1. Warm-Up: What would you declare? (12L)
Write your own declaration of independence in the style of the actual Declaration (include a Preamble, Declaration of Rights, List of Grievances, and Resolution of Independence). Choose some way that you are oppressed/ limited and write your own declaration of freedom from some authority (school, coaches, bosses, parents? Etc.).

2. After the Declaration….
The Articles of Confederation

3. The First State Constitutions
Within a few years of Declaration, all colonies had converted [changed] colonial charters into state constitutions: written plan for government
What did they look like?
Bicameral (two houses) legislature
Governor
Judges & courts
Most included bill of rights

4. What is a confederation
What is a confederation? Group of states united under a weak national government

5. Why did Americans want a confederation
Why did Americans want a confederation? Just declared independence from rule of strong monarch/ central gov’t

6. Read through the “student-friendly version” of the Articles of Confederation. Using your knowledge, logic, and the AoC, complete the table on your paper. What did Americans not like that prompted them to create the Articles and structure the government the way that they did? (cause & effect)

7. AoC writers disliked… So under the AoC…
Taxation without representation
The federal government could not tax
Their trade being limited by Britain
The federal government had no power to regulate trade
A large central government that had absolute power
The federal government had no power to enforce its laws & states didn’t have to follow federal laws and treaties
Lots of power was in the king’s hands
No executive branch or national court system
The king could change laws at any time
Any amendment required all 13 states’ approval & Congress could not pass laws without approval of 9 out of 13 states

8. So what does all that mean?
No national court system Can’t regulate trade between states Really hard to change the Articles or pass laws Can’t raise money Can’t raise an army

9. Signs of trouble on the horizon
1. Debt
Federal government could not collect taxes, so borrowed money for Revolutionary War
State governments had heavy taxes  citizens resentful

10. 2. Shays’ Rebellion
Riots break out in several states
Daniel Shays arms 1200 farmers & attacks federal arsenal
Central government could not fund troops
Shows people AoC too weak

11. Accomplishments! 1. Ordinance of 1785
Created a system of measuring (surveying) and selling western lands
Only applied to Northwest Territory (present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin)

12. 2. Northwest Ordinance
Foundation for new territorial governments
Set method for admitting new states to Union
Outlawed slavery in those territories

13. Primary Source Work
Did everyone feel the same way about Shays’ Rebellion?