1. A More Perfect Union
Chapter 7

2. The Articles of Confederation
Section 1

3. Goals of the State Constitutions
To Stop the Abuse of Power in the states
To keep the power in the hands of the people
To avoid concentration of power the states divided government functions between the governor and the legislature.

4. States wanted to limit the power of the
Governor
Legislative Branch was the most
powerful
-Two house legislatures called
Bicameral

5. The Articles of Confederation
Our first Constitution—or plan of government
The First National Government of the United States
Adopted in November of 1777
All 13 states had to approve the Articles before it became official
Formally became the government of the United States on March 1st, 1781

6. Articles of Confederation
Had authority to conduct foreign affairs
Maintain armed forces
Borrow money
Issue currency
Could not regulate Trade
Could not Force citizens to join the army
Could not Impose Taxes

7. Executive Branch Did not provide for a President to run the country
Without a president, there was no one to enforce the laws---No Manager

8. Judiciary No federal court system was established
No federal courts to settle disputes

9. Taxes Congress did not have the power to impose and collect taxes.
Congress had no  money to run the country; had to beg the states for money

10. Trade Articles could not regulate trade among the states.
States set up their own rules, taxed each other.

11. Representation
Each state, regardless of its population, had only one vote in Congress.
The large states with larger populations said this was unfair.

12. Areas Consequence Weakness - Articles of Confederation Executive
Did not provide for a President to run the country
Without a president, there was no one to enforce the laws
Judiciary
No court system was established
No courts to settle disputes
Taxes
Congress did not have the power to impose and collect taxes.
Congress had no  money to run the country; had to beg the states for money
Trade
Articles could not regulate trade among the states.
States set up their own rules, taxed each other.
Representation
Each state, regardless of its population, had only one vote in Congress.
The large states with larger populations said this was unfair.

14. The Ordinance of 1785
Proposed in 1784 by Thomas Jefferson to divide the Western territory into self-governing districts
The Ordinance of 1785 established a procedure for surveying and selling the western lands north of the Ohio River
An ordinance is another name for a law

16. The Northwest Ordinance
Passed in 1787
Created a single Northwest Territory out of the lands north of the Ohio River and East of the Mississippi River.
When population reached 60,000 they could petition to become a state.
One accomplishments of the Articles was the handling of Western Lands

17. Trouble on Two Fronts
The value of money printed during the Revolutionary War plummeted due to no gold or silver backing up the paper money.
Money depreciated—became worthless---fallen in value
Continental Congress in Large Debt
Robert Morris proposed to collect a 5% import tax—didn’t pass

18. After the Revolutionary War, Britain kept Americans out of the West Indies and other profitable markets that they controlled
The Spanish halted American expansion westward into its territory by closing the lower Mississippi River to American shipping in 1784