1. Articles of Confederation
By Miss Springborn
Team 6- Social Studies

2. Major Problem: Who should have more power?
State Government or National Government?
verses

3. Why Would Americans Fear having a strong national government????
King George and the way he trampled their rights…

4. 1777: Articles of Confederation are drafted
Fully ratified (approved) in 1781
Confederation- loose grouping of states joined together under one government

5. Think about this… pay debt roads army/navy
Why must a government be able to collect taxes???
pay debt
roads
army/navy

6. It said… States free and independent from each other
9 of 13 states needed to agree to make decisions
Needed all states to make amendments to constitution
Created a weak central government

7. More issues to deal with…
Most power went to states
States had power over money, treaties, army, and declaring war
Congress could not tax or control trade
There was no Supreme Court and no President

8. Why could it be bad if the government has no president or no national court??

9. What problems would the United States face as it started out as a new country??? Think about that…

10. 1785… LAND ORDINANCE
Set up a process to settle the new territories and create new states
When the population in an area reached 60,000 then the territory could apply for admission to the union as a state
New states would be equal in power to the 13 original states.

11. More Problems with the Articles…
Debt (owing money to others)
America was heavily in debt for war costs
It had no power to tax the people
Therefore…no power to collect money
States ignored request for money or taxes…didn’t want to help

12. Problem 2- Economy
There was a depression after the war with inflation (increase in prices of goods and services combined with reduced value of money)
Early attempts at the early money system were a disaster

13. Can you think of any ways to solve the problems of the Articles???

14. Problem 3- States fighting…
Some states disagree about taxes and trade

15. Problem 4- Foreign Problems
The British still held forts in the Northwest Territory
The British and French supported the Natives to stop the US from expanding into the Northwest

16. Shay’s Rebellion: January 1787
The Government rejected debtor relief and seized property (farms) for non-payment of taxes
Angry, backcountry farmers under the leadership of Daniel Shay tried to seize the arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts

17. What Shay’s Rebellion proves…
Despite the rebellion’s defeat, national political leaders were very concerned
“I am mortified beyond expression” said by George Washington
about the rebellion

18. What problems did Shay’s rebellion show our country to have???

19. A call for a National Government
A group of national leaders emerge, advocating a stronger central government.
Congress reluctantly called for a second convention…

20. “For the Sole purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation…”
Not exactly what happened though…stay tuned

21. What could leaders at the constitutional convention do to make the government stronger??

22. Constitutional Convention
Coming Attractions…
Constitutional Convention