The American Republic Part I

1. The American RepublicPart I Articles of Confederation Americans In. . . . British Out!

2. Now we decide for ourselves. . . . • After the 1776 Declaration, the 13 states wrote their own state constitutions • In 1777 the Continental Congress wrote the Articles of Confederation, the first American constitution. • A confederation is an alliance of independent states.

3. Under the Articles. . . Congress (1 vote per state) could: • Declare war • Appoint military officers (like GW) • Coin money • 9 out of 13 states had to agree to pass laws

4. Under the Articles. . . Congress had limited powers, but the states had many powers.

5. Under the Articles. . . Congress could NOT: • Regulate trade between states • Regulate trade between states & foreign countries • Pass TAX laws (Congress had to ASK the states for money & no state could be forced to contribute money!)

6. Under the Articles. . . The central government was WEAK. There was no president to carry out/enforce laws. States had to enforced the laws passed by Congress. No court system to settle disputes between states.

7. Under the Articles. . . States began to fight over land claims and trade agreements. They argued over navigation of rivers & oceans. They fought over money (there were 13 currencies - or types of money)

8. Under the Articles. . . Foreign countries begin to take advantage & try to control the new country - - or maybe they want it for themselves! Those crazy Americans – what do they know about running a country anyway???

9. Under the Articles. . . Britain won’t withdraw its troops from the Ohio Valley (remember the French & Indian conflict? Hmmmmm?) This is Franklin’s map of the Gulf Stream – which took ships right to England!

10. Under the Articles. . . Spain closes its port at New Orleans to American farmers wanting to ship their goods.

11. Under the Articles. . . The Northwest Territory is organized – a new plan to add States.

12. Under the Articles. . . The Northwest Territory was divided into five states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

13. Under the Articles. . . • Land Ordinance of 1785 set up a system for surveying and settling the Northwest Territory. • The law called for the territory to be surveyed, then divided into townships. • One section in every township was set aside to support public schools.

14. Under the Articles. . . Land Ordinance of 1785 (continued) Once a territory had a population of 60,000 it could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state, on equal footing with the original states.

15. Under the Articles. . . Farmers Revolt in 1786! Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer who fought at Bunker Hill and Saratoga organized an uprising Farm prices fell after the Revolution due to an economic depression – this often happens when wars end. Farmers couldn’t pay back loans they took out for land, seed, animals and tools to supply the army. They attacked courthouses and prevented the state from seizing farms. The Massachusetts militia drives them off.

16. Under the Articles. . . Shay’s Rebellion in Massachusetts. . . . Shay is near Boston. We are here!

17. Under the Articles. . . George Washington and others knew changes needed to be made to strengthen the central government. “No day was ever more clouded than the present . . . I predict the worst consequences from a half-starved, limping government, always moving upon crutches and tottering at every step.”

18. Under the Articles. . . States call for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation Meeting: Philadelphia in May 1787. What happens there changes the course of our nation forever.

19. Under the Articles. . . The two good things for our country under the Articles of Confederation: • This government guided us through the war (the states all agreed on independence) • A new plan for organizing territories into states.

20. In Philadelphia, work begins in secret . . . . Summer, 1787No spies allowed!