September 15, 2014

1. September 15, 2014 Articles of Confederation • Objective: To develop an understanding of the Articles of Confederation • Objective: Identify and analyze weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and how weaknesses led to the Constitutional Convention • Question: What weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation made a lasting government impossible?

2. Articles of Confederation first functioning government ratified in 1781 while Revolution is in progress most real power with the States binding was a ‘rope of sand’ lots of quarrelling between the states just one Congress unicameral (one house) each State had 1 representative it took 9/13 States to pass a law it took 13/13 States to approve a treaty or amend the Articles no executive or judicial branch could pass laws, make treaties, declare war & peace, borrow money, and create a postal

3. Articles of Confederation has Problems

4. Weaknesses of the Articles Congress couldn't require States to obey national laws (no Judicial branch) the central government has little power over foreign trade the Confederation has no effective military force each state issues its own coins and paper money the Confederation must ask states for money to support the federal government changes in the Articles require a unanimous vote of the thirteen, makes it impossible to change the constitution at least nine states are required to decide major issues

5. The NEED for a stronger government!! “Shay’s Rebellion” scares a lot of people – a Small Rebellion of Massachusetts farmers can’t decide what to do with the Northwest Territory have a ‘Constitutional Convention’ meet in Philadelphia, to rework the Articles Philadelphia in May 1787 end up creating a new Constitution

6. Articles of Confederation • Adopted in 1781, the Articles of Confederation was the first government of the new United States • the Articles of Confederation was designed around the idea of a confederation (a loose collection of states) where the states retained the power and the national government had only specific and limited powers • the Articles of Confederation was a league of friendship and an attempt to prevent the same government the Americans rebelled from

7. Weakness of Articles: 1. No executive branch 2. Central government could not collect taxes (and states didn’t have to pay them) 3. No federal judiciary to settle interstate disputes 4. Unanimous consent of states to pass amendments 5. 1 state-1 vote 6. No regulation of interstate or foreign commerce Articles of Confederation

8. Shay’s Rebellion - America’s first Civil War • After war, American’s buying up luxury goods on credit. British began demanding money back, British leaned on importers, who leaned on shopkeepers, who leaned on farmers (most of whom were veterans of the Revolution) who had no money. • Farmers that lacked money, were put in debtors prison, sometimes for life. • In Massachusetts, the state government raised taxes to pay off war debt (but where would money come from?) • Farmers were hardest hit, so they banned together and rebelled, closing courthouses and burning records of debt. As the rebellion grew, the people looked to national government, which could do nothing because of Articles

9. Impact of Shay’s rebellion • Following rebellion, Washington was quoted as saying, “What a triumph for our enemies to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves.” • And, “Good God! who besides a …Briton predicted them! were these people wiser than others, or did they judge of us from the corruption, and depravity of their own hearts? The latter I am persuaded was the case, and that notwithstanding the boasted virtue of America, we are far gone in every thing ignoble and bad.” • Calls for a convention to revise the Articles went out, and on May 25, 1787 delegates began working on the Constitution • By the way, Shay fled to Vermont, pardoned in 1788, received his promised $20 a month pension by 1820 and died in 1825

10. Food for Thought • Washington also said of the Revolution– “At this auspicious period, the United States came into existence as a Nation, and if their Citizens should not be completely free and happy, the fault will be entirely their own.”