A Loose Confederation Learning Objectives: SWBAT tell why each new state made a constitution and tell what the new Constitutions were like. SWBAT describe

A Loose Confederation Learning Objectives:• SWBAT tell why each new state made a

constitution and tell what the new Constitutions were like.

• SWBAT describe America’s first government, the Articles of Confederation.

• SWBAT explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and tell why it did not last.

• SWBAT explain the importance of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance.

• SWBAT explain what happened in Shay’s Rebellion and tell why the colonies needed to change or replace the A.O.C.

Pgs.200-204

Chapter 7Section 1

TIME LINE1775 Fighting breaks out in Lexington and Concord,

the American Revolution begins.1776 July 4th, the Continental Congress passes

the Declaration of Independence. America

becomes a nation.

1777 The Continental Congress passes America’s first

government, the Articles of Confederation.

States pass their own constitutions, setting up state

governments.

1783 The peace treaty is signed, ending the Revolutionary

War.

1787 The states call a meeting to fix the A.O.C.

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A Loose Confederation Pgs.200-204

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A Loose Confederation

Setting the ScenePg.200

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The State Write ConstitutionsPg.200

As colonies became states, they wrote out constitutions to

explain how their new governments

would work without the laws

of the King of England.

The states wanted to accomplish two main

things when writing their constitutions:

1. They wanted to spell out all of the rights of the citizens.

2. They wanted to limit the power of the government.

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Most state governments only had two branches:

- a legislative branch to pass laws- an executive branch (a governor) to carry out the laws

Many state governments also had a bill of rights or list of rights guaranteed to the citizens.

* Note: There was not a judicial branch in many original state constitutions because there were many local courts to handle disputes.

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Passed by the Continental Congress

in 1877

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The Articles of ConfederationPg.201

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Limited PowersPg.201

The Articles of Confederation (A.O.C.)

•a one branch- legislative (Congress) and each state

gets one representative (one vote)

•could pass laws with 9 votes out of 13 states

•had the power to:-declare war

-appoint military officers

-coin (print) money

-make treaties with foreign countries

-request (ask for) money

-set up a post office

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The A.O.C.-declare war-appoint military officers-coin (print) money-make treaties-request (ask for) money

-set up a post office

The States-regulate their own trade-make laws about taxes-could coin (print) their own money-could act independently on most issues-were responsible to enforce the national laws

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Dispute Over Western LandsPg.201-202

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A Loose Confederation Pg.201-202

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Weaknesses of the ConfederationPg.202

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•Many states did not enforce the laws properly which made any national laws and the national government weak.•When states argued with each other, the A.O.C. could do nothing to solve it because there was no Judicial or Executive branches.•Since the A.O.C. could not tax the states, it printed its own paper money which became nearly worthless because it had nothing of value to back it up.•Foreign countries took advantage of the weakness of the A.O.C. government by disobeying it.

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A Loose ConfederationThe Northwest Territory

Pg.203

Two positive laws passed by the A.O.C. government:

The Land Ordinance of 1785 - set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory.

The Northwest Ordinance - set up a government for the Northwest Territory. AND… set up a way to admit new states to the nation.

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Admitting New StatesPg.203

After the land was surveyed (measured to see how big it was), it was divided into townships which were six miles by six miles square.

Each township could then be divided into one mile by one mile sections to be sold for $640 each.

One central section (usually section 16) was set aside to support public schools and other government buildings.

Eventually people divided the one mile by one mile sections even smaller and sold pieces.

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The Land Ordinance of 1785 Pg.203

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Pg.203A Loose Confederation

The Land Ordinance of 1785

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The Land Ordinance of 1785 Pg.203

Set up a system to admit new states:

•after there were 60,000 free settlers living in a territory and it had passed a written constitution, a territory could ask Congress to admit it as a state.

•A new state would have equal “standing”/power with the other states

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The Northwest Ordinance Pg.203

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A Call for Change Pg.204

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Farmers Revolt Pg.204

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The Start of Shays’ Rebellion

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A Convention is Called Pg.204

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A Convention is Called Pg.204

As a result of Shays’ Rebellion, many Americans acknowledged that the A.O.C. government was not working well. Several states called for a convention to fix the A.O.C. The meeting was set for May of 1787 in Philadelphia.

“I predict the worst consequences from a half-starved, limping government, always movingupon crutches and tottering at every step.”

Documents

A Loose Confederation Learning Objectives: SWBAT tell why each new state made a constitution and tell what the new Constitutions were like. SWBAT describe