1. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Why did the Founding Fathers Choose a Confederation plan of government?
Why Did the Founding Fathers believe the Articles needed to be replaced by the US Constitution?
Strengths
Weaknesses
The first system of government designed by the Founding Fathers was a Confederation. Under a Confederate system, the National or Central Government is given only a few powers, while most of the power is reserved for the States.

2. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
The Articles had 2 major achievements:
Bringing the Revolutionary War to a successful conclusion
Northwest Ordinance 1787(plan for governing the western lands and a policy of changing territories to states )

3. 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

4. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
Make Peace & Sign Treaties
No Power to Enforce Treaties

5. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
No Power to Collect Taxes from the States
Borrow Money

6. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
Organize a
Post Office

7. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
Strengths
Weaknesses
Congress was given the power to:
No Chief Executive
No national court system
No Power to Regulate Interstate Commerce
No National Currency
Difficult to Pass laws (2/3 vote)

8. 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)

9. The Articles of Confederation
No Chief Executive
No National Court System
No Power to Draft Soldiers
No Power to Control Interstate Commerce
No Power to Enforce Treaties
No Power to Collect Taxes from the States
Difficult to Pass Laws (2/3 vote)
No National Currency
Difficult to Amend
(Unanimous Vote Needed to Change Articles)
Congress given the power to:
Declare War
Make Peace
Sign Treaties
Borrow Money
Establish an Army & Navy
Organize a Post Office

10. Conclusion
Why did the Founding Fathers Choose a Confederation plan of government?
They feared that a strong central government would create tyranny, and stamp out the peoples natural God given rights.

11. Shay’s Rebellion proved the need to strengthen the government.
Conclusion
Why Did the Founding Fathers believe the Articles needed to be replaced by the US Constitution?
The nation needed to function as ONE united country & not 13 small unorganized nations.
Shay’s Rebellion proved the need to strengthen the government.

12. Weak Government = Problems!
Here's an explanation of how the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to Shays' Rebellion, which led to the creation of the Constitution.

13. Daniel Shays Captain in the Revolutionary War Retired from the army
Wanted to be a farmer in Massachusetts

14. Uh oh...no money!
Remember! The Congress didn't have the power to tax states...they could only ask for money!
The states said no!
So Congress couldn't pay its bills!
So they printed more money!
So they caused inflation and made money worth less!

15. How can you be a farmer if you have no money?
Get a loan from the bank!
Plant your seeds!
When your crops are grown, harvest them, sell them, and pay your loan back!

16. Uh oh...problems! What if the bank wants its money back NOW?
But your crops haven't grown yet?

17. THE REPO MAN COMES!
The bank repossesses the farms and kicks the former soldiers out of their homes!

18. Why didn't they have any money?
Inflation! The money they did have was worthless.
Taxes! The state of Massachusetts had placed high taxes that hit the farmers very hard.

19. Who cares about having a farm anyway?
Without property, you can't feed your family!
Without property, you can't vote!
Without property, you can't make money!
Without making money, you get thrown into debtor's prison!

20. Give me my house!
Daniel Shays and the farmers pick up their guns and go to the state courthouse to stop them from foreclosing on their homes.
AND IT WORKED!!!

21. So they kept doing it... And made the people in the government afraid!
The government made new laws that were meant to punish Shays and his followers.

22. The Congress can't help
Since the Articles of Confederation did not give Congress the power to raise a standing army, the federal government could not help stop the rebellion.

23. The Climax The state of Massachusetts sets up an army.
Shays and his followers try to take over a federal arsenal to get more guns so that they could fight the army.

24. Shays and his men lost the battle
Shays and his men lost the battle. Some of them got the death penalty for having participated in the rebellion.

25. To the Constitution...
The failure of the federal government to solve the problem of Shays' Rebellion made people understand that the Articles of Confederation had made the government too weak.
A Constitutional Convention was called to solve the problem.

26. How the Constitution addressed the problems of the Articles of Confederation

27. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
No power to tax
No national executive
Unicameral legislature
No judicial/national court
Solution
Article I sec 8
Congress has power
Article II
Presidential power
Article I
Bicameral legislature
Article III
National Courts

28. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
No regulation of commerce
No power to maintain army
Government dominated by states
Need 9/13 to pass a law & unanimous consent to amend
Solutions
Article I sec 8
foreign & interstate commerce
army & navy
Article VI
Constitution & Federal
Govt are supreme
Articles I & V
I = majority for laws
V = 2/3 & ¾ to ammend