Revolution Aftermath and the Articles of Confederation

1. Revolution Aftermath and the Articles of Confederation Unit 2, Lesson 4

2. Essential Idea • As the United States formed its identity, the Articles of Confederation attempted to provide a new government.

3. Impact of War on Society • Impact of War: • The ideals of equality and freedom became more popular • These ideals were limited for women, blacks, and loyalists • Impact of War on Women: • Women took care of farms and businesses while men fought, and a few fought themselves • Women felt more empowered and pushed for more equality with men • Abigail Adams- wife of future President John Adams, asked him to “remember the ladies” during the revolution • Women’s Role in America?

4. Impact on Blacks • Impact of War on Blacks: • Before the war, slavery existed in all colonies • Many people felt slavery did not fit the ideals of equality and freedom • After the war, slavery was eliminated in all northern states, but discrimination continued • Slavery continued in southern states, where it was vital to the agricultural economy

5. The Loyalist Exodus • Impact of War on Loyalists: • Loyalists were discriminated against • Loyalist Exodus- around 100,000 loyalists left America, mostly to Canada

6. New Political Ideas • 1. America created a republic, where power came from people through elections • 2. Many states created written constitutions that included branches of government and lists of rights • 3. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom- first law that separated church and state government and allowed religious freedom

7. Articles of Confederation • Articles of Confederation: • Created during first year of American Revolution • First written plan of government for the United States • Government Structure: • One branch of government, the legislative branch

8. Government under the Articles • Congress was unicameral (one house) and each state had one representative • No executive branch to enforce laws, no judicial branch to interpret laws • Laws and amendments were almost impossible to pass • The federal (central) government was VERY WEAK, giving most power to states

9. Why Weak Federal Government? • Why weak? • Many Americans did not want a strong federal government • They worried a strong federal government could become oppressive and give rise to another king • Americans wanted as much freedom as possible

10. Strengths and Successes of AOC • Strength: • Power to declare war and raise an army • Success: • America was able to win the American Revolution and become independent

11. Strengths and Success of the AOC • Strength: • Congress could control the western territories • Success: • Northwest Ordinance of 1787- set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory and turning it into states • Northwest Ordinance

12. A Country of Slavery or Freedom? • This law banned slavery in the Northwest Territory • This meant the country would be divided between slave and free states as it expanded • Slavery’s role in westward expansion caused tension and contributed to the Civil War

14. Weaknesses and Failures of the AOC • Weakness: • Weak federal government • Failures: • Foreign countries did not respect the United States • Britain continued to occupy forts in the Northwest Territory • Spain disputed borders with America and claimed the Mississippi River, which southerners needed for trade • Congress was too weak to fix either situation

15. Weaknesses and Failures of the AOC • Weakness: • No power to regulate trade or print money • Failures: • States printed their own money • States competed with each other and taxed each others’ trade (tariffs) • States did not cooperate economically, creating disunion

16. Weaknesses and Failures of the AOC • Weakness: • No power to tax • Failures: • Could not afford to pay back war debts • Could not afford an army to deal with other countries or rebellions • Could not afford to build infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.) to help states trade • States took care of themselves, often with high taxes

17. Shays’ Rebellion • Causes: • Massachusetts raised taxes to a high rate to pay its debts • Western backcountry farmers were hurt by the tax and many lost their farms

18. Shays’ Rebellion • Shays’ Rebellion: • Farmers wanted lower taxes and an end to farm foreclosures and attacked courts • Daniel Shays led 1,200 farmers to a federal arsenal to steal weapons and march to Boston • The Massachusetts militia stopped the rebellion

19. Shays’ Rebellion • Consequences: • Shays’ Rebellion exposed the WEAKNESS of the Articles of Confederation • There was a threat of rebellions all over the country • Congress could not raise an army to address this threat • Congress could not stop the financial problems that led to rebellions • Problems Under the Articles

20. Revise the Articles? • Revision? • The Articles of Confederation were TOO WEAK • Congress authorized the Philadelphia Convention, later called the Constitutional Convention, to REVISE the Articles • The convention ended up REPLACING the Articles with the Constitution