1. The Articles of Confederation
Chapter 7, Lesson #1

2. States Write Constitutions
Before declaring independence in 1776:
Continental Congress asked all states to organize governments
All states were required to create state constitutions
8 states drafted constitutions by end of the year
New York and Georgia in 1777
Massachusetts in 1780
Connecticut and Rhode Island used their colonial charters as constitutions

3. Limits on Power After British rule:
Americans don’t want too much power in one ruler or group
Bicameral: government power split between two groups or houses (ex: governor and legislature)
Tried to keep power in the hands of the people
Voters choose state legislators
Governors’ power was limited
Legislatures had more power
Tried to make everyone happy but it didn’t work

4. A New Republic New national government:
All agreed that a republic form of government be created
government in which citizens rule through elected representatives
Not all agreed on how much power it should have
Most wanted stated to be independent
Central government only needed for war or foreign relations

5. The Articles of Confederation
November 1777:
America’s first constitution is adopted – the Articles of Confederation
Established a weak central government
States had more power
Congress had limited powers
conduct foreign affairs
maintain armed forces
borrow money
issue currency

6. The Articles of Confederation (cont’d)
Congress could not:
regulate trade
force citizens to join the army
impose taxes
No chief executive (president)
Congressional committees did day-to-day stuff
All states had one vote in Congress regardless of population size

7. The Confederation Government
Weak central government:
Took 9/13 vote to make a law
All 13 states had to agree to change AOC
Made it hard to pass any laws
Good things:
Helped make peace treaty with Britain
Expand foreign trade
Settle lands in the West

8. Policies for Western Lands
No laws for creation of new states:
Settlers were living west of Appalachian Mountains.
This land was given up by the British after the war.
Many wanted to organize their land into states.
New laws had to be made on how to settle the land.
Create a process to allow territories to become states.

9. The Ordinance of 1785 Ordinance (law) was passed in 1785:
Purpose was to set up a process to survey and sell land north of the Ohio River
6m x 6m townships
36 sections of 640 acres
Land sold at auction

10. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Created the Northwest Territory
North of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi River
Divided into smaller territories.
When a territory reached 60, 000 people it could apply for statehood.
New states got same rights as original 13 states.
Settlers got a bill of rights:
Trial by jury
Freedom of religion
Slavery was outlawed
First attempt to stop spread of slavery

11. Land Act of 1800
Encouraged people to settle in the Northwest territory
Made it easier for people to buy land:
Had to purchase 320 acres of land
$2 per acre
Settlers allowed to pay half up front and pay the rest in 4 yearly payments

12. Problems at Home and Abroad
Country had big financials problems!
Money printed during war depreciated – lost its value
Pubic lost faith in colonial money
146 Continental Dollars = 1 Spanish Silver Dollar!
Price of food and other goods soared
Led to food riots in many cities
Congress was in HUGE debt
Still owed revolutionary soldiers money
Still owed money to foreign governments
Couldn’t collect taxes because of Articles of Confederation!!!

13. Plan for Import Tax Economy faced major economic collapse
1781: Robert Morris proposed an import tax to help raise money
This required changing the Articles of Confederation
Required all 13 states to vote YES
Rhode Island voted NO!
TWICE!
Congressional debt got worse!

14. Relations with Britain
British blocked American ships from the West Indies and other British markets
British troops also remained in forts in Great Lakes region.
John Adams went to London to discuss issues but they would not talk to him.
British claimed the America did not pay back Loyalists.
Congress expected the states to do that.
States refused to pay and Congress could do nothing.

15. Relations with Spain Spain wanted to stop American expansion west
Closed the lower Mississippi river to American shipping
This meant Americans in the Northwest Territories could not get goods to market
American diplomats reached an agreement with Spain
Southern states blocked it and there was nothing Congress could do.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation caused a lot of problems and it began to worry many leaders.