 During the Revolution most states wrote their own constitutions  Constitution: a document that sets out the laws and principles of a government

 States wanted written constitutions for 2 reason  Spelled out the right of all citizens  Set limits on the power of government  States often followed the basic of their colonial charters which written according to English law

 States divided the power of government between a legislature and an executive  Concerned with putting too much power in the hands of a few people  Every state had a legislature to pass laws › Elected by voters › Divided amongst an upper house called a senate and lower house  Every state (except PA ) had a governor : to execute or carry out the laws

 Bill of rights: lists freedoms that the government promises to protect  Started in Virginia (religion, press, trial by jury)

 More people could vote than in colonial times › White, male, citizen, over age 21, own a certain amount of property or pay a certain amount of taxes › Few states allowed free blacks to vote › For a time, NJ allowed women to vote

 Continental Congress drafted a plan for the nation as a whole  Feared they colonies could not succeed in their struggle for independence without a national government

 Citizens felt loyal to their own states and not fell like citizens of one nation  States were unwilling to turn over power to the national government  They feared a strong government rule like that of the British

 Articles of Confederation: first American constitution written by the Continental Congress in 1777 › Created a “firm league of friendship” among the 13 states › Each state would send a delegate to a Confederation Congress › Each state had one vote in Congress

 Congressional Power › pass laws with 9 out of 13 states approval › declare war › Appoint military officers › Coin money

 Congressional Limits › not regulate trade between states or states and foreign countries › not pass laws regarding taxes  To raise money Congress had to ask the states for it and states could not be forced to contribute

 National government powers were weak compared to those of the states

 The Articles did not provide for a president to carry out laws  States enforced laws passed by Congress  Many disputes arose between states › Article did not set up a system of courts to settle disputes

 Maryland refused to ratify The Articles until all land from the Appalachian Mountain to the Mississippi River was turned over to the federal government  MD worried that states would become too powerful if they were allowed to keep their land

 All states eventually accept MD demand except VA  In VA, Thomas Jefferson and other leaders believed a national government was needed and convinced VA lawmakers to give up their land claims.  1781 MD ratified the Articles of Confederation and the first American government went into effect

 Troubles with Money › The U.S. owed millions of dollars borrowed during the Revolutionary War › Congress could not tax the states only ask for money › States often turned Congress down

 Printed money call “Continental” had no gold or silver to back up its worth  States began printing their own money  Confusing; whose dollars were worth what?  States often refused to accept other states money  Made trade difficult

 NY and NH both claimed Vermont  States had no way to settle their disputes under the Articles of Confederation  Foreign countries took advantage of the U.S. weaknesses › Britain refused to withdraw troops from the Ohio Valley as agreed to in the Treaty of Paris › Spain closed its port in New Orleans to farmers in the western lands

 Articles said nothing about admitting new states to the U.S.  Congress passed two laws concerning the Northwest Territory: lands lying north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi

1. Land Ordinance of 1785: system for settling the Northwest territory  The land would be surveyed and divided into townships  Each township had 36 sections  Each section was 1 square mile= 640 acres each  Congress planned to sell each section for $  One section in each townships was set aside to create public schools

2. Northwest Ordinance  Set up a government for the Northwest territory  Outlawed slavery  Provided for three vast area to be divided into 3 to 5 territories in the future  When a territory had 60,000 free settlers they could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state

 In time 5 states would be carved out of the Northwest Territory  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin

 Economic depression: A period when business activity slows, prices and wages fall, and unemployment rises

 Demand for farm products was high during the war  As soldiers returned home, demand fell  Massachusetts raised farmers’ taxes › Courts seized farms when they could not pay taxes › Farmers protested

 Daniels Shay’s Rebellion: Massachusetts farmer gathers nearly 2,000 farmers and attacked courthouses preventing the sale of property for debt  Massachusetts sent militia to end the rebellion

 American’s saw Shay’s Rebellion as a sign the Articles of Confederation did not work  Several States called for a convention in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation