Aim: Why were the Articles of Confederation so weak and ineffectual? Warm Up: After the treaty of Paris, what would be some challenges that the new nation would face?

FREEDOM Americans won their independence but what did that mean? Were all men really equal? What about women? What about slavery? Not quite No state south of PA would abolish slavery Laws discriminated against free blacks and slaves

Republican Motherhood Women’s equality? Abigail Adams and “remember the ladies?” No: Women will not have the right to vote, however, women play a key role in the development of American democracy It’s women’s job to raise good sons who understand the special responsibilities that the right to vote contains

New State Constitutions In 1776 Continental Congress asked states to draft constitutions: Establish republican government Constitutions were became social contracts that defined the powers of government and reserved rights to the people Required annual election of legislators

Challenges to Union Had just fought a revolution against authority Fought for freedom but only white men with property had it Substantial loyalist population No manufacturing base Loss of British military protection and economic base

Articles of Confederation By 1777 the Continental Congress had written and ratified in 1781 the Articles of Confederation Would turn new Western lands over to Federal government to avoid states from fighting over new lands New lands to bound the country together, Federal government is necesary

Problems with the Articles Congress was to be the main force of Government No Executive Branch, distaste for a central gvt. After Revolution Each state would have one vote, regardless of population Bills required support of 9 states, any change to the Articles had to but Unanimous No power to regulate Commerce States could pass their own laws that could conflict with other states Could not Control No military power and could not force individual states to do anything No judiciary Loose organization of mostly independent States Seen as necessary but not desirable to be together

Northwest Ordinance What to do with common areas in the North=west: fertile area around the Great Lakes Land Ordinance of 1785: Sell land and the proceeds be used to pay off national debt Survey before sell to ensure fair price Set aside townships of six square miles each, 1/16 of sale to be used for education in NW Northwest Ordinance 1787 How to govern Northwest? Established a territorial stage where territory would be subject to the Federal government Once 60,000 inhabitance in a territory, the territory could apply for full and equal statehood into the country

Foreign Relations Britain resented America fighting British Refused to send an Ambassador Brits shut America out of its profitable trade network, Still Americans smuggled US refused to honor debts or to return loyalist property Britain continued to maintain trading posts and forts on US soil Spain controlled Mississippi and was unfriendly to US, closing river in 1784 to US commerce French demanded repayment of loans Pirates in N. Africa prayed on US shipping no longer protected from British fleet

Economic Situation Some states refused to pay to Congress States were quarrelling over boarders and some battles erupted. Some states were taxing their neighbors for commerce States began to print worthless paper money Worry existed about governments ability to control the situation

Shays Rebellion 1786: Western Mass. Poor farmers who had fought in the Revolution were losing their farms due to mortgage foreclosures and tax delinquencies Farmers demanded lighter taxes and suspension of take-over Mass responded with an army and fought the farmers back Idea that the government was no longer meeting the needs of the people and the masses may soon raise up! Call for change