Understanding the Articles of Confederation The “Critical Period” in American governing.

Barrack Obama and the U.S Legislature Central government Mayor Oscar Lesser and E.P’s city council Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature Continental Congress The name of the government created by the Articles of Confederation Confederation Congress Parliament Land that makes up present stats of Oregon, Washington Northwest Territory Land that makes up the present day states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin Land that makes up the present day states of New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Utah Structure of Government The way a nations divides its powers and responsibilities among its various agencies or branches Functions of government Rights and Responsibilities of government

Articles of Confederation Strengths & Accomplishments Weaknesses Problems caused by the Articles of Confederation States were given equal treatment in congress Negotiated the end of the American Revolution with the signing of Treaty of Paris. Est. idea of limited government Est. ideas that Americans had privileges and immunities rights Citizens could do things w/o the fear of being punished by the government. Could not collect taxes, therefore, the government was broke. Relied on states to enforce their laws, this didn’t always happen. Could not regulate trade between states, so states often fought, and the government couldn’t stop them from doing so. Passed two important laws dealing with western expansion, they were the Land and Northwest Ordinance. Because the central government could not collect taxes, they could not repay the War debt. The nation’s economy suffered Shays’ Rebellion

State Governments National Governments When the Articles of Confederation were created, the memory of British Rule was still fresh In the minds of many colonist. Therefore, they purposefully made the National government weak in comparison to their State governments. States leaders where happy with this arrangement because it meant that the national government could not tell states what to do. The National government needed the support from the state governments in order to survive, state governments did not need the National government.

Structure of Government Articles of Confederation One Branch - Legislative U.S Constitution Three Branches – Legislative, Judicial, Executive One Branch – One house legislature One vote per state No executive – President No national courts Three Branches Legislative – two houses Executive – President Judicial – Supreme Court

The Northwest Territory and Western Expansion The Northwest Territory was the unsettled lands the United States controlled after the American Revolution. This land makes up the present day states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The problem that was created by these lands is that many of the states were fighting over who would control these lands. The solution came from the Confederation Congress, they passed the Land Ordinance of 1785, and the Northwest Ordinance of The Land Ordinance allowed the National government to take control of the land, they then measured it into sellable plots of land. The Northwest Ordinance was a law that described the type of government a territory could have based on its population, and established basic rights for all people in the Northwest Territory. Among those rights were freedom of religion, a trial by jury, and a ban on slavery.

Factors that led to Shay’s Rebellion CauseEffect National currency was worthlessEconomy suffered, there was not a lot of money circulating, times were hard for everyone. The Confederation Congress did not have the power to collect taxes from the states. The National Government was broke, they could not repay the war debt. The Confederation Congress could not collect taxes from the states. Each state then became responsible for paying their share of the war debt. Massachusetts passed high taxes so they could pay their portion of the debt quickly. Many people, mostly western farmers, were unable to pay their taxes. Massachusetts passed a law allowing the government to seize property of people who could not pay their taxes. Their property would be sold at auction, if the money raised could not cover the cost, then that person was set to jail. Many western farmers lost their land, and property and were placed in jail. Some farmers organized and rallied against the government Tensions rose between western farmers and the Massachusetts state government.