State Governments & the Articles of Confederation Created by Mr. Johnson
State Governments
Virginia Declaration of Rights Written by George Mason Natural rights Consent of governed Separation of powers Limited government Model for Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights
Va. Statute of Religious Freedom Written by Thomas Jefferson Disestablishment of Anglican Church Free exercise of religion Model for 1st Amendment
Other State Constitutions Bills of Rights Property requirements for voting (but lowered) Frequent elections of legislators Weak executive and judicial branches Relocation of state capitals to interior Safety from coastal attack Population expanding westward
Articles of Confederation: Overview
Articles of Confederation 2nd Continental Congress 1777 Loose association 1 branch only… legislative One vote per state Laws must pass a 3/4 vote Amendments must be unanimous
Articles of Confederation: Accomplishments
Continental Army
State Claims to Western Lands
Land Ordinance of 1785
Land Ordinance of 1785 Surveys Sale of public lands Pay off national debt Orderly settlement 16th section… funding for public education
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Territories become full states No new slavery in the northwest
Northwest Indian War
Indian Land Cessions
Articles of Confederation: Failures
Failures of the AoC
Interstate Commerce & Foreign Tariffs
Taxation
Currency Problems
Foreign Threats Britain Britain
Foreign Threats Indians
Foreign Threats Spain Spain
Foreign Threats Barbary Pirates
Franco-American Alliance?
Shays’ Rebellion
Shays’ Rebellion
Military Response
Constitutional Convention, 1787