1. The Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and Shays' Rebellion
(and why money isn't worth the paper it's printed on)

2. The Articles of Confederation
America’s 1st Constitution
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.

3. 1. Why did the Founding Fathers Choose a Confederation plan of government?
They were afraid of giving the central government too much power
They wanted to keep the states separate from each other
They did not trust George Washington

4. 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)

5. 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

6. Do you think that it is okay to draft soldiers to a war they don’t believe in? A. Yes B. No

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. Sum it Up: 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 was given the power to:
Declare War
Make Peace
Sign Treaties
Borrow Money
Establish an Army & Navy
Organize a Post Office

13. They wanted to eventually become different countries
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.
They wanted to eventually become different countries
They wanted to make amends with England and rebuild their Colonial systems.

14. It's All About Power!
Why was the central government so weak? Look at the Americans' experience with the powerful central government of Britain Do the opposite!

15. But what if the government doesn't have enough power?
Federal Rights
States' Rights
BIG PROBLEMS!

16. Congress did not have the power to collect taxes from the states.
One Major Weakness:
Congress did not have the power to collect taxes from the states.

17. Could I please have $1000?
NO!
NO!
NO!
NO!

18. What's a government to do?
Hmmmm....why don't I just print some more money?

19. PRINTING MONEY NEVER SOLVES YOUR PROBLEMS!

20. Which would you rather have?

21. Money isn't worth the paper it's printed on!
Money is only worth what other people will give you for it!

22. Paper money represents real things=
One piece of gold
One piece of paper ($1)

23. Paper money represents real things=
One can of soda
One piece of paper ($1)

24. Therefore... =
One can of soda
One piece of gold

25. What if you don't have enough
What if you don't have enough? What if someone won't give you what you want for the piece of paper that you have? Can you just print more paper?

26. NO! It doesn't work that way!
Remember...paper money represents real things. You haven't changed the number of real things, just the number of pieces of paper! = =

27. Now your paper money is worth less!
ACK! INFLATION!!!
Now your paper money is worth less! = =
Soda used to cost $1. Now it costs $2!

28. PRINTING MONEY NEVER SOLVES A GOVERNMENT'S PROBLEMS!
Inflation was so out of control in Germany that in 1923, it cost 4 million of their dollars to buy a loaf of bread!

29. What we've learned so far...
Money is only worth what people will give you for it.
Printing more money doesn't solve your economic problems.

30. 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.

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

32. 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!

33. 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!

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

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

36. 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.

37. 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!

38. 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!!!

39. 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.

40. 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.

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. 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.

44. The Constitution Is Born!
After 16 weeks of arguments, the new Constitution was created. And that's the government that we still have today!

45. Why Did the Founding Fathers believe the Articles needed to be replaced by the US Constitution?
They wanted to have a new King
We only needed a stronger army
We were too divided and had no common systems
The Federal Government could not enforce its rules
C and D

46. Bibliography for Images