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Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the Birth of the Constitution

Explore the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Discover the distribution of power under the Articles, their failures, and the pivotal events that shaped American governance.

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Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the Birth of the Constitution

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  1. Unit 2Chapter 2, Section 3 Articles of Confederation Mr. Young Government

  2. Essential Question • What major weaknesses about the Articles of Confederation led the 1787 Convention to scrap them and write the Constitution?

  3. Articles of Confederation Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQtJNK5_8Uk&feature=related 15 Min.

  4. Confederation Ways Government Distributes Power Regional Authority Regional Authority Central Authority Regional Authority Regional Authority

  5. Articles of Confederation • The Articles of Confederationbasically continued the structure and operation of government as established under the SecondContinental Congress. • By March 1781, all 13states had ratified, or approved, the Articles of Confederation.

  6. Articles of Confederation • Ratified- approved, on March 1781 • States wanted a confederation among the 13 states instead of a strong national government

  7. Government under the Articles • Unicameral- single chamber Congress from which executive positions were chosen • No federal court system • Congress settled disputes among States • Each state had one vote in Congress

  8. Government Under the Articles Cont. • Congress had only powers expressed in the Articles • All other power remained with the States

  9. Powers of Congress under Articles • Make War and Peace • Send and receive ambassadors • Enter into treaties • Raise and equip a navy • Maintain army by help of states • Appoint senior military officers • Fix standard of weights and measures • Regulate Indian affairs • Establish Post offices • Decide certain disputes among states

  10. Weaknesses of the Articles The Articles of Confederation gave Congress power, they still created a weak national government

  11. Weaknesses • Congress did not have the power to levy or collect taxes • It could only raise money by borrowing or requesting money

  12. Weaknesses 2) Congress did not have the power to regulate trade

  13. Weaknesses 3) Congress could not force anyone to obey the laws it passed or abide by the Articles

  14. Weaknesses 4) Laws needed the approval of 9 of 13 states Usually only get 9 or 10, each state only has 1 vote, the 5 smaller states could block the 8 larger states

  15. Weaknesses 5) Amending the articles required all consent of all states • The articles were never amended

  16. Weaknesses 6) Central government had no executive branch • No unity in policy making and no way to coordinate the work of the different committees

  17. Weaknesses 7) No national court system • State courts enforced and interpreted national laws • Difficult to settle disputes among states

  18. Achievements • Greatest achievement was of a land policy for lands west of Appalachia • Individual states ceded or yielded their claims to the central government • Congress enacted two land Ordinances- laws

  19. Land Ordinances • Ordinance of 1785- survey and division of West lands • Northwest Ordinance of 1787- territories to be developed for statehood on equal basis w/old states

  20. Other Achievements • In 1783, negotiated a peace treaty with Great Britain and recognized American Independence • 4 Cabinet departments: Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, and Treasury • Provided full faith and credit to help treat citizens without discrimination

  21. Need for a Stronger Government • States quarrel over boundary lines and deal with foreign nations • 1787 government owed $40 million to foreign governments and Revolutionary war vets

  22. Shays’s Rebellion • Armed groups of farmers closed courts to prevent farm foreclosures • Daniel Shays’s closed the Massachusetts and then gathered a force of 1200 men and advanced to arsenal in Springfield

  23. The Annapolis Convention • Concerned about problems between the states of Maryland and Virginia, called the Mount Vernon Convention to discuss currency, import duties,and navigation

  24. Annapolis Convetion 2) In 1786, in Annapolis, Maryland a convention was called to discuss commerce 3) In 1787 a convention would meet in Philadelphia to revise the Articles, but they would scrap them and it would be called the Constitutional Convention

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