1. Essential Question:
What were the long-term problems with the Articles of Confederation?
USH Agenda for Unit 3.1:
Articles of Confederation notes

3. When independence was declared, the 13 colonies became independent states
Each state had its own constitution, legislature, & an elected governor; 8 states had Bills of Rights
They wanted to protect citizens & individual states from a powerful national gov’t
But, the USA needed a national gov’t to do things that states could not, like sign treaties & form a military
America’s 1st national gov’t was the Articles of Confederation ( )

4. Powers of the national gov’t
Each state could send between 2-7 representatives to the national congress, but each state had only 1 vote
To pass a law, 9 of the 13 states had to agree
Confederation Government in New York City
Powers of the national gov’t
The national gov’t could make laws, settle disputes between states, negotiate treaties, handle Indian affairs, oversee a military
But all other powers were left up to the states

5. So, the national gov’t had
Americans did not want to re-create a powerful gov’t like the one they just fought the Revolutionary War to break away from
So, the national gov’t had
no president & could not tax the states or citizens
Confederation Government in New York City

7. The Articles established a good system of settling western lands
The United States, 1783
Areas of Settlement, 1783
The Articles established a good system of settling western lands

8. Congress passed the Land Ordinance of to create an orderly way to survey and organize the land into townships
Selling western lands was the only way the national gov’t could generate money since it did not have the power to tax

9. Section 16 of the each township was set aside for a public school
Land Ordinance of 1785
Section 16 of the each township was set aside for a public school
The national gov’t was placing an emphasis on public education

10. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established how new states would be created in the west
When a territory had 5,000 residents, it could create a self-governing legislature
When a territory had 60,000 residents, it could apply to become a U.S. state
4 states gave up their claims to land in this area
NY, VA, CT, MA
Slavery was outlawed in the NW

11. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

12. The inability of the government to collect taxes led to problems
Confederation Government in New York City
Congress could not enforce its laws
No executive branch of gov’t

13. All 13 states had to agree for an amendment to be made
Only 1 vote per state
9 of 13 states had to agree to create a law
Confederation Government in New York City
All 13 states had to agree for an amendment to be made
No national court system (states)

14. Strengths of the Articles of Confederation
Could declare war and make peace
Coin and borrow money (but no national currency)
Deal with foreign countries and sign treaties
In 1786, nearly 2,000 debtor farmers in western Massachusetts were threatened with foreclosure of their mortgaged property. The state legislature had voted to pay off the state's Revolutionary War debt in three years; between 1783 and 1786, taxes on land rose more than 60 percent. Desperate farmers demanded a cut in property taxes and adoption of state laws to postpone farm foreclosures. The lower house of the state legislature passed relief measures in 1786, but creditors persuaded the upper house to reject the package.
When lower courts started to seize the property of farmers such as Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran, western Massachusetts farmers temporarily closed the courts and threatened a federal arsenal. Although the rebels were defeated by the state militia, they were victorious at the polls. A new legislature elected early in 1787 enacted debt relief.
By the spring of 1787, many national leaders believed that the new republic's survival was at risk. The threat of national bankruptcy, commercial conflicts among the states, Britain's refusal to evacuate military posts, Spanish intrigues on the western frontier, and armed rebellion in western Massachusetts underscored the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The only solution, many prominent figures were convinced, was to create an effective central government led by a strong chief executive.
Operate post offices

15. Shays’ Rebellion showed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to the creation of the Constitutional Convention
Property foreclosures led to uprising among Massachusetts farmers called Shays’ Rebellion in 1787 but the gov’t could not pay for an army to stop it
Poor farmers in western MA were angered over high taxes & prospect of debtors jail
In 1786, nearly 2,000 debtor farmers in western Massachusetts were threatened with foreclosure of their mortgaged property. The state legislature had voted to pay off the state's Revolutionary War debt in three years; between 1783 and 1786, taxes on land rose more than 60 percent. Desperate farmers demanded a cut in property taxes and adoption of state laws to postpone farm foreclosures. The lower house of the state legislature passed relief measures in 1786, but creditors persuaded the upper house to reject the package.
When lower courts started to seize the property of farmers such as Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran, western Massachusetts farmers temporarily closed the courts and threatened a federal arsenal. Although the rebels were defeated by the state militia, they were victorious at the polls. A new legislature elected early in 1787 enacted debt relief.
By the spring of 1787, many national leaders believed that the new republic's survival was at risk. The threat of national bankruptcy, commercial conflicts among the states, Britain's refusal to evacuate military posts, Spanish intrigues on the western frontier, and armed rebellion in western Massachusetts underscored the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The only solution, many prominent figures were convinced, was to create an effective central government led by a strong chief executive.
Daniel Shays led an uprising & closed debt courts & threatened a federal arsenal

16. America’s First National Government: The Articles of Confederation
After Shays’ Rebellion, people like Hamilton & Madison began calling for a stronger national gov’t
In 1787, delegates met in Philadelphia to discuss ways to improve the Articles
Instead of revising the Articles of Confederation, the delegates replaced it with the Constitution
34a - explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays' Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government
This became known as the Constitutional Convention (1787)