Creating the American Republic Creating the Constitution

A Confederation of States Why it Matters After the Revolutionary War, the Patriots feared creating a strong central government. They believed a government with a strong central authority had a greater chance of becoming a tyrannical government (Great Britain). Instead, they created a new Union of loosely aligned states where the central power was limited (Confederation).

Early State Governments Upon declaring independence in 1776, the Continental Congress invited each new state to create a constitution to establish governments. All of these constitutions called for republics, or governments in which the people elect their representatives. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Early State Government The more democratic Patriots wanted to create state governments with strong legislatures and weak governors. Why? The more democratic leaders also preferred a unicameral legislature, one with a single house, whose members were elected by the people. Why? What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Early State Governments However, most states created more conservative state constitutions with bicameral legislatures. A bicameral legislature is a law making body with two houses, a Senate and a House of Representatives. Representatives were usually more common people, and Senators were usually more powerful, well-educated, and wealthy men. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Early State Governments However, both chambers were elected by common voters. These voters were usually men over 21, who owned property. In Pennsylvania, the property requirement was not necessary. There, men who paid taxes were allowed to vote. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Checkpoint Question Why did most states choose a bicameral legislature?

Checkpoint Answer To balance the power of the common people with that of the wealthy and well-educated class.

Congress Creates the Articles of Confederation In 1777, the Continental Congress drafted the original constitution for the union of states, known as the Articles of Confederation. A confederation is a league or alliance of states that agree to work together. The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates the Articles of Confederation Article II emphasized that each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States Congress. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates the Articles of Confederation The new federal or national government consisted of a congress of delegates, chosen by the state legislatures rather than by the voters (no executive branch or President). In Congress, each state had a single vote. A single vote per delegation, regardless of the size or population of the state, favored small states. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates the Articles of Confederation Congress could declared and conduct war and negotiate peace, regulate foreign affairs, and administer relations with Indian nations. However, Congress had no power to raise money through taxes. Therefore, it relied on contributions from states for revenue. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Checkpoint Question What was the structure of the new government under the Articles of Confederation?

Checkpoint Answer A Congress whose delegates were chosen by state legislatures, with no President or executive branch.

Congress Creates a Plan for Western Lands A major accomplishment of the national Congress under the Articles of Confederation was a creation of a plan for both settling and governing the Northwest Territory. The Northwest Territory was acquired from the British after the Revolutionary War. It included the area north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania to the Mississippi River. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates a Plan for Western Lands Congress wanted to sell the land to settlers to raise revenue for the national government (remember: Congress couldn’t tax to raise revenue). In the Land Ordinance of 1785, all lands was divided into townships, each six square miles. They then subdivided each township into 36 “sections” of one square mile (640 acres) to be sold for at least one dollar per acre. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates a Plan for Western Lands The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided government for the western territory. A territorial governor, secretary, and three judges were appointed to each new territory by Congress. Once a territory had 5,000 residence, they could establish an elected assembly. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Congress Creates a Plan for Western Lands When the population reached 60,000, the residence could request admission to the Union as a state on equal terms with the original 13 states, provided the new state adopted a republican constitution. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Checkpoint Question What were the plans for settling and governing the Northwest Territory under the Articles of Confederation?

Checkpoint Answer The Land Ordinance of 1785 outlined system for distributing public land, and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 provided a government for the lands.

Conflicts with Spain and Britain The Americans could import all the British manufactured goods they wanted, but they could no longer freely send ships and products to trade with the British West Indies—the most important market for American fish, lumber, and grain. Finally, the British embarrassed the Confederation by keeping frontier forts on the American side of the boundary set by the peace treaty. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Conflicts with Spain and Britain Spain and Britain wanted to isolate and keep America weak. They did this by not allowing Americans to gain from trade. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Checkpoint Question What Spanish and British actions showed that they did not take the new American nation seriously?

Checkpoint Answer The Spanish closed New Orleans to American Trade, and the British stopped direct trade with the West Indies and kept forts inside America.

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation Under the Articles, the federal Congress could not establish a common currency, nor could it regulate interstate commerce, or levy taxes. Congress relied solely on money contributions from the states. Without money, the federal government could not fund its immense war debt. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation Each state had only one vote in Congress, regardless of its size. A two-thirds majority (9 out of 13 states) was required to pass law. Articles could only be amended with the consent of all states. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation There was no separate executive branch (President) to enforce acts of Congress. There was no system of federal courts. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation In 1787, Daniel Shays, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, led about 1,000 farmers to seize weapons from the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. They did this in an attempt to shut the courts in western Massachusetts. They did this because Massachusetts courts were putting people in prison for having debt. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation Debt was increasing in the state because the British were closing their ports to American goods and charging a much higher price for manufactured goods exported to America. As a result, merchants were insisting on payment for goods that were sold to farmers through financing. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation These merchants insisted that they receive payment or the debtor should go to prison. Massachusetts raised an army, which marched to suppress what became known as Shays’ Rebellion. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation Most other states avoided rebellion by satisfying their debtors with relief measures. Some of these measured included printing more money, which created hyper inflation. The lack of uniformity to solving these problems and the lack of a cohesive central monetary policy lead some to believe that it was time for a stronger central government. What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?

Checkpoint Question What events suggested that a stronger national government was necessary?

Checkpoint Answer Congress was unable to raise the money it needed to pay the country’s war debts. British policies on U.S. trade weakened the U.S. economy, which caused farmers to revolt in an effort to save their properties from foreclosures.