1. The Confederation era
Chapter 8, Section 1

2. Wilderness Road – the trail into Kentucky that woodsman Daniel Boone helped to build
Republic – a government in which people elect representatives to govern for them
Articles of Confederation – a document, adopted by the Continental Congress in and finally approved by the states in 1781, that outlined the form of government of the new United States
Land Ordinance of 1785 – a law that established a plan for surveying and selling the federally owned lands west of the Appalachian Mountains
Northwest Territory – territory covered by the Land Ordinance of 1785, which included land that formed the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota
Northwest Ordinance – it described how the Northwest Territory was to be governed and set conditions for settlement and settlers’ rights
Shays’s Rebellion – an uprising of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers in 1787
Key terms

3. These questions focus on the challenges faced by the new nation.
1. Look at the map on the right (also on page 223). What kinds of problems do you think might be caused by conflicted state claims to new territories?
2. How do you think those conflicting claims could be resolved?
Bell ringer

4. Objectives Discuss the ideas that guided the new state governments.
Describe the government under the Articles of Confederation.
Explain the Ordinances of 1785 and 1787 and their importance to westward expansion.
Identify the problems created by a weak central government.

5. What were the major successes and failures of the government under the Articles of Confederation?
With independence came a new nation and a new form of government.
As troubles plagued the country, many feared their new government had created new problems.

6. U.S. After Treaty of Paris (1783)
The American Revolution is over. Great Britain has ceded (or given up) all lands extending to the Mississippi River.
The million dollar question in Congress is: WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THE LAND???
Many of the original thirteen states began making claims in the newly won territory extending to the Mississippi River.
Which states made western land claims?

7. 1. Into which areas did American settlement expand in the late 1700s?
Western territories
Kentucky (via the Wilderness Road)
Were there conflicts over settlers moving West?
Who built the Wilderness Road?
Moving west

8. Even before independence was won, many colonies—now states—began to create new state governments.
Constitutions
In most states, the problems colonists had experienced with Britain helped shape the new state constitutions.

9. Colonists believed the king had abused his powers.
For this reason, the states gave few powers to the governor.
Powers
of the
legislature
Powers
of the
executive
Most powers went to legislatures elected by the people.

10. Most states allowed more people to vote than in colonial times.
Voter Qualifications
White
Male
Over 21
Property ownership
Still, African Americans and women were not allowed to vote in almost all the states.

11. Virginia Bill of Rights
To make sure that people’s rights would not be abused again, many states included a bill of rights in their constitutions.
Virginia Bill of Rights
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of the Press
Trial by Jury
Limits on Searches
Limits on Arrests
No Cruel and Unusual Punishment

12. 2. What kind of governments did the new states create for themselves?
Republican form of government
Kept colonial government but made them more democratic
Some had different branches of government
Some included a bill of rights
3. What is a republic? Why is the United States a republic?
A republic is a government in which people elect representatives to govern for them
In the U.S., we elect our leaders
New state governments

13. While the states were writing new constitutions, so was the Continental Congress.
In 1777, the Congress adopted a new plan of government for the nation: the Articles of Confederation.
Articles of
Confederation

14. Many of the concerns about colonial rule that shaped the new state constitutions also shaped the Articles of Confederation.
Powers
of the
legislature
Under the Articles, the powers of the central government were given to Congress—a legislature elected by the people.

15. There was no chief executive.
In fact, the legislature was the only branch of government created by the Articles.
There was no chief executive.
There were no national courts.
Executive
Branch
Judicial
Branch

16. deal with foreign countries deal with Native Americans make laws
Powers given
to Congress
To make sure the new legislature did not become too strong, its powers were limited.
deal with foreign countries
deal with Native Americans
make laws
declare war
coin or borrow money
run a postal service

17. Even more important than the powers given to Congress, however, were the powers not given to Congress.
Powers not
given to
Congress
regulate trade
collect taxes
Congress was forced to depend on the states when it needed money. This weakened the central government and gave considerable power to the states.

18. Western Land Claims
Some states refused to approve the Articles until other states gave up their claims to lands in the west.
Finally, the Articles were approved, and the land was turned over to the national government.

19. The articles of confederation
4. What issues divided the Continental Congress as it developed a plan for a national government?
Whether each state should have one vote or voting should be based on population
Whether the national government or individual states should control lands west of the Appalachians
5. What were the structure and powers of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
Government run by a Confederation Congress
Had power to wage war, make peace, sign treaties, and issue money
6. How did state claims to western lands affect the acceptance of the Articles of Confederation?
Some of the small states without land claims refused to sign
Feared that states with claims would be richer and stronger than them
The articles of confederation
“United we stand, divided we fall.”
--Silas Deane

20. The Opening of the Northwest Territory

21. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The western lands were very valuable and in great demand.
To provide for the sale and settlement of these lands, Congress passed two new laws.
The Land Ordinance of 1785
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

22. What is the Northwest Territory?
Northwest Territory- a designated area of land that includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and parts of Minnesota.

