FORMING A FORMING A GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENTChapter 7: pg. 184 - 213Chapter 7: pg. 184 - 213

Section 1: The Articles of Section 1: The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Pg. 186 – 191Pg. 186 – 191ObjectivesObjectives

Describe the ideas and documents that Describe the ideas and documents that shaped American beliefs about governmentshaped American beliefs about government

Evaluate how state constitutions Evaluate how state constitutions contributed to the development of contributed to the development of representative governmentsrepresentative governments

List the powers held by the central List the powers held by the central government under the Articles of government under the Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Explain what the Northwest Ordinance Explain what the Northwest Ordinance accomplishedaccomplished

Ideas about government

Old English traditionsMagna Carta and English Bill of

Rights – limited governmentEnlightenment thinkers

John Locke – social contract between government and people

American traditionsNew England town meeting,

Virginia House of BurgessesNative American Iroquois LeagueMayflower Compact and

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

The state constitutions

State constitutions during the RevolutionRepublicanism – elected

officials work for the peopleLimited government – never

enough power in one person Individual rights

Virginia protected right to trial by jury, freedom of the press, freedom of religion

Many states expanded suffrageAll white men, white property

owners, some blacks

Forming a union

Founding Fathers – “lets not make central government TOO powerful”

Articles of ConfederationCongress – one state, one vote. No

President or Supreme CourtPowers – coin or borrow money,

negotiate treaties, settle conflicts between states

WeaknessesNo national army, no ability to raise

taxes, very limited authorityRatified in 1781

The Northwest Territory

Kill two birds with one stoneLand Ordinance of 1785 – sell western

lands to settlersBroke lands into plots, saving some for

schools and veterans, selling restNorthwest Ordinance laid groundwork

for statehoodWhen population in territory got to 60,000,

could draft a constitution and ask to join the Union

Included bill of rights, support for education, and ban of slavery in NW territory