1. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

2. The document was drafted by the 2nd Continental Congress in 1777 and ratified by all states in 1781
This was the first constitutional agreement between American States

3. It emphasized a confederate system of government
Confederate—league of independent states
Notice the thirteen separate people at the
top of the cartoon. Who do they represent?

4. The Articles gave the states the power rather than the national government
There was a unicameral legislature
Unicameral—one house of government

5. NO
PRESIDENT
There was no executive or judicial branch of government
To make a law, Congress had to have approval of 9 out of 13 states NO
SUPREME
COURT

6. WEAKNESSES OF CONGRESS
Could not regulate foreign or interstate trade
Could not enforce laws
Could not collect taxes

7. NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787
This was the plan for surveying and selling land between the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River
A government was established for the Northwest Territory and slavery was banned

8. Population of 60,000
free citizens & you
could apply for
statehood
Five states were
carved out of the
territory: Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, and
Wisconsin
The Northwest Ordinance established the basis for new states to enter the Union
New states would
be equal to the
original thirteen

9. ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
A depression hit after the Revolution causing slowed business activity and unemployment
Farmers could not pay back money borrowed during the Revolution
The farmers were hit especially hard
THIS LED TO……

10. SHAYS' REBELLION
They traveled the countryside attacking courthouses that were seizing land
Massachusetts seized the land of farmers that couldn’t pay off loans
Daniel Shays, a farmer, gathered a force of 2,000 men to fight

11. Shays’ Rebellion proved that all was not right with the country and that the Articles of Confederation were too weak
Shays tried to attack a warehouse full of rifles and gunpowder but was stopped by the militia
Leaders gathered in Philadelphia in May 1787 to discuss ways to improve
How do we get better?

12. Remembering problems of The Articles of Confederation
In the Middle
Rings cost money
Boundary Disputes between States
Shake your finger at
At someone when angry
No way to raise
Money
Quarrels between the States
Weakness of Government
“Thumbs down”
Pinky is weakest finger
Not respected by their country’s states
Remembering problems of
The Articles of Confederation
Shows “fighting” Shay’s Rebellion