The Articles of Confederation: the First Government

1. The Articles of Confederation: the First Government American Studies

2. Early State Governments • By 1777 most of the colonies had already formed independent state governments • The governments were self-sufficient • Sovereignty was an important concept to these governments • This sovereignty would play a critical role later in the failed Articles of Confederation and also in the Civil War

3. The State Constitutions • Though each was unique, there were some common characteristics of each of these state constitutions • Bill of Rights • Separation of Powers (Checks and Balances) • White Male Suffrage

4. The First Government • If the colonies were to be independent there would need to be some form of central government • John Dickinson, in 1777, actually designed the government that would become known as the Articles of Confederation • Before the Articles were approved in 1781 by the Continental Congress they were revised in order to give the majority of power to the states • Land disputes also delayed the ratification

5. The Articles of Confederation • Structure • The central government consisted of just one body, a congress • This was a unicameral (one part) house • Each state got one vote • Nine out of 13 votes were required to pass a law • All 13 were required to amend the Articles

6. The Articles of Confederation • Powers of the Congress (central government) • Right to declare and wage war • Negotiate treaties • Appoint foreign diplomats • Borrow money • Important powers were not given to the Congress, powers necessary for success • Rights to tax, regulate commerce, or the ability to enforce laws were all given to the states, not the central government

7. Accomplishments of the Articles • There were some achievements made under the Articles • The Articles negotiated the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolution and gave birth to the US • Land Ordinance of 1785 • Northwest Ordinance of 1787

8. Land Ordinance of 1785 • The Land Ordinance of 1785 was meant to resolve the land disputes that had kept the nation torn apart during the Revolution • Established the methods by which the western territories would be surveyed and sold • Set aside resources (land, revenue) for the development of public education

9. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • The Northwest Ordinance further settled western land disputes • It created the path for which a territory could move towards statehood • Gave territories the right to elect legislatures and appoint judges • Territories could send non-voting delegates to Congress • Slavery was prohibited in the western territories

10. Failure of the Articles • Because of the severe limits placed upon the Articles, limits intended to keep the central government weak, the initial government would fail • Because Congress could not tax the colonies war debts were left unpaid, discrediting the young government in the eyes of the international community • Because the Articles could not raise a standing army European nations continued to threaten the borders of the young nation

11. The Final Straw… • By 1786 small farmers were severely crippled in the young nation • Bankruptcy and foreclosures were becoming very common as large amounts of farmers were losing their homes and property to the banks and speculators • Many of these farmers were Revolutionary War veterans, men who had been promised payment for their time as soldiers

12. Shays' Rebellion • One of these farmers was a war veteran named Daniel Shays • Shays, a former Continental captain, would lead a revolt of farmers in the summer of 1786 • The rebels would close the debtors’ courts of Massachusetts and destroy tax offices • When the rebellion was on the verge of turning into an all out war the rebels were defeated by the Massachusetts militia while attempting to seize the Springfield Armory

13. The Effects of Shays’ Rebellion • Shays’ Rebellion forced the new nation to face a number of issues • The central government was too weak to even deal with domestic disputes, much less foreign threats • The Congress was not able to raise an army to crush Shays’ Rebellion, it had to rely on the state militia • New liberties were not being enjoyed by all, the economic situations of the new country were being manipulated by the wealthy merchants and speculators

14. Annapolis to Philadelphia • A convention had been called in Annapolis for 1786 for delegates to discuss matters of interstate commerce • The convention was poorly attended and another convention was planned for the next summer in Philadelphia • However, due to Shays’ Rebellion (which had occurred at the time of the Annapolis Convention) the Philadelphia convention was attended by all but one state

15. A Constitutional Convention • It was immediately decided that the Articles would have to be reformed and that there would have to be a more powerful central government • Before the delegates were finished a whole new constitution had been created, and therefore a whole new government… the United States of America