AP United States History Unit 6: A New Nation

1. Articles of Confederation AP United States History Unit 6: A New Nation

2. FOR YOUR NOTES: • WRITE THE BLUEWORDS!

3. America after the Revolution • Local ties remain predominant. • Most Americans consider themselves as citizens of their states, not as Americans. • Belief that the sovereignty of the state was more important than the power of the central government. • Would prove to be a problem later. • Congress feared that a strong central government would take away the rights they just won. Map of the 13 Colonies http://www.gibbs-smith.com/textbooks/downloads/13colonies/map.gif

4. America after the Revolution • United in name only. • Issues included: • Western land claims. • Slavery. • Issues with foreign nations and Indians. • Prewar and postwar debts of individual states. • Merchants and producers vs. agriculture. • Interstate trade. Second Continental Congress http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/images/committ.jpg

5. The Articles of ConfederationOrigins • First attempt at creating laws for our national government. Written by John Dickinson Articles of Confederation http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/flash/assets/asset_upload_file755_11927.jpg

6. The Articles of ConfederationOrigins • Ratification was required by all thirteen states; the document would not be finalized until 1781. John Dickinson http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Instructional/Resources/ConstitutionDay/FoundersGallery/dickinson.jpg

7. The Articles of ConfederationKey Rights in the Articles • Each state receives one vote regardless of size. • Limits to national power are contained in Article 2. • “Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every Power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.” • No right to tax individuals or states. • Relied on the states for yearly contributions. • Major weakness of the United States under the Articles of Confederation.

8. The Articles of ConfederationPowers of Congress • Declare war. • Make treaties. • Establish a postal system. • Coin and borrow money. • Regulate Indian affairs. • Unicameral legislature. (1 House) Articles of Confederation http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/images/fig2.jpg

9. The Articles of ConfederationProcess for Enacting Laws • One state, one vote. • 9 of 13 needed to approve laws. • No process for amendment. US Territory in the Articles of Confederation http://cla.calpoly.edu/~lcall/204/state_cessions.jpg

10. The Articles of ConfederationExecutive Powers • No separate executive branch. • President appointed by Congress. • Has no true power. Samuel Huntington, First President of the Confederation http://www.huntington.tierranet.com/bios/images/sam4.gif

11. The Articles of ConfederationJudicial Powers • None provided for a national government. • Only state courts have judicial power. • Creates chaos. Lady Justice http://www.co.yuma.az.us/LD/graphics/ladyjustice260_570-2.gif

12. The Articles of ConfederationState Powers • States retain all powers not specifically granted to Congress in the Articles. Patrick Henry http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/0/25/henry_1_lg.gif

13. Triumph of the ArticlesLand Ordinance of 1785 • LAND around the OHIO & MISSISSIPPI rivers & the GREAT LAKES • Divided up and provided the Western lands for sale by the federal government. • Ensured orderly development of the West. • Provided a simplified plan for dealing with frontier defense. • Set aside land in each new township for the building of schools. • 16TH SECTION LAND Draft of the Land Ordinance http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/images/767.jpg

14. Triumph of the ArticlesNorthwest Ordinance • Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, set down into law how new states would be admitted into the Union. Northwest Territory http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/9/9e/Northwest-territory-usa-1787.png

15. Triumph of the ArticlesNorthwest Ordinance of 1787 • When 60,000 people settled into one of the political subdivisions, the territory could petition Congress to become a state. • Slavery is prohibited. • People living in the territories are to be considered citizens of the United States and not treated as second-class citizens. • LONG TERM EFFECT: Territories eventually became states. Northwest Ordinance http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Images/northwest.gif

16. Problems Under the ArticlesBorder Problems &WEAKNESSES • Spain and Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. • Spain captures American territory (the city of Natchez). • Closes the Mississippi Riverto American commerce, hurting Western farmers. • France regains control from Spain in 1800 through a treaty. • ONE WEAKNESS THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION: • CONGRESS COULD NOT LEVY TAXES Spanish Louisiana Regiment http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2005/spoct05/Louisianasoldiers..JPG

17. Problems Under the ArticlesForeign Trade • Was excluded from the British imperial trade union. • Policy of mercantilism still exists, Britain shifts its focus on its other colonies. • Merchants in New England suffer because they cannot participate in trade. • British merchants flood American markets with cheap goods. • Creates a depression in America as many domestic industries fold. Seal of the British East India Company http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/gallery/East-West/images/India_04_obv.gif

18. Problems Under the ArticlesShays’ Rebellion • Massachusetts legislature is determined to pay its debt by collecting back taxes, seizing the land of debtors, and sending people to prison. • Poor western farmers organize under war veteran Daniel Shays and forcibly prevent courts from holding sessions. • Impact: Many Americans feel that the nation is on the brink of collapse. • WHY is Shays’ Rebellion important? • It led to the passage of a new Constitution Shays’ Rebellion http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Shays.jpg