Origins of American Government Chapter 2

Section 3 The Critical Period

The Articles of Confederation Creation: By the Second Continental Congress; during the American Revolution in 1777. Purpose: Diplomatic Relations; and to Regulate Relations Among States Structure: Unicameral Congress; Each State had 1 vote; Delegates selected by state legislatures; No executive or judicial structure

Powers of Congress under Articles of Confederation Declare war Make peace Diplomacy Make treaties Borrow money Establish money system Establish post offices Build a Navy Raise an Army by asking states for troops Fix standards of weights and measures Settle disputes amongst the states

States’ Obligations Obey Congressional decisions. Provide funds Provide troops Full faith and credit Surrender fugitives from other states to one another Submit disputes between states to Congress Allow open and free travel and trade

Articles’ Weaknesses One vote for each state Congress could not lay and collect taxes Congress could not regulate trade No executive powers No judicial powers Could only be amended with unanimous consent 9/13 majority to pass laws Forms only a “firm league of friendship”

The Critical Period, The 1780s The end of the Revolutionary War in 1781 brought the nation’s weaknesses forward. Union devolved into 13 separate independently operating, bickering nations. States refused to support central government Made independent agreements with foreign nations Organized their own militaries Taxed one another’s goods Printed their own money Failed to pay their debts as inflation soared

Shays’s Rebellion Early economic problems Individuals lose their property to debtors Fall of 1786, Individuals formed an uprising under Daniel Shays Mob attacked courts; forcing them to close and halt their foreclosure proceedings. Later Shays led an unsuccessful attack on a federal arsenal in Springfield, Mass. State militia confronted Shays‘s forces and put down the rebellion.

A Need for Stronger Government Demand grew for a stronger, more effective central government. Wealthy merchants, large property owners, and creditors took the lead. In 1786, various states attempted to resolve disputes amongst themselves at Mount Vernon and Annapolis. In 1787, several states and Congress called on the states to send delegates to Philadelphia “… for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation”