The early years of the United States Building a Nation The early years of the United States

After the States declared Independence, they needed to form a new government

Each state had its own Republican form of government

What is a Republic?? When people choose representatives to make the laws

Articles of Confederation The plan for a national government, called the Articles of Confederation, was written in 1776

Around this time, Daniel Boone and other trailblazers crossed the Appalachian Mountains into Kentucky on the Wilderness Road.

Revolution The States were governed by the Articles of Confederation during the War for Independence The governing body was called the Continental Congress

The states held most of the power The national government had very little power Each state had one vote

The newly formed United States won the war with Britain American soldier, 1776

The Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris in 1783.

The British recognized the Independence of the United States

Western expansion nearly doubled the size of the United States

But, what to do with the new land in the west?

The Land Ordinance of 1785 Divided the land into townships The land became known as the Northwest territory The Northwest Ordinance described how the land would be governed

Problems? Debt The war for Independence was expensive The national government had no way to raise money to pay for it The states had very little money to give to the national government

Shays’s Rebellion 1787 Farmers protest unfair taxes Led by Daniel Shays The rebellion was put down by Massachusetts militia – the very men who had fought King George over unfair taxes

People knew they needed a stronger national government