The Articles of Confederation. Standards addressed SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation.

The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Standards addressedStandards addressed

• SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution.

• a. Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government.

• SSUSH 6 The student will analyze the nature of territorial and SSUSH 6 The student will analyze the nature of territorial and population growth, and its impact in the early decades of the population growth, and its impact in the early decades of the new nation.new nation.

• a. Explain the Northwest Ordinance’s importance in the a. Explain the Northwest Ordinance’s importance in the westward migration of Americans, on slavery, public education, westward migration of Americans, on slavery, public education, and the addition of new states.and the addition of new states.

Essential Question:Essential Question:

•How did weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ rebellion lead to a call for a stronger

central government?

VocabularyVocabulary

• Article of Confederation• Second Continental

Congress• Constitutional

conventions• bill of rights• separation of powers.• separation of church and

state.• Central Government

• Ratification• Land Ordinance of 1785• Northwest Ordinance of

1787• Shay’s Rebellion• Depression

We Won…We Won…Now What???Now What???

• REVIEW: Second Continental Congress in 1775 urges the colonies to organize new governments to replace the colonial governments.

• Not all do

The Need For a Strong Central The Need For a Strong Central GovernmentGovernment

• Desire by many for a stronger central government than the state governments.

• Arguments that since the states had fought and won a war for independence, why should they answer to another government.

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

• November 15, 1777 (during the revolution)

• Created a confederation or league of free and independent states.– United States of America.

• Created a Congress w/ two to seven delegates from each state.– Each state had only one

vote.

RatificationRatification

• Each 13 state had to ratify (accept) the proposal.

• Maryland last to ratify.• 1781- All states

surrendered their claims.– Articles of Confederation

ratified.

Land Ordinance of 1785Land Ordinance of 1785

Western LandsWestern Lands

• Problems w/ the western lands.– How to control?– How to settle?– How to govern?– How to handle Indians?

• Question of how to settle the new Ohio Territory that had been given to America after the Revolutionary War.– Treaty of 1783

Governing the WestGoverning the West

• Continental Congress agreed that all the new western states would be admitted on equal terms as the original 13.

• Pioneers move out west at the end of the Revolution.– Daniel Boone- Kentucky

and Tennessee.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• Established a new way to govern.

1. Ruled by a governor and 3 judges appointed by Congress. (Territory Status)

2. Population reached 5,000 free, voting age males- legislature could be elected and a non-voting delegate could be sent to Congress.

3. Population reached 60,000 free inhabitants, people could draft a constitution and apply for statehood.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• 3 other provisions– Barred slavery from

the Northwest Territory.

– Encouraged public education.

– Promised to treat the Indians w/ “the utmost good faith.”

Weaknesses of the Weaknesses of the Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

Weak GovernmentWeak Government

• Each state had only one vote.– Rhode Island had as

much power as Virginia.

• Laws required 9 of the 13 states to agree.

• No President or executive.

• No Courts.

FinancesFinances

• Power over money not given to Congress.

• Each state able to create its own money and value along w/ the Continental money.– “not worth a

Continental.”

Power Over TradePower Over Trade

• Each state allowed to do its own foreign trading.

• No ability to levy taxes on imports.– Britain floods

American market w/ cheaper goods.

Enforcing TreatiesEnforcing Treaties

• Any 1 of the 13 states could ignore a treaty written by the new govt.

Military PowerMilitary Power

• British refuse to leave America.– America unable to pay its

debts to Britain or force them out.

• Unable to deal with the Indian threats in the West.

• Unable to get the Spanish to allow use of New Orleans.

Shay’s Shay’s RebellionRebellion

DepressionDepression

• America suffers a depression.– Sharp decline in

business activity and jobs.

• Farms are seized for nonpayment of taxes.– foreclosed.

Daniel ShaysDaniel Shays• Daniel Shays leads a

rebellion against the Massachusetts Courts.– Leads 1500 former

Continental Army veterans.

– Demand end of foreclosures.

– Demand representation in Congress.

• Occupy the courthouse for 3 days.

ReactionReaction• Governor James Bowdoin

orders General Benjamin Lincoln to stop Shays.

• Militia stops Shays.• New governor John

Hancock pardons all men who took part in the Rebellion.

• Alerts Americans to the real troubles of the new nation.

ReformReform

• 1787• Meeting is called for

Philadelphia.• For “the sole and

express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”