Government By the States

Essential Questions Describe the early government of the united states. What were some reasons for opposition to the Articles of Confederation? What were the causes and effects of Shays' Rebellion? Ch. 5-1

Key Terms Articles of Confederation legislative branch executive branch judicial branch constitution democracy republic Shays' Rebellion specie

The Articles of Confederation In 1777, after they wrote the Declaration of Independence, the 2nd Continental Congress also wrote a plan for government. Approved in 1781, the Articles created a limited national government.

Articles of Confederation The Articles created a government with one branch: a legislative branch, which makes laws. The Legislature also performed the duties of an Executive branch, which carries out laws. The states each had their own Judicial branch, or court system. There was no national court system. The states ran most things on their own; their state constitutions were much more important.

The Articles of Confederation

Democracy vs. Republic In a Democracy, the people vote to make decisions about government. More people are involved in decisions. All the people vote together. A Republic is a kind of democracy, where people vote to elect representatives to make decisions. Less people are involved in decisions. People in states or regions vote separately.

Opposition to the Articles One vote for each state, regardless of population. Congress cannot collect taxes. Congress cannot regulate business between states. No national court system. Amendments require permission of every state. Passing laws requires agreements by 9 of 13. The poor and uneducated get to make decisions. No way to deal with debts.

Nationalists People who wanted to strengthen the central government were called Nationalists – they wanted a stronger national government. Others –sometimes called Localists – wanted a weak central government, and were happy to have the state governments in charge.

Shays' Rebellion In August of 1786, a rebellion in western Massachusetts convinced nationalists they had to improve the government.

Shays' Rebellion The borrowing during the war caused a bad situation: -There was a shortage of hard money. -People who had loaned the governments money wanted to be paid back. Meanwhile, farmers who had fought in the war had gone back to farming.

Shays' Rebellion Get That Money! To pay back the lenders, state governments began requiring the farmers to make tax payments in gold or silver coins*. This was difficult, because metal coin money was scarce - most farmers just traded crops for supplies. *This is called “specie” currency – it has its own value.

We'll get out money, one way or another! Shays' Rebellion We'll get out money, one way or another! When the farmers couldn't pay, they had to go to court, where they had their farms taken by the government. So the farmers got their guns and closed the courthouse so nobody else could have their farm taken away.

Shays' Rebellion The lenders were furious, but the state couldn't do anything – they didn't have an army anymore. The federal government didn't have the power to stop the rebels either. The rebels, led by a veteran of the Revolution named Daniel Shays, were chased out of Massachusetts by a hired army. This proved that the Articles of Confederation were ineffective and needed to be improved.