1. QUIZ In what ways did the Navigation Acts affect the colonist? Explain
How did the practice of Mercantilism impact the colonist? Explain
The Sons of Liberty violated the law by dumping tea into the harbor, do you think their actions were justified? Explain why or why not
A middle school student asked you “why the colonist did not like Great Britain.” How would you answer them?
What did the chant “No Taxation without Representation” mean? And how can you apply it today?

2. The Nation’s First Government

3. The 1st State Constitutions
MAKE UP OF STATE CONSTITUTIONS
Legislature= (Create laws) Bicameral- two houses Chosen by different methods
Judges/Courts= (Interpret laws)
Governor= (carry out the laws) Elected by either the people or the legislature

4. Each state made sure they focused on two things…..
Preserving individual rights
( The Bill of Rights)
-Trial by jury and protection of personal property
Preventing another powerful government (Great Britain)
The PEOPLE would have more power than the government

5. Articles of Confederation
The 13 states knew that individually they could not raise and maintain a large army to fight off the British.
Decided to form a Union between the states
All 13 states ratified (passed) the Articles of Confederation
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
*Confederation= A group of individual state governments that band together for a common purpose

6. What the Articles said….
There will be a one house (unicameral) legislature
Each state had 1 vote regardless of the size
There would be a “Confederation Congress”
*Has control over the army
*Has the power to deal with foreign countries

7. ……They left off a few powers
The government did NOT have the power to tax. (importance of taxes)
The government did NOT have the power to enforce its laws
The Congress could “ask” for money, but could NOT demand it

8. Accomplishment of the Articles
* Ordinance of 1785 *
Divided the acquired territory into section to sell
*Northwest Ordinance *
Laid the foundation for organizing new territory and set a policy for admitting new states

9. Weakness of the Articles
Lack of Power and Money
Congress had no power to collect taxes, regulate trade, or enforce its laws
Rules too Rigid
It took a unanimous vote of all 13 states to amend (change) new laws
Congress could not pass laws w/o the approval of 9 states
Lack of Central Power
No single leader or group directed government policy
No national court system existed

10. END OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
The signing of the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War!!
The fight for independence left the states in HUGE debt!!!!
The states turned to the citizens to repay and placed steep taxes on them (sound familiar?)
-Americans began feeling as though their government could not protect them
Riots began starting all over the U.S

11. Shays’s Rebellion
Daniel Shays was a farmer who had fallen into debt because of heavy state taxes
The Courts threatened to take his farm for payment
He said the state had “NO RIGHT TO”
Led an army of 1,200 farmers towards an attack on the federal arsenal
Ended quickly
Sent a wake-up call!!