The American NationThe American Nation

Chapter 7-Section 1A Loose Confederation

Creating a Republic1776–1790

Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.

Chapter 7, Section 1

A Loose ConfederationA Loose Confederation

Objectives to learn:• Why did state

governments write constitutions?

• What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

• What process did the Articles create for admitting new states?

• Why did many Americans call for changes in the Articles?

America After RevolutionAmerica After Revolution

Chapter 7, Section 1

I. Most States Wrote ConstitutionsI. Most States Wrote Constitutions

A. Constitution—document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government

B. Bill of Rights—list of freedoms that the government promises to protect

C. Reasons for a written constitution:1. It would spell out the rights of all citizens2. It would limit the power of government

D. Power divided between executive and legislature

E. Granted white, 21 year old, males who owned property or paid taxes the right to vote

What it was like with the Articles of Confederation as a government???What it was like with the Articles of Confederation as a government???

• You are given 30 minutes of free time on Fridays until the end of school.

• You must decide as a group how you will use that time.

• Condition – All must agree on the activity.• Activity must be school appropiate.• Activity must be realistic.

• What problems/frustrations did you have???

What it was like with the Articles of Confederation as a government???What it was like with the Articles of Confederation as a government???

• Now you must decide as a class on one activity to do for the 30 minutes of free time.

• What problems/frustrations did you have???

How the Articles of Confederation Got Started…How the Articles of Confederation Got Started…

Activity – What were the Articles of Confederation??

Activity – What were the Articles of Confederation??

Social Studies• Work as a group to read

the “Articles of Confederation” worksheet and the excerpt.

• Discuss and answer the questions that follow.

Honors Social Studies• Work as a group to read

the “Articles of Confederation” worksheet and the excerpt.

• Discuss and answer the questions that follow.

Chapter 7, Section 1

II. The Articles of ConfederationII. The Articles of Confederation

B. Congress could:• declare war• appoint military officers• coin money• take care of foreign affairs

C. Congress’s powers were limited:• nine states had to approve a law

before it could go into effect• could not regulate trade• had no power to tax; had to ask

the states for money; states could not be forced to contribute

• there was no president to execute, or carry out, the laws

• there were no courts to settle conflicts

A. Articles of Confederation—first American constitution; created a loose alliance of independent states in 1777

D. Dispute over Western lands caused delay in ratification – Maryland refused to ratify the articles unless states ceded (gave up) their claims to lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.

E. Maryland finally ratified the Articles in 1781.

Chapter 7, Section 1

III. Weaknesses of the ConfederationIII. Weaknesses of the Confederation

A. Conflicts between states - The central government did not have power to resolve conflicts between states. (ex. New Hampshire and New York both claiming Vermont)

B. Money problems1. The central government did not have power to raise taxes. States often refused to contribute money. The government could not pay its debts from the American Revolution.2. Continental Congress had printed paper currency, or money. However it had little value because it was not backed by gold or silver.3. Each state printed its own money, which caused confusion.

C. Foreign countries took advantage of the confederation1. Britain refused to pull troops from the Ohio Valley.2. Spain closed the port of New Orleans to Americans.

Why the Articles of Confederation FailedWhy the Articles of Confederation Failed

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

Chapter 7, Section 1

IV. How Congress Admitted New States to the Union

IV. How Congress Admitted New States to the Union

A. Land Ordinance of 17851. It set up a survey system that divided the land into townships and sections2. It set aside land to support public schools

B. Northwest Ordinance of 17871. It set up a government for the Northwest Territory2. It guaranteed basic rights to settlers3. It outlawed slavery in the territory provided for the region to be divided into separate territories; once a territory had 60,000 free settlers, it could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state, equal to the original states

Map in textbook on page 203.

Chapter 7, Section 1

IV. Land Ordinance of 1785IV. Land Ordinance of 1785

The United States in 1787The United States in 1787

Chapter 7, Section 1

V. Why Americans Called for a Change in the Articles

V. Why Americans Called for a Change in the Articles

A. The nation suffered a depression—a period when business activity slows, prices and wages fall, and unemployment rises.

B. Massachusetts raised taxes, and the courts seized the farms of those who could not pay. Many farmers took part in Shays’ Rebellion, led by Daniel Shays. They attacked courthouses and kept officials from seizing farms.

C. Many Americans saw Shays’ Rebellion as a sign that the Articles of Confederation did not work.

Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion

VI. The Annapolis Convention in 1786VI. The Annapolis Convention in 1786

A. A meeting called to deal with commerical problems in the U.S.

B. Set the stage for the Constitution Convention in 1787

C. Called by John Tyler who was persuaded by James Madison

D. Alexander Hamilton suggested that the Annapolis Convention did not serve its purpose, so another meeting was called with representatives from all states to address the problems with the Articles of Confederation

Chapter 7, Section 1

Section 1 AssessmentSection 1 Assessment

Under the Articles of Confederation, a) the President had the power to conduct foreign affairs.b) Congress passed tax laws that were a burden on farmers.c) the central government was too weak to enforce the laws passed by

Congress.d) the approval of all 13 states was needed to pass a law.

What was a major accomplishment of the Northwest Ordinance?a) It provided a way to admit new states to the nation.b) It settled disputes between the states over claims to western lands.c) It demanded that the British remove troops from the Ohio Valley.d) It set up a survey system for the Northwest Territory.

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