Articles of Confederation

EQ: In what ways were the Articles of Confederation too weak to govern the United States of America?

Vocabulary Antifederalists Articles of Confederation Bill of Rights Constitutional Convention Federalism Federalist Great Compromise Land Ordinance of 1785 New Jersey Plan Northwest Ordinance Republic Shay’s Rebellion Three-Fifths Compromise Virginia Plan

“United we stand, divided we fall.” Silas Deane

Articles of Confederation Questions about the new government arose in the creation of the Articles. How many votes should each state have (1 per state, or based on population) Should individual states or the national government control western lands? In order for all the states to ratify the A.O.C., all states forfeited their claims to western lands.

Powers of the Articles of Confederation States Powers National Powers Set taxes Wage war Enforce laws Make peace Control western lands Sign treaties Have 1 vote in congress Issue money

Moving West Move West beyond the Proclamation Line of 1763 Land Ordinance of 1785- stakes out 6 mile square plots in the West

Northwest Ordinance- 5,000 free males, who own at least 50 acres= elect an assembly 60,000 people in the territory= apply to become a state Slavery outlawed Rivers open to navigation Freedom of religion Trial by jury Creates an order in creating our nation

Weaknesses v. Successes of the A.O.C. Lacked power to enforce laws Governed the nation during the Revolutionary War Lacked power to levy taxes Negotiated the Treaty of Paris at the end of the war Lacked power to regulate trade between states Passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 Required all 13 states to approve changes in the A.O.C. Passed the Northwest Ordinance (1787)

Do the weaknesses of the Articles make it necessary for the states to come together and create a new form of government? Why? Why not?

Shay’s Rebellion Massachusetts in an effort to pay off the war debt had high taxes Most farmers could not pay off their individual debt They would lose their lands and go to jail if they couldn’t pay off the debt Daniel Shay led a group 1,500 men in rebellion (rebellion was very short lived.) Showed the need for the national government to have more power