Articles of ConfederationFirst constitution of the

United StatesAuthored by the First

Continental Congress in 1777

Ratified 1781 It was a set of rules that

established a form of government called a confederation (alliance) among the 13 colonies.

Reflected Americans’ desire for a republic as opposed to a true democracy.

What did the Articles of Confederation accomplish?

Divided powers between states and national government

Gave the national government the power to… -declare war -borrow money -make peace -set standards for

weights and measures -sign treaties -establish a postal

service

Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Congress provided a procedure for dividing lands west of the Appalachian Mountains and set requirements for the admission of new states. Native American land claims were overlooked.

Articles of ConfederationWeakness

Congress could not enact or collect taxes

Each state had only one vote in Congress, regardless of population

Approval of nine states was needed to enact laws

Amendments to the Articles required to consent of all thirteen states

No executive branch

No national court system

Each state functioned independently

Outcome

Government was always short of money

States with larger populations felt that they deserved more representation in government.

It was difficult to enact laws.

There was no practical way to change the powers of government.

No way to enforce the laws of Congress.No way of settling disputes among states. No national unity.

Shays’s RebellionAn event that highlighted the need for a stronger central

government.1786: A group of farmers in western Massachusetts rose up

in protest over increasing state taxes.Daniel Shays led an army of 1200 farmers toward the

arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts.State officials dispatched the militia. Four rebels were killed

and the rest scattered. News of the farmers’ protest (Shays’s Rebellion) spread

throughout the states.

How might a stronger central government have prevented Shays’s Rebellion?

Shays’ Rebellion con’t

The national government might have been able to prevent abuse of state power.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the power of the national government was

severely limited, so it was unable to step-in to solve the nation’s problems.

How did the Founders strengthen the central

government and solve the weaknesses of the Articles of

Confederation?

They wrote a whole new set of laws:

The US Constitution