1. Impact of the American Revolution
America’s First Constitution

2. Articles of Confederation
Written in 1777
Governed the states during Revolution
Not finally approved until 1781
“…a firm league of friendship”
Approved the Treaty of Paris
Sanctioned the name United States of America

3. Economic Problems
Each state established tariffs on imports and duties
States charged each other tariffs
No set currency: each state printed money  Hyperinflation
Excessive imports and very little exports
Deep economic depression  high unemployment
Record number of farm foreclosures
Huge revolutionary war debts: states and national government: $65,000,000

4. Foreign Policy
Spanish control Mississippi River and closed New Orleans to U.S.
British do not leave forts
Supply Indians with arms
Congress failed to approve the Jay-Guardoqui Treaty: 1786: Spain’s right to navigate Mississippi R./Seaports to A. Shipping/Not ratified
French and British harass American shipping
Barbary pirates prey on American shipping
Individual states establish own foreign policy

5. 1781-1788 Social Problems High unemployment Shays’ Rebellion
Indian problems
Economic depression
High foreclosure rates  social unrest
Threat of military coup d’états: Newburg Conspiracy
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6. 1781-1788 Social Changes Reduction of property requirements for voting
Social hierarchies less defined (Mr. and Mrs. example)
White servitude eliminated by 1800
More separation of church and state, more religious freedom
Quakers form anti-slavery society; slavery abolished in Northern states by 1800
100,000 slaves freed in Chesapeake
Some ideas changed— REPUBLICAN MOTHERHOOD
“Remember the Ladies!”

7. Republican Motherhood
New and Important role in the New Republic
Responsible for educating children in the new “civic virtues”: common good over self-interest
Women were permitted to receive more of an education than they previously had been allowed
Mothers would encourage their sons to pursue liberty and new roles in the government, while their daughters would perpetuate the domestic sphere with the next generation
Women—no political rights, still limited to women’s work.

8. Articles of Confederation: Northwest Ordinances*
Northwest Ordinance of 1785
Surveyed the territory
Provided revenue for the government: land sales
1/36 of revenue of land sales for education
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Provided process for admission of new states
Slavery prohibited
Freedom of religion
*authored by Thomas Jefferson

9. Articles of Confederation
Had no power to tax
Hand no executive branch
No means of national defense
No court system
Each state had one vote
No way to settle disputes between states
No authority to regulate commerce and trade
Supermajority to pass laws
Unanimous consent to revise A of C
Annapolis Convention (1785)—utter failure
Shays’ Rebellion (1786) − threat of anarchy & rule by the “mobocracy”
Hamilton & Washington were alarmed by the crisis
Convention in Philadelphia –12 states show in summer of 1787
Purpose: To amend the A of C

10. Articles Assignment
Thesis

11. Thesis of Articles
Although the Articles concluded a favorable peace with Britain and established wise policy for the N.W. Territory, its structural defects made solution of domestic and foreign problems almost impossible.