1. Chapter 8, Section 1

2.  Ordinance- set up a system for surveying (measuring) and setting the Northwest Territory.

3.  Set up a government for the Northwest Territory.  Guaranteed basic rights to settlers.  Outlawed slavery.  Once a territory had 60,000 free settlers, it could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state.  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were created from the Northwest Territory.

4.  After America won the Revolutionary War, they began to establish 13 different state governments.  American leaders felt strongly that they needed to exercise control over their government.  Decided upon a republic- a country which the people choose their representatives to govern them.  Constitution – a document that sets out the laws and principles of a government.  Execute – to carry out a law.

5.  The Continental Congress eventually created a plan- the Articles of Confederation.  In the Articles, the national gov’t would be run by a legislative body- the Confederation Congress. Had power to:  1. wage war  2. make peace  3. sign treaties  4. issue money Each state had only one vote in Congress.  Most important powers were left to the states. Included- Setting taxes & and enforcing national laws. Also gave individual control of the western lands.

7.  The Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation in November 1777.  The Articles were then sent to the states for ratification.  Eight states ratified the Articles, however smaller states argued over western land settlements. They wished for western expansion to be controlled by the national gov’t.

8.  1777- Continental Congress established the Articles of Confederation, the 1 st American Constitution  Gave more power to the states; weak central government  Most colonists were more loyal to their state than to the nation  They considered themselves “Virginians”, or “New Yorkers”, not “Americans”

9.  What might be some of the challenges of governing such a large territory?

10.  The Confederation Congress was too weak to deal with most national issues.  Individual states had more power than Congress.  9 out of 13 states had to approve before laws were passed.  Congress could not regulate trade between states, or trade between states and foreign countries.  Congress did not have the power to tax (so they had no $$$!).  No president to carry out laws!  Each state coined their own money, and would not accept money from other states.  America was in debt due to the Revolutionary War.  New Hampshire and New York both claimed Vermont.

11.  Massachusetts raised taxes and seized (took over) the homes and farms of citizens who could not pay.  Farmers became upset!  Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer, organized an uprising of 2,000 farmers.  Led a march to capture a federal arsenal which was filled with weapons.