1. How did the U.S. begin?

2. America began the Revolutionary War for independence from Britain in 1775.

3. During the war, the pamphlet Common Sense (by Thomas Paine) persuaded individuals who were undecided to support independence, which aided the American cause.
Thomas Paine

4. Commander-in-chief of
With the help from foreign nations, America was able to defeat Britain by 1783 and become the new U.S.
George Washington;
Commander-in-chief of
the Continental Army
Battle of Yorktown (1781)

5. The first form of government for the U. S
The first form of government for the U.S. went into effect under the Articles of Confederation (in 1781).

6. GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ARTICLES GOVERNMENT UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION1.
GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ARTICLES
VS.
GOVERNMENT UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

7. 2. VOTES STATES RECEIVE IN CONGRESS UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION 1 1 1
VS. 1 1 1 1 1
VOTES STATES RECEIVE IN CONGRESS
UNDER THE ARTICLES

8. MONEY UNDER THE ARTICLES3.
MONEY UNDER THE ARTICLES
MONEY UNDER THE
U.S. CONSTITUTION
VS.

9. 4.  TAXATION POWERS UNDER  THE U.S. CONSTITUTION VS.
THE ARTICLES

10. Under the Articles, states had much greater power than the central government.
“The united States”
Constitution
of New York 

11. American view of a “strong central government”
The plan of government set up by the Articles showed that many Americans distrusted a strong central government.
King George II
King George III 
American view of a “strong central government” 

12. As a result, a major weakness of the Articles was that the central government could not enforce its laws.