Chapter 32 Experimenting with a Nation

What takes longer, destroying or building? Examples???

ARTICLES of CONFEDERATION This plan of government intentionally makes the central government very weak! – Why would this be desirable? Who was our nation’s first President? – John Hanson – November 5, 1781 (President of Congress) – Have you heard of him? Why not?

What problems did we have with the Articles of Confederation? States are printing their own money – Congress is also printing money States are making their own rules 11 states have their own navies – Virginia’s navy has 72 ships Congress had a smaller navy States are taxing goods from other states States are in the middle of boundary disputes – Virginia and Maryland

What problems did we have with the Articles of Confederation? REBELLION – In Massachusetts, farmers are led by Daniel Shays in an uprising against the government in Boston… storming the court house Details to come in chapter 33 There are news reports of a movement to create 3 nations out of 13 colonies Equality is good, right? – How can each state get an equal vote, considering 68,000 live in RI compared to 538,000 in VA? 1783 – Congress is chased from Philadelphia by the army… didn’t have the $ to pay salaries – Why not?

What kind of government do we want? What kind do we need? The big question…. – How do you provide freedom for each person and still have a government powerful enough to accomplish things?

There are other questions… What should our country be called? – The American Commonwealth? – The American Confederation? – The United States? At this time, most people are most loyal to their home state (not the nation). – Most prefer to think of our country as a “union” as a opposed to a “nation”

Can the “Articles” last? NO – The Articles of Confederation rule our country from 1781 to 1789

Chapter 33 Looking Northwest

READ the BOXES!!!! Daniel Shays leads a rebellion in Massachusetts – Shays fought in the Revolution – Farmers were struggling War led to high demand… farmers borrow money to buy land and plant more to supply that demand… demand drops after the war and farmers cannot pay their bills Bad weather and high taxes make things worse Farmers are going into debt and losing their farms

READ the BOXES!!!! Daniel Shays and 1200 farmers storm the courthouse to stop the foreclosures. – That’s a good way to solve the problem, right??

SOME SUCCESS!!! Big states cede western lands, ending a lot of the land disputes between states – Virginia gave up enough land to form future states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota With 60,000 people, a territory could apply for statehood Land Ordinance of 1785 established a system for dividing the land into townships – Groups of townships with enough people could eventually become states

SOME SUCCESS!!! Northwest Ordinance (1787) – Freedom of Religion – Habeas Corpus – Trial by Jury – NO SLAVERY – Public Education Read pages 152 to 153… starting with “The Northwest Ordinance….”

What about the Natives? Killed by disease and guns. Some assimilate Some flee to the west