CONFEDERATION TO CONSTITUTION CHAPTER 8

ESSENTIAL QUESTION HOW DID AMERICANS CREATE A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT RESPECTED BOTH THE INDEPENDENCE OF STATES AND THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS?

CHAPTER 8-1 THE CONFEDERATION ERA

FORMING A NEW GOVERNMENT

REPUBLICANISM American leaders felt people needed to exercise control over their government It was decided the new nation would be a REPUBLIC But not all people had right to vote – property ownership, white males, no African Americans, no women

STATE CONSITUTIONS LED THE WAY After American colonies declared Independence in 1776, each state created it’s own government Some states: Different powers to different parts of government Limit power of governor Bill of Rights – freedoms to protect Knew they need to unite as a nation BY UNITING WE STAND, BY DIVIDING WE FALL

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION National Government would be run by a legislative body called the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Each state had just one vote The Articles left the most important powers to the States

GRANTED Conduct foreign affairs Declare War & make Peace Issue or Borrow Money Control Western Territories Control Indian Affairs Run Postal Service DENIED Establish Executive Branch Enforce National Laws Enact & Collect Taxes Regulate Interstate or foreign trade Establish Federal Courts Amend the Articles CONTINENTAL CONGRESS POWERS

THE ARTICLES ARE RATIFIED November 1777 – Continental Congress complete Articles and send to states July 1778 – Eight states had ratified (approved) the Articles 1781 –Maryland became 13 th state to ratify U.S. FINALLY HAD AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT! Why some states take longer? Some smaller states without borders to the Western lands worried that unless Western lands placed under national gov’t control they would be less powerful.

STRENGHTS & WEAKNESSES OF THE ARTICLES

LAND ORDINANCE OF 1785 Surveyors stake out six-mile-square plots – townships – in Western lands These called Northwest Territories – Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota

NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 Outlined how Northwest Territory to be governed When 5,000 free adult males in area, the men who owned 50 acres of land could elect an assembly When 60,000 people, they could become a new state Slavery outlawed Rivers open for navigation to all Freedom of Religion Trial by Jury guaranteed A MODEL FOR ORDERLY GROWTH OF TERRITORIES

NATIVE AMERICANS They were promised fair treatment – They were promised their land would not be taken from them – BUT – increased contact between settlers and natives – territorial conflicts not easily resolved

PROBLEMS WITH BRITAIN & SPAIN Britain refused to evacuate military forts by Great Lakes – competing with fur trade Britain barred US ships from British waters in Caribbean Spain also barriers to US shipping in Caribbean Spain refused to let US use Mississippi River and New Orleans Spain & Continental Congress argued over Florida boundaries REVEALED WEAKNESS OF U.S. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

ECONOMIC CRISIS CONFEDERATION’S Debt was money owed to soldiers – but no power to levy taxes States had their own debts to pay and would not help national gov’t People couldn’t afford taxes 300 soldiers demonstrated in Pennsylvania – delegates forces to flee

SHAY’S REBELLION Massachusetts - highest taxes January 1787 – Shays led a march on federal arsenal 1000 soldiers from state militia quickly defeated Shays and his me n AMERICA REALIZED – and uprising of common farmers spelled danger for the nation May be solved if give more power to National Gov’t