The Articles of

Confederation: Pros & Cons

What were the Articles of

Confederation?

What were the pros and cons of this

early American government?

What were the Articles of Confederation?

• The Articles of

Confederation were

America’s first real

national government

– Signed in York, PA in 1777

• Established a “firm

league of friendship”between the colonies

– Kept individual sovereignty

– Came together for “mutual

welfare and protection”

What were the benefits of the Articles?

• Benefits:

– Limited Government

– State Sovereignty (states

kept their power)

• The individual states

were use to handling their

own affairs

– Under the Articles of

Confederation they could

keep doing that

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

I. Currency Issues

• The United States did not have a common currency.

• Americans carried money from

the federal government, state

government, and foreign nations.

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

II. Debt

• Congress could not tax the people and depended on money

from the states.

• Therefore, the U.S. was unable to pay its debts!

Examples:

- The U.S. owed money to France, Holland, and Spain for

loans made during the Revolutionary War.

- The U.S. had not paid many of their own soldiers!

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

III. International & Domestic Problems

• The U.S. lacked the

military power to defend

itself against foreign

enemies.

• States acted as

individual countries and

seldom agreed.

Example:

- Connecticut and Virginia

almost went to war over

land claims!

Pennsylvania went to war with several other states including Maryland and Connecticut

over land claims unresolved from before the Revolution

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Courts (Judicial Branch)

• The nation lacked a

national court system.

Supreme Court

• No universal interpretation

of laws and punishments

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

President (Executive Branch)

• The nation did not have a

President, or Chief Executive.

White House

• Congress’ actions were un-

enforceable

• State leaders did whatever

was in the best interest of their

states or areas, NOT THE

COUNTRY!!

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

Congress (Legislative Branch)

• Laws were difficult to pass, needing the

approval of nine states.

• Congress had no power to collect taxes,

regulate trade, coin money, or establish a

military.

• Congress also argued over the role of

religion in government (which should be

dominant, if any at all?)

What events helped to show the weaknesses in

the Articles of Confederation?

• In 1786, farmers in

Massachusetts revolted

– Angry over the taxes and

foreclosures on their

homes / farms

– Attacked tax collectors and

local courts

• Led by Revolutionary War

veteran, Daniel Shays

– The revolt became known

as “Shays Rebellion”

A stone tablet marks the spot where the last “battle” of Shays Rebellion was fought in

1787 when Massachusetts militiamen fired on Shays rebels, forcing them to flee

How did Shays’ Rebellion force change?

• Shays’ Rebellion showed

the weakness of the

Articles of Confederation

– Congress could not raise

troops or help the farmers

• Discussions began

across the country on

holding a meeting to

amend the Articles

– Biggest supporter =

George Washington

Constitutional Convention• Federalists argued for a more powerful

Federal government, Anti-federalists

argued for a less powerful Federal

government.

• Big issues of Representation: How to

balance the big states with the smaller

states, and how to count slave

populations.

What about Slaves?Compromises on slavery• Southern states wanted to count all slaves for

representation purposes but none for taxation.• Northern states objected.

• Three-Fifths Compromise: all whites plus three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for both representation and taxation.

• Native Americans were not counted.

• In order to maintain unity between North and South, delegates agreed to a clause allowing the slave trade to continue for 20 years.

• Another clause, the fugitive slave clause, stated that a slave who fled to another state had to be returned to his or her original state.

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Leg. checks on Judicial Branch

May overrule judicial decisions

May impeach Supreme Court justices

Leg checks on Executive Branch

May reject appointments made by executive

May reject treaties

Controls funding for presidential initiatives

May impeach president

May override a veto

JUDICIAL BRANCH

Judicial checks on Legislative

• May declare laws passed by Congress to be unconstitutional

Judicial checks on Executive Branch

• May declare executive actions to be unconstitutional

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Exec checks on Legislative

• May veto bills

• May adjourn Congress in certain situations

Exec checks on Judicial Branch

• Appoints judges

CHECKS AND BALANCES TO KEEP GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING

OVERLY POWERFUL:

Bill of Rights Seals the Deal

• Three delegates would not sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights.

• Once the BofR was drafted, 39 delegates from 12 states signed it, and the Constitutional Convention adjourned on September 17, 1787.

Whiskey Rebellion

1. 1791, government taxes Whiskey to pay Rev War debt, eliminating profits for the farmers of W. Pennsylvania.

2. Farmers began to tar and feather tax collectors.

3. Results:1. The United States created a stronger Federal

Government (Constitution).

2. President Washington sent 13,000 troops to quell the rebellion, setting a precedent of using the military to quell armed rebellion.

3. Finally, the Pinckney Treaty (1795) between the US and Spain allowed trade upon the Mississippi River, making the transport of Whiskey much cheaper.