Creating the Constitution

2 The Articles of Confederation During the Revolution, the new United States needed a functioning government Modeled after colonial governments States would retain sovereignty

3 A Limited Government Articles established a “ firm league of friendship ” among the states Bills were passed on nine of thirteen votes

4 Structure of Government Unicameral (single house) legislative body Each state had one vote regardless… Congress given sole authority to govern the country An executive committee oversaw government when Congress was not in session Congress would establish…

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6 Powers Granted to Government under the Articles of Confederation Declare war and make peace Make treaties with foreign countries Establish… Appoint high-ranking military officials Requisition, print, and… Establish weights and measures Hear disputes among the states related to trade or boundaries

7 Powers Denied to Government No power to raise funds for an army or navy No power to… No executive branch… No power to control trade among the states No power to force states to honor obligations No power to regulate…

8 Problems Facing the New Nation Trade with foreign nations Financing the nation Foreign relations Interstate relations A 1783 cartoon satirizing relations between Britain and America

9 Problems with Trade U.S. no longer the favorite trading partner of Great Britain –U.S. exports to British ports had to be on British ships –Many U.S.-produced goods were barred from British ports –Britain sent vast amounts of cheap goods to U.S. Potential Remedy –Establish a tariff on British goods Weakness in Articles of Confederation preventing this solution

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Weakness 1.No power to tax 2.No national executive 3.Unicameral legislature 4.No judicial/national court No checks & balances! Result

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Weaknesses 5.No regulation of commerce 6.No power to maintain army 7.Government dominated by states 5.Need 9/13 to pass a law & unanimous consent to amend Results

Other Problems under Confederated Government States were issuing their own paper money but inflation soon made it worthless Post war depression hurt small businesses and lowered prices farmers received for their crops which left farmers unable to pay debts. In Mass. farmers attacked courthouses to prevent judges from foreclosing on farmers – Shay ’ s Rebellion.

Other Problems under Confederated Government Some of the economic elite in other states feared more attacks like Shay ’ s Rebellion where the people had taken the law into their hands and violated the property rights of others.

Other Problems under Confederated Government Neither Congress nor Mass. was not able to pay for a militia to stop the rebellion – privately paid forces had to do the job. All this fueled the dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation.

How the Constitution addressed the problems of the Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Weakness 1.No power to tax 2.No national executive 3.Unicameral legislature 4.No judicial/national court Solution

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Weaknesses 5.No regulation of commerce 6.No power to maintain army 7.Government dominated by states 8.Need 9/13 to pass a law & unanimous consent to amend Solutions