The Critical Period (Chapter 2, Section 3)

The Articles of Confederation  Congress debated for 17 months on how to unite the former colonies (now states)  Approved on November 15, 1777 but not enacted until March 1, 1781  Established a “firm league of friendship” among the states – Is this really effective? Why or why not? – Each state kept its own powers  The states would come together for their common defense and mutual welfare

The Articles of Confederation  Ratification (formal approval) was needed by the states  11 out of 13 states ratified it within one year  Delaware approved it in February of 1779  Maryland approved it on March 1, 1781, and the Second Continental Congress declared the Articles effective on that date

Weaknesses of the Articles  Only a “firm league of friendship” among states  Only one vote for each State, regardless of size  Congress could make war and peace, send and receive ambassadors, make treaties, borrow money, establish post offices  Congress powerless to levy taxes  Congress powerless to regulate commerce/trade  No executive power to enforce acts of Congress  No national court system  Amendments require the consent of ALL states, not just a majority  A 9/13 majority was required to pass laws  States had a lot of power and were primarily responsible for protecting life and property and for promoting the safety and happiness of the people

The Critical Period  States argued amongst themselves, and there was no central government to mediate  States started refusing to support the weak central government, and some states went so far as to make agreements with foreign countries without the approval of Congress  Most states organized their own military forces  States taxed one another’s goods and banned some trade  States printed their own money  Prices increased, debts skyrocketed, violence broke out

The Critical Period Western Massachusetts – Shays’ Rebellion –As economic conditions worsened, property holders (small farmers) began to lose their land and possessions due to non-payment of taxes and other debt –Fall of 1786, Daniel Shays led an armed uprising that forced many State judges to close their courts –The rebellion was hard to put down because there was not a strong central government –Massachusetts Legislature eventually passed laws to ease the burden of debtors

A Need for Stronger Government  Under the Articles, the government was unable to deal with the nation’s troubles  Mount Vernon – Maryland and Virginia took 1 st step towards change  The two states agreed to resolve conflicts over commerce and navigation on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay  Representatives from each of the two states met at George Washington’s home (Mount Vernon)  The meeting was successful and the Virginia General Assembly called for “a joint meeting of the States to consider and recommend a federal plan for regulating commerce.”

A Need for Stronger Government  Annapolis – Representatives from only 5 states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia  Alexander Hamilton (New York) and James Madison (Virginia) persuaded those in attendance to call for another meeting of the States  Min-February of 1787, Seven States named delegates to the meeting in Philadelphia  The Philadelphia Meeting became known as the Constitutional Convention  Originally meant to redesign the Articles of Confederation but evolved into a meeting to create an entirely new kind of Government for the United States of America