3.1 The Nation’s First Governments Mrs. Shadoin Mrs. Shadoin Civics and Economics

3.1 The Nation’s 3.1 The Nation’s First First

GovernmentsGovernments Mrs. ShadoinMrs. Shadoin

Civics and Civics and EconomicsEconomics

The First State The First State ConstitutionsConstitutions In May of 1776, the Second In May of 1776, the Second

Continental Congress urged Continental Congress urged colonists to form colonists to form statestate governments governments to replace the old colonial chartersto replace the old colonial charters

January 1776, January 1776, New HampshireNew Hampshire became the first colony to organize became the first colony to organize as a state and craft a constitutionas a state and craft a constitution

The First State The First State ConstitutionsConstitutions

ConstitutionConstitution= a written plan for = a written plan for governmentgovernment

Each state had a legislature to Each state had a legislature to create laws, most were create laws, most were bicameralbicameral, , divided into two parts, or housesdivided into two parts, or houses

Senate House of Representati

ves


Each state also Each state also had a had a governorgovernor who was elected who was elected by the legislature by the legislature or citizens; his job or citizens; his job was to carry out was to carry out lawslaws

Each state also Each state also had had judgesjudges and and courts to decide courts to decide what laws meantwhat laws meant


Most state Most state constitutions constitutions included a included a Bill of Bill of RightsRights, , guaranteeing guaranteeing certain basic certain basic freedoms and freedoms and legal protections legal protections to the state’s to the state’s citizens citizens

The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Americans concluded if they wanted Americans concluded if they wanted to win the war with Great Britain, to win the war with Great Britain, they would need a single, strong they would need a single, strong armyarmy under central control under central control


The Second The Second Continental Congress Continental Congress made plans for a made plans for a union of the states, in union of the states, in 1777 the Congress 1777 the Congress detailed these plans detailed these plans in the in the Articles of Articles of ConfederationConfederation, the , the first constitution of first constitution of the United States of the United States of AmericaAmerica


ConfederationConfederation= a group of individual state = a group of individual state governments that band together for a common governments that band together for a common purposepurpose

The Articles of Confederation established a The Articles of Confederation established a system for cooperation among independent system for cooperation among independent states, by 1781, all 13 states had states, by 1781, all 13 states had ratifiedratified, or , or approved the Articlesapproved the Articles

The Articles set up a The Articles set up a unicameralunicameral legislature in legislature in which each state had one vote, it controlled which each state had one vote, it controlled the army and dealt with foreign countries, the army and dealt with foreign countries, central powers were limitedcentral powers were limited

The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation The Confederation Congress had no The Confederation Congress had no

power to enforce its power to enforce its lawslaws and no power to and no power to taxtax; it could not require the states to do ; it could not require the states to do anything anything

Accomplishments of the Accomplishments of the ArticlesArticles

Through the Through the Ordinance of 1785Ordinance of 1785, , Congress created a Congress created a system for surveying system for surveying and settling western and settling western lands; it arranged the lands; it arranged the land into townships land into townships six miles square, six miles square, each township was each township was divided into 36 divided into 36 sections of each one sections of each one square milesquare mile

Accomplishments of the Accomplishments of the ArticlesArticles It at first applied only to the It at first applied only to the

Northwest Territory-Northwest Territory- present-day present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin but it established a Wisconsin but it established a system of land surveying and system of land surveying and settlement that we still use todaysettlement that we still use today


In 1787, the In 1787, the Northwest Northwest OrdinanceOrdinance was was passed; it laid the passed; it laid the basis for new basis for new territorial territorial governments and governments and set a precedent for set a precedent for admitting states to admitting states to the Unionthe Union


It also included a specific provision It also included a specific provision outlawing outlawing slaveryslavery

Weaknesses of the Weaknesses of the ArticlesArticles

Congress could not pass a law unless Congress could not pass a law unless 99 states voted in favor of it; any attempt to states voted in favor of it; any attempt to amend the Articles required a amend the Articles required a unanimousunanimous vote of all 13 statesvote of all 13 states

Even if Congress managed to pass laws, it Even if Congress managed to pass laws, it could not enforce them; the Articles did could not enforce them; the Articles did not provide for a not provide for a governorgovernor, or for courts, , or for courts, if a state ignored a law Congress could do if a state ignored a law Congress could do nothing about it nothing about it

A Time of CrisisA Time of Crisis Unable to collect taxes Congress Unable to collect taxes Congress

borrowedborrowed money to pay for the money to pay for the Revolutionary War; it had run up a debt Revolutionary War; it had run up a debt that would take years to repaythat would take years to repay

State governments had also fallen into State governments had also fallen into debt; they debt; they taxedtaxed citizens heavily, driving citizens heavily, driving many farmers out of business and many farmers out of business and sparking widespread resentmentsparking widespread resentment

States also taxed goods States also taxed goods importedimported from from other states and foreign countries other states and foreign countries hurting tradehurting trade

A Time of CrisisA Time of Crisis

During 1786 and During 1786 and 1787, riots broke out 1787, riots broke out in several states, in several states, Daniel ShaysDaniel Shays a a farmer who had farmer who had fallen into debt fallen into debt because of heavy because of heavy state taxes led a state taxes led a rebellion in rebellion in Massachusetts when Massachusetts when courts threatened to courts threatened to take his farmtake his farm

A Time of CrisisA Time of Crisis

Shays armed about Shays armed about 1,200 farmers in an 1,200 farmers in an attack on a federal attack on a federal arsenal, the arsenal, the rebellion, known as rebellion, known as Shays’ RebellionShays’ Rebellion was quickly was quickly stopped but sent a stopped but sent a wake-up call wake-up call throughout the throughout the countrycountry

A Time of CrisisA Time of Crisis Many leaders began arguing for a Many leaders began arguing for a

stronger national government; in stronger national government; in 1787 12 states sent delegates to 1787 12 states sent delegates to Philadelphia to Philadelphia to reviserevise the Articles of the Articles of Confederation Confederation

Documents

3.1 The Nation’s First Governments Mrs. Shadoin Mrs. Shadoin Civics and Economics