1. Warm Up – January 30
10 minutes to review with each other for your quiz

2. Continental Congress Debates
Continental Congress was debating key questions during the American Revolution…
How much power should “the people” have?
State representation based on population or state?
Who gets new western lands?
Can power be shared between a federal government and state governments?

3. The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation – 1781, document that outlined the roles of the federal and state governments.
Included articles (sections) describing all of the compromises decided upon in the Continental Congress.

4. Shared Power Between Federal and State Governments
Who should have more power?
Compromise - Delegates decided to form a confederation of states where the power would be shared among the states and federal government.
Confederation – alliance or union of political bodies

5. Shared Power Between Federal and State Governments
FEDERAL Powers
CAN
Declare war, make peace
Sign treaties
Regulate international/Native trade
CANNOT
Levy (set) taxes on citizens
Regulate trade between states
STATE Powers
CAN
Levy (set) taxes on state citizens
Regulate trade with other states
CANNOT
Declare war

6. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
The Articles had 2 major achievements:
Bringing the Revolutionary War to a successful conclusion
North West Ordinance (plan for governing the western lands)

7. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
Declare War &
Establish an Army/Navy
No Power to Draft Soldiers

8. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Make Peace & Sign Treaties
No Power to Enforce Treaties

9. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
No Power to Collect Taxes from the States
Borrow Money

10. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Organize a
Post Office

11. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
MAJOR WEAKNESSES
No Chief Executive
No national court system
No Power to Regulate Interstate Commerce
No National Currency
Difficult to Pass laws (2/3 vote)

12. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
Difficult to Amend
(unanimous vote needed to change the articles)

13. Conclusion
Why did the Founding Fathers choose a government with a weak central government?
They feared that a strong central government would create tyranny, and stamp out the peoples natural God given rights.

14. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
No central unity
No president or central leader to enforce laws
No national court system to resolve disputes
Congress cannot tax citizens to pay debts
Each state = 1 vote in a one-house legislature (regardless of population)
Major decisions = 2/3 approval (war, etc)
Amendments (changes) to the document, including federal laws = all 13 approval

15. TOD – January 30
Answer the following questions on the same post-it as the warm up:
1. What was the primary goal of the Articles of Confederation?
2. Why did the founding fathers want to avoid creating a strong federal (central) government?
3. Why did the Articles of Confederation eventually fail?