US HistoryChapter 7Section 1

Separately United State Constitutions

• Constitution – plan of government• 1776 – 8 State Constitutions• 1777 – New York and Georgia constitutions• 1780 – Massachusetts constitution• Connecticut and Rhode Island retain charters

Limiting Power• Many states limit the governor’s power• Bicameral – two-house legislature • Elections for legislators

White males, 21 or over, owned property, and paid taxes

Republic…an Government Republic – a government in which citizens rule

through elected representatives• Central Government vs. Independent Countries

Articles of Confederation – written by the Second Continental Congress for the purpose of centralized government• States retained power, but remained united• Government (Congress) conducted foreign affairs, maintained

armed forces, borrowed money, and issued currency• In order to raise money, Congress had to ask the states• No chief executive• Each state was equally represented• March 13, 1781 – Articles became the government of US

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We Have Landed… Petition – to apply to

• New Western land separated into smaller pieces• Once the population of an area was larger than the

population of the smallest state, they could become a state

The Ordinance of 1785• Ordinance – law• Land north of the Ohio River was divided into plots and

sold at auction for at least a $1• Richard Henry Lee – president of Congress

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787• Northwest Territory – land north of the Ohio River and

east of the Mississippi River• Ability for the 3-5 territories to apply for statehood at

60,000• Slavery banned from this area

Mo’ Money; Mo’ Problems Issues:

• Revolutionary War money was nearly worthless Depreciated – fallen in value

• Congress could not levy taxes, and it had no gold or silver reserves

• The War created an enormous debt• States contributed little to the Congress

Robert Morris – leader of the department of finance• Asked for a 5% tax on imported goods• After two votes, Congress did not approve the tax

School Bullies Problems with Britain

• British troops remained in land owned by US• Britain was not trading with the US in the West Indies• John Adams – sent to Britain to discuss

Britain did not hold its end of the Treaty of Paris, because American was not holding up its end

Britain = move out of US area; US = please give Loyalists land back Problems with Spain

• Spain closed the lower Mississippi River for trade• John Jay – American secretary of foreign affairs• Diplomats reached an agreement with Spain, but Congress did not

approve because Southern states “First President” – John Hanson

• Under the articles of Confederation • Presided over the Congress – Technically, Speaker of the House

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Checking for Understanding

__ 1. a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives

__ 2. a law or regulation

__ 3. consisting of two houses, or chambers, especially in a legislature

__ 4. a formal request

__ 5. a formal plan of government

A. constitution

B. bicameral

C. republic

D. petition

E. ordinance

Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on the left.

C

E

B

D

A