ANALYZING THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. What are the Articles of Confederation? It was our nation’s first Constitution that created our first national.

ANALYZING THE ARTICLES OF

CONFEDERATION

What are the Articles of Confederation?

It was our nation’s first Constitution that created our first national government.

The Articles were adopted in 1777.

Final approval by the states occurred in 1781.

What are the 2 problems that the Founders faced when writing the Articles of Confederation?

PROBLEM #1 People feared a strong national

government. Felt that the king had taken away

people’s rights. Citizens felt that people should be

close to the government so that people controlled it and it did not take away their rights.

Organization of the Articles of Confederation.

SOLUTION #1 They created a weak government

with limited power and just one branch called Congress.

Most of the powers of government were with the states. The national government had little power over the states.

What are the 2 problems that the Founders faced when writing the Articles of Confederation?

PROBLEM #2 They feared that some states would have

more power in a national government than other states.

Would each state have one vote?

Would states with greater population or wealth have more votes than the other states?

Organization of the Articles of Confederation.

SOLUTION #2 Each state was given one vote in

Congress no matter size or population.

On important matters, like declaring war, nine states would have to agree.

STRENGTHS OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

It successfully waged the war for independence against Great Britain.

It negotiated the peace treaty, the Treaty of Paris to end the American Revolution.

STRENGTHS OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

It provided that each state recognize the laws of the other states.

It passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 which allowed the northwestern lands the right to organize their own governments, Once this was done they could be admitted as a new state with the same rights as the other colonies.

WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDRATION

Congress had no money and it did not have the power to raise money.

Congress had no power over the state governments or their citizens.

Congress could not make the states live up to trade agreements with other nations.

WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

Congress had no power to regulate trade among the states.

Citizens thought that their property rights were threatened.

SHAY’S REBELLION

The national government was unable to put down the rebellion.

People were asking how the country could exist if it could not contain law and order.

States were invited to meet and discuss the issues. Only 5 showed up so not much could be done.

The final decision was to have a convention in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation.

This meeting led to the writing of the Constitution.

TICKET OUT THE DOOR

List the 2 problems that founders faced when writing the Articles of Confederation and their solutions.

List 2 strengths of the Articles of Confederation.

List 2 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.