Articles of Confederation and New Challenges

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Articles of Confederation and New Challenges
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I. Articles of Confederation

1. 2nd Continental Congress met to discuss a new
   national constitution (1777)

AoC writers disliked
So under the AoC
1. Taxation without representation
The federal government could not tax
2. A large central government that had absolute
power
States didnt have to follow federal laws and
treaties
3. Having to follow British legislation
States had their own laws didnt have to follow
other states laws
4. Lots of power was in the kings hands
No executive branch or national court system
5. The king could change laws at any time
Any amendment required all 13 states approval
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I. Articles of Confederation (cont.)

• Ratification - official approval
• Conflict over western lands slowed ratification
  by all 13 states
• Maryland was last state to ratify the Articles
• The first national U.S. government is put into
  place! (1781)

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II. Northwest Territory

• Land Ordinance of 1785
• Set up a system for surveying and dividing up
  western lands
• Divided land into townships (36 sq. mi.)
• One lot (sq. mi.) saved for education
• Four lots given to veterans
• Rest sold to the public

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II. Northwest Territory (cont.)

• Northwest Ordinance of 1787
• Determined how new states would join the Union
• Population - 60,000
• Draft a constitution
• Other effects
• Protected civil liberties
• Required public education
• Banned slavery in future territories
• Five Territories - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
  Ohio, and Wisconsin

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III. Problems with AoC
Under the AoC
Problem
The federal government could not tax
Difficult to raise money, could not pay off debt
States had own laws and did not have to follow
federal laws
Hard to get states to work together, not united
No executive branch
Government could not defend its borders
No executive branch or national court system
Could not enforce laws
Any amendment required all 13 states approval
Hard to get any laws passed
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IV. Shays Rebellion

• MA tried collecting money by taxing land
• Hit farmers hardest
• August 1786 - farmers revolt closing courts in
  western MA
• Daniel Shays (Sept. 1786)
• Led a revolt to shut down the MA Supreme Court
• Defeated by state troops

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IV. Shays Rebellion (cont.)

• Showed the weakness of the Confederation
  government
• Most power held by states
• One branch of government
• No system of checks and balances
• V. Constitutional Convention
• Philadelphia - May 1787
• Delegates from all 13 States
• Met to revise the Articles of Confederation