1. Articles vs. Constitution
Similarities & Differences

2. Essential Question
What were the major successes of the Articles of Confederation?
How were the governments established by the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution similar and different?

3. Essential Question
What were the major successes of the Articles of Confederation?

4. Articles of Confederation
John Dickinson’s plan for central government
Proposed cession of West to Congress opposed
Proposed equality in state representation opposed
Articles of Confederation severely limited central government’s authority over states
At the time the Articles were developed and put in place, our main concern was winning a war not setting up a national government. 11

5. Articles of Confederation: Central Government Structure and Power
Each state had one vote
Could send two to seven representatives
No Executive Branch
No Judicial Branch
No taxing power
Amendments required unanimity
In charge of foreign and Native American relations, military, and disputes between states
No western lands

6. Western Land: Key to the First Constitution
Native Americans lost out when British left
1781—Virginia took lead in ceding western claims to Congress
Other states ceded claims to Congress
Congress gained ownership of all land west of Appalachians
This was a major development for the future of the country. 12

7. Western Land Claims Ceded by the States

8. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Land Ordinance
Orderly division of land into sections and townships
One section set aside to finance school system
Land to sell for minimum of $1 gold per acre
Speculation
Manasseh Cutler and the Ohio Company 13

9. Land Ordinance of 1785 13

10. Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation’s Major Achievement
Created three to five new territories in Northwest
Population of 5000 may elect Assembly
Population of 60,000 may petition for statehood
Bill of Rights provided
Slavery outlawed
South of the Ohio River
Settlement more chaotic
Daniel Boone and Kentucky
State of Franklin

11. Northwest Territory

12. The Nationalist Critique
Restoration of trade with Britain caused trade deficit and hard currency shortage
Congress unable to address trade, inflation, and debt
Congress had no power to tax
Nationalists versus localists
Failure to pay soldiers sparked “Newburgh Conspiracy” (squelched by Washington)
Failure of reform prompted nationalists to consider Articles hopelessly defective 15

13. Diplomatic Humiliation
Congress failed to get states to collect debts owed British merchants
In retaliation, British refused to evacuate Ohio River Valley
Spain closed New Orleans to American commerce in 1784
John Jay to negotiate re-opening Mississippi
Instead signed treaty favoring Northeast
West and South denounced, Congress rejected Jay-Gardoqui Treaty 16

14. Need to Stronger Federal Authority
Dissatisfaction with Confederation
Economic recovery after the Revolution slow
People thought stronger central government would restore economic growth
Fear of rebellion by the lower classes 14

15. Now it’s Your Turn!
On a separate piece of paper, Create a Venn Diagram showing the similarities and differences between the Articles of Confederation & the US Constitution. Label each part of the diagram.

16. Similarities
Neither wanted one person to have too much power. (Why not?)
Both created a representative form of government
Both had a Legislative Branch

18. Articles of Confederation
Differences
Articles of Confederation
US Constitution
States’ power stronger than central power
Unicameral (one legislative body)
Did not include protection of human rights
Central government did not have the power to tax
Central power stronger than states’ power
Bicameral (two legislative bodies)
Included protection of human rights (Bill of Rights)
Included an executive & judicial branch
Created a federal system where the central government is supreme