead to abuse of power.

6. Visual 3: The legislative branch (Congress) did not have the power to tax citizens. It could only request tax money from the states.
Why Included?
States and citizens feared that they would be forced to pay for things without their consent.

7. Visual 4: The legislative branch did not have the power to draft an army. It could only request states to send men for military services.
Why Included?
States feared that a central government with a strong army that might take away citizens’ rights.

8. Visual 5: There was no federal court system. Why Included?
Why Included?
States feared that a court system might be unfair, overlooking individual states’ rights

9. Visual 6: Any amendments (changes) to the Articles had to be approved by all 13 states.
Why Included?
States wanted to be ensured that they had an equal voice in the lawmaking process.

10. Visual 7: The legislative branch did not have the power to collect state debts owed to the national government.  
Why Included?
States feared a strong central government could force states to pay for things they didn’t want.

11. Visual 8: The legislative branch did not have the power to settle disputes among states.
Why Included?
States did not want to have a national authority telling them what to do.

12. Visual 9: Shays’s Rebellion
Use a an excerpt from the text that best summarizes the result of Shays’s rebellion:
“In May 1787, leaders called for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. Representatives from each state would meet in Philadelphia. This meeting would become known as Constitutional Convention.”