Articles of Confederation

1. Articles of Confederation • Background • 13 states were starting to write their own constitutions • Congress was drawing up its own blueprint for a national government • In 1776, people felt more loyalty to their own states than to a nation • The states seemed unwilling to turn power over to the national government

2. Articles of Confederation • November 15, 1777 – Continental Congress completed and passed the Articles • Proposed that it go into effect after every state had approved it • 1781 – All states finally ratify the Articles

3. Land Claim Issues • However, there were again land disputes based upon colonial charters • Claims often overlapped • 6 States (Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland) without western claims argued it should be public land belonging to the national government

4. Ratified???? • Most states ratified the Articles • Maryland - would not ratify it until all lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River became public land • Virginia – (huge land claims) present-day states of Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin – refused to comply • Too powerful????

6. Ratified • 1778 – Virginia (the only state to ratify by the deadline • 1781 – Maryland (the last state) ratify the Articles • Articles become the first constitution of the United States • Main author – John Dickinson • Loose alliance of states rather than a strong, central government • Writers feared a strong central government – why????

7. Powers/Rights • Each state had one vote • Powers included: • Declaring war • Raising an army and navy • Making treaties • Borrowing Money • Establishing a postal system • Conducting business with Native Americans and other countries

8. Weaknesses of the Articles • National government was much weaker than the state governments • Had no authority over individual citizens and very little control over state governments • Could make laws, but the writers provided no measures to carry out those laws (Articles left it to the states to enforce laws passed by Congress) • Made no provision for a court system (if the states disagreed, they had no place to resolve their differences)

9. Weaknesses (cont.) • Every state could send delegates to Congress, but each state (whatever its size) had only one vote • Larger states viewed this as unfair • Congress held powers to war and peace, however, they didn’t have the power to collect taxes……..so…….. • No requirement of the states to send money • Known as a “shadow without substance”

10. 3-2-1 • 3 – Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation • 2 – last two states to ratify the Articles of Confederation • 1 – Power of the Articles of Confederation