1. Good Afternoon! On your way in, grab a blank sheet of paper
Draw a line across the center on one side, leave the other side blank
On the blank side of the paper, create a “Mind Map” of what you know about where our government came from, and how it was formed.

2. The New Government is Born
How did the Articles of Confederation reflect the challenges in designing a new government?

3. What is republicanism?
Republicanism –representative democracy, govern by consent of people
Colonies were reluctant to unite under a strong central government
Each state had their own constitutions that reflected fear of a centralized government
Republic – government in which citizens rule through elected representatives
Many different state governments wanted to put republicanism into practice, but weren’t quite sure how (no political systems to serve as precedents)

4. Continental Congress Debates
3 basic questions:
Representation
power
western lands

5. Representation by population or by state?
1 state = 1 vote

6. Supreme power: can it be divided
Supreme power: can it be divided? – national and state governments share power
Confederation = alliance

7. Western lands: who gets them?
Land Ordinance of 1785 – plan for surveying & dividing western lands

10. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 – procedure for dividing the land into territories
No less than 3 & no more than 5 new states
slavery was prohibited
Become a state once population reached 60,000 under an approved constitution
Set the precedent for U.S. expansion westward

11. The Articles of Confederation
New Government
The Articles of Confederation

12. Articles of Confederation
Weaknesses
Congress could not collect taxes or regulate interstate trade
1 state = 1 vote
Two-thirds majority (9 out of 13 states) to pass laws
No changes/amendments to Articles without consent of every state
No executive branch
No national court system to settle state disputes
Lack of national unity Dependent on states to contribute militia
Sovereignty resides in states
Articles of Confederation
National govt powers
Declare war
Make peace
Sign treaties
Borrow $
Postal service (mail)
Deal with Native Americans

13. The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation left questions about the effectiveness of the U.S. federal government

14. Shays’ Rebellion
Farmer’s were war heroes, broke, and angry → protests because they didn’t want to lose farms
Jan – Daniel Shays led a mob to close the courts, in order to stop taxes (resulted in a riot)
Feared rebellion would spread and put down by Massachusetts militia
Signal that there were problems with the new government
Call for a convention to discuss what to do

15. New Government
THE CONSTITUTION

16. Quick Review:
Put these events in chronological order onto a “working timeline.”
- Continental Congress calls for a committee to draw up a plan for government
-Declaration of Independence is signed
-King George III declares the colonies in rebellion
-Articles of Confederation ratified by the states
-Articles of Confederation approved by Continental Congress

17. Activity: Read through the Articles of Confederation:
In each box be sure to include
Quotes from the Articles
Which article contained the quote

18. Conclusion:
On the last portion of your blank sheet, answer the following:
Overall, would you consider the Articles of Confederation a success or a failure? Why?
What were some of the articles successes? Failures?