The Government under the Articles of Confederation

1. The Government under the Articles of Confederation

2. Accomplishments – Land Ordinances • Western Land not governed by a state, so what should they do? • Land Ordinance of 1785 • Northwest Ordinance of 1787

3. Political Problems • There were 13 separate states that lacked national unity • Each state had only one vote in Congress, regardless of Population • Nine out of 13 states needed to agree to pass any law • Articles could be amended only if ALL states approved • There was no executive branch to enforce laws of Congress • There was no national court system to settle legal disputes

4. Economic Problems • Huge wartime debts • Congress could not enact and collect taxes • Congress could not regulate interstate or foreign trade

5. Foreign Problems • Hard time defending themselves, b/c central gov. not strong and could not raise an army = insufficient power to deal with problems. • Britain still occupied forts by Great Lakes, since US did not pay back debt or compensate loyalists • Britain refused to negotiate trade • Spain closed the Mississippi to US navigation, hurt Western farmers