1. Chapter 2 – Section 2

2. LEQ
How are the American ideals of popular sovereignty and individual rights reflected in the Declaration of Independence?

3. Declaration of Independence
The document formally declaring the colonies were no longer a part of the British Empire

4. What is contained in the declaration?
A list of the reasons the colonies decided to separate from Great Britain
The ways the colonists tried to resolve these problems
A Declaration of Independence

5. Human Rights Basic rights to which all people are entitled
Power of the government comes from the people
People have a legitimate right to change the government

6. Ideals of American government
Liberty
Equality
Justice
Individuality
Diversity

7. What were the Articles of Confederation?
A plan/blueprint to provide a new government for the country
Adopted in 1777 by the Continental Congress

8. Confederation A loose association of states
“firm league of friendship”
Each state was independent of the others
People were afraid of a strong central government

9. Sovereignty
Absolute power
Each state had to enforce national laws

10. How did Americans know changes were needed?
No central government to organize the recovery after the revolution
Property destroyed, trade with other countries had slowed, American business had slowed
People thought of themselves as citizens of their state rather than the United States

11. Other problems under the Articles
Quarrels over boundary lines of states
Disputes over trade
Citizens could not agree on common goals
The country looked weak to other nations

12. How did Congress attempt to address these problems?
Could not force the states to do anything
Asked the states to send representatives to a meeting in Philadelphia to revise the articles
No one expected the changes about to take place