23. Five states were eventually carved from the lands of the Northwest Territory.

24. What Was Solved?
Since Congress could NOT tax the citizens, selling land at a public auction would help to benefit the new U.S. government and solve the greatest problem…
Debt

25. “Not Worth a Continental”
The United States government was unable to pay most veterans of the American Revolution.
The value of Continental bank notes had dropped substantially.
To repay the veterans, Congress offered them land in the Northwest Territory.

26. A Solution For The Time
Thomas Jefferson wants to see the land become new, separate states (where slavery will not exist after 1800).
Congress meets and passes…
Land Ordinance of a law that established the Northwest Territory and formed a political system for the region; land would be sold at public auction.

27. Land Ordinance of 1785
Lands would be divided into townships.
Townships would be divided into sections.
Each section would be sold piece by piece.

28. How it was Divided
The Northwest Territory lands were to be surveyed and divided up into
Townships- the largest division of land that was typically 36 square miles and divided into 36 one- square mile sections.
Each 1-mile section was 640 acres. To put it in perspective…
1 ACRE

29. I Want It!
Because of the vast amount of land available, the Confederation Congress prepared the surveyed townships for public auctions.
31 of the 36 sections in each township would be made available to the general public in a land auction.
Land was available for $1 per acre! Talk about cheap land!
How many acres are there in each section again?
All money raised from the initial auctions to the public would be given to Congress to help the new U.S. government get its footing.

30. The Catch…
There is always a catch it seems. In this situation, the public auctions were ONLY available to citizens who could purchase an entire section of 640 acres initially.
Therefore, all bidding BEGAN at $640 ($1 per acre).
Land speculators who made a bid and won a section could sell individual, smaller portions of it AFTER the initial auction and make a profit. 40
160 Acres

31. Off Limits Land
It was mentioned earlier that veterans of the American Revolution were often unpaid due to the government’s debt
Because Congress was unable to pay them, they reserved four sections in each township for veterans as payment. (Sections 8, 11, 26, and 29)
Section 16 was reserved for something special…

32. Within each township, one section would be set aside for schools.
The nation’s leaders believed that democracy could not survive without education.

33. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Northwest Ordinance of a law that established the Northwest Territory and formed a political system for the region.
1858
1848
1837
1816
1803
1818

34. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Created government for the Northwest Territory—the lands north of the Ohio River
Guaranteed basic rights for settlers
Banned slavery
Created a three-step process for admitting new states

35. The northwest ordinance
7. How did the Land Ordinance of 1785 state that the western lands should be divided?
Six-mile-square plots, called townships, in the western lands
Became known as the Northwest Territory
8. How were the western territories governed under the Northwest Ordinance?
As a territory grew in population it would gain rights to self-government
When there were 5,000 free males in an area, men who owned at least 50 acres of land could elect an assembly
When there were 60,000 people they could apply to become a new state
Slavery was outlawed; freedom of religion and trial by jury guaranteed; rivers open to all
9. Why was the Northwest Ordinance important to the growth of the United States?
It set a pattern for the orderly growth of the United States
The northwest ordinance

36. While the government succeeded in organizing the settlement of western lands, it faced mounting problems.
Problems
States
taxed
each
other’s
goods
Congress
had no
money
Other
countries
ignored
U.S.
States
used
different
money

38. Weaknesses of the articles
10. Why was debt a critical problem for the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
Congress didn’t have the power to levy taxes
It could not raise money to pay its debts, even to the soldiers who had fought the war
11. Why did the national government get little financial support from the states?
States sent very little money – they were facing hard times, too
Weaknesses of the articles

39. To make matters worse, an economic depression gripped the states.
Farmers were hit especially hard, with many losing their lands.
Angry and in despair, a group led by Daniel Shays attacked an arms warehouse.

40. *Explain the situation in Massachusetts that led to Shays’s Rebellion*
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing.” – Thomas Jefferson
*Explain the situation in Massachusetts that led to Shays’s Rebellion*
12. How did Shays’s Rebellion point out the weaknesses of government under the Articles of Confederation?
People had little money, but the state continued to levy high taxes
America’s leaders realized that an armed uprising of common farmers spelled danger for the nation
It convinced many people that a new national government, with stronger powers, was needed
Shays’s Rebellion

41. Many began to think that a stronger central government was needed.
Shays’s Rebellion failed, but it focused attention on the weaknesses of the new nation’s government.
Strong
central
government
Many began to think that a stronger central government was needed.
In response, Congress asked the states to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation.