1. Do Now: What problems come with having a weak national government?
Why were the participants of Shays’ Rebellion upset with the government? Was their rebellion successful?

2. United States of America Articles of Confederation
Objective: To examine the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by answering discussion questions and analyzing primary source docs.
United States of America
Articles of Confederation

3. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
I. Currency Issues
The United States did not have a common currency.
Americans carried money from the federal government, state government, and foreign nations.

4. Merchants stopped accepting money from outside of their own state, causing a lot of money to become worthless.
This caused an increase in inflation.

5. Post War Economy Navigation Acts now work against US
Cheap imports from GB make it difficult for American businesses…
How can you fix this problem?
Power in the hands of merchant elite impacted laws being passed.

6. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
II. Debt
Congress could not tax the people and depended on money from the states.
Therefore, the U.S. was unable to pay its debts!
Examples:
- The U.S. owed money to France, Holland, and Spain for loans made during the Revolutionary War.
- The U.S. had not paid many of their own soldiers!

7. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
III. International and Domestic Problems
The U.S. lacked the military power to defend itself against Great Britain and Spain.
States acted as individual countries and seldom agreed.
Example: Connecticut and Virginia almost went to war over land claims!

8. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? Courts (Judicial Branch)
The nation lacked a national court system.
Supreme Court

9. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
President (Executive Branch)
The nation did not have a President, or Chief Executive.
White House

10. Reasons for Shays’ Rebellion
Farmers owe money to merchants, merchants owe money to creditors, creditors serve on the Massachusetts state government.
Taxes!
When they can’t be paid, foreclosure

11. Reasons for Shay’s Rebellion
Farmers are required to pay debts in gold, they have no money because they were not paid during the war
Wealthy lawmakers invested their money in the war too. And seek to get money from the farmers debts

12. Shays’s Rebellion
Poor farmers are not represented in the Mass legislature and cannot pass debt relief laws
The rebellion will free debtors from prisons and close courts that are hearing cases against farmers

13. Shays’s Rebellion The Mass militia is called out to stop it
Poor farmers in 1791 elect officials who support their stance and will close courthouses and demand financial help from the Congress
Shays’s Rebellion will prompt national leaders to create a stonger central government

14. Samuel Adams Said What?!
“Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death”

15. “Our situation is becoming every day more and more critical
“Our situation is becoming every day more and more critical. No money comes into the Federal Treasury; no respect is paid to the Federal authority… the existing confederacy is tottering to its foundation…”
-- James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, February 25, 1787, Madison Papers.
Madison

16. “The moment is, indeed, important
“The moment is, indeed, important! – If government shrinks, or is unable to enforce its laws; fresh maneuvers will be displayed by the insurgents – anarchy & confusion must prevail – and every thing will be turned topsy turvey.”
George Washington to Henry Knox, February 3, 1787
Washington

17. “God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion
“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion?" -- Jefferson to William S. Smith, 1787

18. Effects of Shays’ Rebellion and Economic Struggle
Many citizens and influential founding fathers began to agree that strong government was needed.
Convinced those scared of a strong central government of the need for reform.

19. Annapolis Conference
The conference was called to discuss how to fix the government to avoid another revolution
States were in debt
Taxes too high- Shay’s Rebellion
Interstate commerce a mess
Foreign trade problems

20. Annapolis Convention
Famous Americans who attended-James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Marshall
Recognize need for a stronger national government
Meet in September delegates only from six states
Better ways to regulate interstate and international commerce
Hamilton proposes another gathering in Philadelphia