Creating the Constitution: Articles of Confederation

1. Creating the Constitution: Articles of Confederation EQ: What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention

2. Intro • After declaring for Independence Congress tried to unite the states under one national government • Most members were fearful of a National Government being TOO strong • Solution: Articles of Confederation • Articles created a firm “league of friendship”-loose union where each state remained sovereign and they cooperated for common purposes • Put the Powers of Congress into Writing • Run by Congress each state had 1 vote On paper Articles gave congress several powers, but in reality the Articles were no more effective in binding the states into a nation than a “rope of sand”

3. Set Up • A single “House” of Congress was composed of 2-7 delegates from each state • Delegates had to vote as a unit=One vote/state • REGARDLESS OF POPULATION • Votes of 2/3 of the states were required to passs laws or change the Articles • Americans were nervous about a Central Government w/too much power intentionally limited the types of decisions that the new nat’lgov’t could make

4. Powers of the New Nat’l Government • Declare War • Make Treaties • Manage Indian Affairs • Maintain and Army and Navy • Coin and Borrow $ • Regulate weights and measures • Est. a postal service

5. What the New Nat’l Government COULDN’T DO • Enforce its own laws • Collect taxes • Control Trade among states • Raise Troops • Est. Nat’l courts to hear disputes b/w states

6. Developing Western Lands • Congress got everyone to agree on how to develop western lands acquired by the Treaty of Paris • NO orderly way to divide and sell lands settlers just walked into the wilderness and claimed land they liked • Disputes over who owned what clogged the courts • Solution: Land Ordinance of 1785 (lands were divided into six miles squares called townships) • By 1787 the government was ready to sell lands in the Northwest Territory • How would these lands get governed? • Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Law divided the NW Territory into smaller territories (each governed by a governor) • Once 5,000 free adults males lived there they could elect its own legislature once pop. was 60, 000 territory could apply to become a state • Included rights of settlers (slavery was banned) • System worked well

7. Problems with the Articles: Shay’s Rebellion • Under the A of C, the new nation had serious $ problems paper money printed during the war was worthless, didn’t have gold or silver to mint coins • States started printing their own $ • MA farmers rebel!!! • Many farmers were in debt couldn’t make pmts on their farms and instead of loosing their farms, going to jail for not paying taxes FARMERS REBEL!!! • Took up arms and led by Daniel Shay marched to Mass. Court building closed down court houses • Eventually farmers were defeated when militia troops came, but actions convinced people that the new Nat'l gov’t was falling apart

8. Problems with the Articles: Foreign Affairs in trouble • Each state had different trade regulations • Very difficult for foreign businessmen and governments • Foreign countries distrusted the Confederation • Could not back up agreements

9. Problems with the Articles: Tariff Wars • National Government couldn’t control trade among states • Many states chose to charge rival states high taxes on goods transferred b/w states

10. Problems with the Articles: No Power to Tax the States • National Government was BROKE after the war!! • Could request $ from states, but it couldn’t force states to pay taxes • SO FEW STATES DID!!

11. Call for a Convention • All the problems were concerning, but Shay’s rebellion shocked Congress Call for a Convention to consider “the situation of the US” • Each state could send delegates to Philadelphia to revise the Articles • Father of the Constitution, James Madison, had been studying governments and was ready for the convention! • A nation was made up of many groups needed a strong central gov’t, or it would be torn apart!!