1. Articles of Confederation
Aim: What was accomplished during the Articles of Confederation government?

2. Articles of Confederation
Weaknesses
Congress cannot levy taxes or collect tax revenues.
Congress could not regulate interstate trade or foreign trade.
1 State – 1 Vote

3. Weaknesses
Articles of Confederation could be amended/changed only with all 13 states voting in favor.
9 of 13 states were needed to pass important laws.
No executive branch
No national court system

4. Accomplishments
Land Ordinance of 1785 – Established a plan for surveying the land of the Northwest territory.
The land is divided into townships, each containing 36 square miles.
Read textbook pages
How did the Land Ordinance of 1785 affect ordinary Americans and our growth as a nation?

5. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 – Biggest Accomplishment
Congress appoints a territorial governor and judges
Once a territory had 5,000 adult male residents, the settlers were allowed to write a temporary constitution and elect their own territorial legislature.
Once the population reached 60,000 free settlers (men and women), they could write a state constitution and apply to Congress to be approved for statehood.

6. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Congress proclaimed “fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty” were the foundation for the new states to be created.
Provision for government funding of elementary education through the sale of land.
Ordinance rejected slavery for the new states to be carved out of the Northwest Territories.

7. Shays’s Rebellion 1786-1787 Rebellion is put down
Debt-ridden farmers – Western Massachusetts
Revolutionary war veterans march on the town of Northampton to shut down courts – prevent further foreclosures.
Later march to the Springfield arsenal, defeated.

8. Shays’s Rebellion What did Shays’s Rebellion mean for the country?
What did some leaders begin to call for?
May

9. Calls for Reform
1786 – Delegates from five states meet in Maryland to discuss the problems of the Articles of Confederation
May of 1787 – Delegates from 12 states (not Rhode Island), gather in Philadelphia.
News of Shays’s Rebellion convinces them that a meeting is necessary to reform the Articles of Confederation

10. Constitutional Convention
George Washington is elected to be the presiding officer.
James Madison and George Mason represent Virginia
Alexander Hamilton represents New York
Windows nailed shut. Sweltering heat

11. Bold Proposal The Virginia delegation proposes a new plan:
Completely abandons the Articles of Confederation for a new form of national government
What was in it?

12. The Virginia Plan
Congress: Two houses, both would be determined by population
Taxation: Congress would have the power to tax
There would be a federal judiciary
Single executive chosen by a national legislature
What states opposed this idea?

13. New Jersey Plan Proposes to keep the Articles Single legislature
One house, one state, one vote
Power to tax
Federal Judiciary

14. Strong Central Government
Central government should be stronger than the states.
Delegates to Congress assigned according to population.

15. Roger Sherman – Great Compromise
What was it?