LESSON 5 Shaping a New Nation How did the Articles of Confederation both fail and succeed as our first government?

America: One Nation, or Thirteen?

Were the colonies ready to come together? I. THE CRITICAL PERIOD ( ) A. America: One nation, or thirteen? THINGS THAT UNIFIED THE COLONIESTHINGS THAT KEPT THEM APART  Common language  Common culture  Single geographic unit  No hostility towards each other  Strong state loyalties  Limited contact due to poor transportation  Not economically dependent on each other for trade  No common enemy anymore

B. Issues the colonies had to resolve after the Revolution 1. Who was equal? 2. Should the church be linked to the state? 3. Where did slavery fit in the new United States? 4. How much power should a government have? Were the colonies ready to come together?

How did democracy begin in the states? C.STATE GOVERNMENT: The First Constitutions 1.Constitutions were written and faced popular ratification 2.States pursued likewise goals Legislatures given sweeping powers Annual elections for representatives Limits to executive power  weaker governors Fundamental rights spelled out End to state-dominated churches 3.Problem: Dominated by elites ELITES: Wealthy, experienced, powerful members of society Protection against mobocracy: They didn’t want the average man to rule  they were too dumb and too emotional! Protection of economic gains

The Articles of Confederation: First attempt at unifying the colonies II. THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION (1781) A. Loose confederation to protect states’ individual sovereignty B. Chief problem: claims on western lands C. Focus on preventing strong executive D. Immediately challenged and proven weak Shays’ Rebellion ( ): Revolt of farmers in Western Massachusetts that could not be put down by state government CONFEDERATION: A loose union of states Shay’s Rebellion

How should the Articles be judged? STRENGTHSWEAKNESSES  Attempt at unity at least by name  Proved states could give up sovereignty (independence)  Provided for growth of nation 1. LAND ORDINANCE (1785): Helped divide western territory into townships 2. NORTHWEST ORDINANCE (1787) – Divided Northwest Territory into five territories – Provided guidelines for establishing legislatures and granting statehood  Congress: unicameral legislature (one house)  Unanimous vote for passing amendments  No executive or judicial branches  No power to tax  State refusal to contribute money  No control over commerce  No military  Congress could not control interstate trade (between states)  Congress could not control foreign trade