The Articles of Confederation: Our First System of Government

Forgotten Presidents? John Hanson (1781) Elisa Boudinot (1782) Thomas Miffin (1783) Richard Henry Lee (1784) John Hancock (1785) Nathaniel Gorham (1786) Arthur St. Clair (1787) Cyrus Griffin (1788)

Timeline 1775 = First shots of the Revolution 1776 = Declaration of Independence 1778 = Articles of Confederation is drafted 1781 = Victory at Yorktown 1781 = Articles of Confederation is finally ratified by the states 1787 = Constitutional Convention in Philly

A Loose Alliance The Articles of Confederation = first written national government Very limited power Most people identify with their states Very local interests

What you need to know… How did the early government of the US function? What were some of the major problems with the first system of government? What issues brought about the need for a new government?

How the Articles of Confederation Operated Unicameral system Each state had 2 to 7 delegates, but the state only had one vote Two-thirds of the states were required to pass laws Any amendments required a unanimous vote Continental Congress had few powers Two major powers that it lacked: power to tax and the power to regulate commerce

State Governments Each state had it’s own Constitution State gov’t had more power than the nat’l government Each state had it’s own currency State gov’t had the power to tax State militias Bottom line: state government is much more powerful

Failures of the Articles

Problems No national currency Boundary disputes between states

More Problems Tariffs between the states No national army No court system No chief executive Inability to collect taxes = can’t repay debts from the Revolutionary War

The Nationalists By the 1780s, a group called “The Nationalists” emerged Wanted to strengthen the national government Who were they? Former military officers, members of the Continental Congress, wealthy landowners, lawyers, etc. Feared chaos

Shays’ Rebellion Wealthy loaned huge sums of $$$ to the states to help finance the Revolution Wanted repayment = convinced state leaders to raise taxes In Massachusetts, taxes could only be paid in gold and silver, which many western farmers did not have Farmers wanted to use paper currency like other states State legislature refuses to back down; property begins to be seized

Farmers Revolt Led by Daniel Shays, farmers decide to take up arms They scare off the tax collectors Riots Seize a gun depot in Springfield, MA Refuse to pay these taxes State militia has to put down this rebellion

Time for a meeting of the Minds Annapolis Convention (1786) = only a few states attend Constitutional Convention (1787) = 12 of the 13 send delegates to Philly