1. APUSH The Critical Period & the Constitutional Convention of 1787

2. “These United States” Americans were citizens of their states 1 st  State constitutions, 1776-1778, had  Bicameral legislatures (except PA)  Weak executives  Bills of Rights  Frequent elections  Expansion of suffrage They were citizens of the US 2 nd  John Adams called it a “confederacy of states…each of which must have a separate government”  It was NOT a single nation

3. The Articles of Confederation General Principles  Strong statement of states’ rights  Congress’ powers were limited  The Army had gone home  They didn’t have any money to “incentivize” the states  League of friendship/common defense & general welfare  Established a common treasury  Laws were passed with a 9/13 vote  Amendments to the Articles needed 13/13 vote

4. Money Problems  The country was in debt $160 million from the war  Some was owed to foreign countries, some to private citizens  Some of it was “paid for” by just printing more money People didn’t like this because printing money causes inflation The money lost 98% of its value & “wasn’t worth a Continental”

5. Money Problems, con’t  Congress tried to get the AoC amended so that it would have the power to tax  It failed twice  In the meantime, the states were steadily decreasing their contributions to Congress  By the late 1780s, the states were behind in paying 80% of the funds requested by Congress to operate the government & pay off the debt

6. Problems with Foreign Countries  When the war ended, Spain started claiming land that the U.S. had won as a result of the Am Rev.  France started demanding repayment of its loans to the US  Britain stopped trading with the US, refused to remove troops from the NW, & refused diplomatic relations with the US until the US paid war debts

7. Economic Recession  After the war’s end, there were few jobs… & no money, but so the states did everything they could to raise money so they could pay off their debt to Congress  The states tightened credit (banks couldn’t loan money)  The states fought over boundaries (for control of resources)  States taxed each other  They demanded payment of taxes in “specie”  They brought lawsuits against debtors

8. Farmers’ Problems A major economic depression began in 1784  In 1786 MA voted to pay off its debt in three years  This meant a HUGE tax hike  MA Farmers didn’t have the money to pay--& not in specie  Farmers turned to bartering & were used to paying off debts when they could, not “immediately” as was now demanded by the state government

9. Massachusetts Farmers Fight Back Shays’ Rebellion, 1786  Daniel Shays got 2000 angry men to pick up muskets…  They stormed courthouses & stopped farm auctions (preventing foreclosures)  They demanded their farms back in 3 western MA counties  In a letter to John Adams, James Warren explained how bad things had gotten: “We are now in a state of anarchy and confusion bordering on a civil war”

10. The Rebellion was Crushed The army was sent to arrest the leaders BUT, many of Shays’ followers were later elected to the MA legislature  There they cut taxes & got Shays pardoned

11. The Country in Jeopardy Legacy of Shays’ Rebellion  Many, like GW, believed the nation was becoming ungovernable  “I predict the worst consequences from a half-starved, limping government, always moving upon crutches and tottering at every step…. I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having lodged somewhere a power which will pervade the whole Union in as energetic a manner as the authority of the state governments extends over the several states.”  Many Feared that Americans had learned the lesson of the Revolution only too well  When they didn’t like the tyranny of King George they rebelled  Now, when they didn’t like the tyranny of their states they rebelled

12. Pair Share With your table partner, come up with a thesis statement & 2 examples that answer the 2003 AP Essay Q: Evaluate the extent to which the Articles of Confederation were effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation. Successes  Ran the war & negotiated peace with Great Britain  Ordinance of 1785  Northwest Ordinance, 1787 Failures  Foreign policy/defense  Finances/getting the states to pay

13. Call for changes to the Articles fail? In 1786, 5 states tried to solve interstate trade problems  They needed 9 states to agree, but they could only get 5 But what came out of it was a pledge to review the AoC  “to render the constitution of the federal government adequate for the exigencies of the Union.” Congress invited the states to send representatives to Philadelphia in May of the next year  “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”  Madison and Hamilton went to work to convince Washington to attend. They feared that without his pre-announced support of the convention, that they wouldn’t get enough states to attend.  Madison’s wife, Dolley, got Martha Washington to agree…

14. The PA Statehouse (aka Independence Hall) They met in the same room where the D of I was signed It was a HOT summer  May through September  The window was kept shut for privacy & to keep bugs out

15. Three Month of Debate The Virginia Plan  Favored large states The New Jersey Plan  Favored smaller states Impasse on other issues debated Connecticut Compromise  Aspects favoring both big and small The Constitution  Abandonment of AoC principles  Federalism  Checks & Balances

16. Ratification of the Constitution of 1787 Federalists  Federalist Papers Anti-federalists  No Bill of Rights 9/13 needed to ratify