Structure of the Government
Loose union of autonomous statesUnicameral CongressEach state has 1 voteCongress has the
power toConduct Foreign AffairsDeclare WarMaintain Armed ForcesRaise Loans, Issue Credit,
est. CoinageRegulate Trade with
Indians
Ratification
All 13 states must ratify for the Articles to go into effectMaryland will not ratify because of Western land claims1781: 8 states w/ land claims cede the land to CongressArticles finally ratified & go into effect
Strengths of the Articles of Confederation
States retained the majority of the powerSuccessfully won the Revolution & negotiated a peaceWon large amounts of land
Weaknesses of the Articles of Weaknesses of the Articles of ConfederationConfederation
9 of 13 votes to pass a law
13 out of 13 to amend the Articles
Representatives were frequently absent
Could not tax
Could not raise an army
No executive or judicial branches
Local vs. National Identification
Americans did not see themselves as “Americans”Identified themselves by their states– ex: Virginians or New Yorkers– Saw the country as “these” United
States
Wanted the states to have the majority of the power
State ConstitutionsState Constitutions
Ideals of Republicanism
Most had strong governors with veto power
Most had bicameral legislatures
Established Judicial branches
Property required for voting
Some had universal white male suffrage
Most had bills of rights guaranteeing basic rights to all citizens
The United States in The United States in 17831783
The Land Ordinance of 1785
Established a system for the Northwest Territory to be surveyed and sold
Land to be sold cheaply since gov’t needed $
Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of 17871787
Established how statehood could be achieved in the Northwest Territory
3-5 states would be created
NO SLAVERY IN THIS TERRITORY
Things necessary for statehood:
1. When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners elect territorial legislature.
2. When population reached 60,000 elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.
Problems in the West
After the Revolution, Americans moved out westIndian conflicts! Squatters: no governments out west to buy land from
People just moved and took over land
British: still occupied forts in the NorthwestWould not leave until ALL British debts paid
Disputed Territorial ClaimsDisputed Territorial ClaimsBetween Spain & the U. S.:Between Spain & the U. S.:
1783-17961783-1796
Spanish: worried Americans were going to take their landClosed port of New Orleans effectively killing ALL trade west of Appalachian Mtns.
The Economy
The U.S. owed $50 million to foreign nationsOver printing of
money led to inflation, then a depression
Had a huge trade deficit with Britain
Each state had it’s own solutionTariffs placed on each otherStates began to tax heavily to deal with problems
Shays’ Rebellion (1786-87)
Farmers in Western MA upset about taxes and increasing debtThey were losing land or were put into prisonWere owed a pension since most fought in the Revolution
Daniel Shays leads these men in a rebellion against MA governmentAttack the courts of MA in SpringfieldMA militia forced to act to put down rebellionNational gov’t unable to do anything
Problems between the States
• States are fighting amongst themselves– Territory– Tariffs– Commerce– Money
• National government is supposed to solve these problems, but the representatives only argue and 9 states never form a consensus
Annapolis Convention (1786)
Major problems under the ArticlesVirginia called for a meeting to discuss fixing the problemsMeeting held in Annapolis, MDOnly 5 states showed up– NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA
Decided to meet again in May 1787 in Philadelphia