Bell RingerBell Ringer

Look on page 49 in your U.S. History Look on page 49 in your U.S. History and Government textbooks at the and Government textbooks at the illustration, “The Signers of the illustration, “The Signers of the Constitution, in Philadelphia, 1787.” Constitution, in Philadelphia, 1787.”

Count the number of people in the Count the number of people in the painting.painting.

How difficult would it have been to How difficult would it have been to get a large number of people from so get a large number of people from so many places to agree on anything?many places to agree on anything?

New York and Other New York and Other State Constitutions State Constitutions

ChapterChapter

Section 6Section 6

Long before the fighting in the Long before the fighting in the Revolution came to an end, the Revolution came to an end, the Continental Congress realized some Continental Congress realized some kind of unity was needed between the kind of unity was needed between the new independent states.  The delegates new independent states.  The delegates responded by drafting the Articles of responded by drafting the Articles of Confederation, adopted November 15, Confederation, adopted November 15, 1777.  The Articles created a 1777.  The Articles created a confederation, or league, of free and confederation, or league, of free and individual sovereign states, to be individual sovereign states, to be collectively called  "The United States collectively called  "The United States of America".  It took until 1781, of America".  It took until 1781, however, before all thirteen states however, before all thirteen states ratified the Articles of Confederation.  ratified the Articles of Confederation. 

Under the terms of the Articles of Under the terms of the Articles of Confederation, each of the thirteen Confederation, each of the thirteen states would function as a separate and states would function as a separate and self-sufficient unit, free to conduct its self-sufficient unit, free to conduct its own local business and only bound to own local business and only bound to the others in matters of defense and the others in matters of defense and foreign affairs.  The Articles amounted foreign affairs.  The Articles amounted to little more than a friendship pact to little more than a friendship pact amongst the new states.amongst the new states.

State Constitutions and State Constitutions and Religious FreedomReligious Freedom

Many Many statesstates adopted their adopted their own own constitutionsconstitutions before before United States Constitution United States Constitution was was createdcreated..

Many contained references to a Many contained references to a bicameralbicameral (two house) rather (two house) rather than a than a unicameralunicameral (one-house) (one-house) legislaturelegislature, an , an executiveexecutive branch, branch, a a judicialjudicial branch, and even a branch, and even a bill bill of rightsof rights prohibiting the prohibiting the establishment of a religion.establishment of a religion.

As a result, these As a result, these constitutionsconstitutions guaranteed guaranteed religious religious libertyliberty and and encouraged the growth of encouraged the growth of religious pluralismreligious pluralism (toleration of more than one (toleration of more than one religious group).religious group).

QuestionQuestion

Can you name some religious Can you name some religious groups found in the United groups found in the United States?States?

Would these religions be in Would these religions be in our country if it were not for our country if it were not for the bill of rights?the bill of rights?

Abolition of SlaveryAbolition of Slavery

By 1800s, all the By 1800s, all the northernnorthern statesstates had passed had passed lawslaws to to end end slaveryslavery..

By 1810, most By 1810, most northern northern African AmericansAfrican Americans were were free free citizenscitizens..

QuestionQuestion

Did slavery still exist in the Did slavery still exist in the southern colonies?southern colonies?

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation

Delegates from the 13 Delegates from the 13 colonies drew up the colonies drew up the Articles of Confederation in Articles of Confederation in 17771777. .

The states finally The states finally ratifiedratified the articles in 1781.the articles in 1781.

Major PrinciplesMajor Principles

First First constitutionconstitution for the for the United States.United States.

Government under the Government under the Articles soon proved Articles soon proved unsatisfactoryunsatisfactory..

Organization and Powers of the Organization and Powers of the GovernmentGovernment

Consisted of a Consisted of a oneone house house lawmakinglawmaking body.body.

(Continental Congress)(Continental Congress)NoNo separate system like separate system like executive executive

branchbranch to enforce the laws or a system to enforce the laws or a system of national courts to interpret laws.of national courts to interpret laws.

Each Each statestate was was equallyequally represented represented in in CongressCongress by a delegation that by a delegation that could cast just could cast just oneone vote on each vote on each issue. issue.

The The CongressCongress was given the power was given the power to declare war, make peace, and to declare war, make peace, and conduct foreign affairs.conduct foreign affairs.

Strengths and WeaknessesStrengths and Weaknesses

Congress had 2 major achievementsCongress had 2 major achievements

1)1) Bringing the Bringing the Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War to a to a successful successful endend..

2)2) Establishing the (Establishing the (Northwest Northwest Ordinance, 1787Ordinance, 1787) for governing the ) for governing the western lands between Appalachian western lands between Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River.Mountains and Mississippi River.

WeaknessesWeaknesses

Congress Congress lacklack power to power to collect collect taxestaxes..

Relied on Relied on grantsgrants of money of money from from statesstates to pay its to pay its expenses.expenses.

QuestionQuestion

If Congress lacked the If Congress lacked the power to collect taxes what power to collect taxes what problems might result?problems might result?

Could not regulate Could not regulate commercecommerce between between statesstates..

Paper Paper currencycurrency issued issued worthlessworthless..

The The Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation could could notnot be changed without be changed without every state every state agreeingagreeing..

Article Weaknesses:Article Weaknesses:

New New nationnation had a big had a big war war debtdebt and no way to pay it and no way to pay it offoff..

So states need to So states need to paypay..

Some printed more Some printed more moneymoney = made = made money’s value money’s value lessless..

MassachusettsMassachusetts raised raised taxestaxes. . Especially hurt Especially hurt farmersfarmers in western in western Massachusetts.Massachusetts.

When farmer couldn't When farmer couldn't paypay, his case went to , his case went to courtcourt..

JudgesJudges ordered ordered salesale of of farmer’s farmer’s propertyproperty..

Some sent to debt Some sent to debt prisonprison..

QuestionsQuestions

Do you see a problem arising Do you see a problem arising from this between the farmers from this between the farmers and tax collectors? and tax collectors?

How are farmers going to How are farmers going to view the new government view the new government concerning these taxes? concerning these taxes?

Do you see any irony with this Do you see any irony with this (remember history repeats (remember history repeats itself)itself)

FarmersFarmers were were mad, scared.mad, scared.

Wanted Wanted reliefrelief from state from state legislaturelegislature..

Resorted to Resorted to violenceviolence..

Led by Led by Daniel ShaysDaniel Shays, 2,000 , 2,000 farmers marched on farmers marched on Massachusetts Massachusetts courtscourts and and closedclosed them. them.

Some Some farmersfarmers tried to take tried to take over state over state arsenalarsenal..

Rebellion Rebellion failedfailed because because Massachusetts Massachusetts militiamilitia intervened.intervened.

Daniel ShayDaniel Shay was condemned was condemned to to deathdeath on a on a treasontreason charge, charge, but would flee to the but would flee to the VermontVermont Republic and asked Republic and asked for for amnestyamnesty from the from the governor on February 1788. governor on February 1788.

QuestionQuestion

What is amnesty? What is amnesty? Give an exampleGive an example

Shays RebellionShays Rebellion had major had major impact on impact on publicpublic opinion. opinion.

National governmentNational government had had no no troopstroops to stop to stop rebellionsrebellions..

People wanted People wanted lawlaw and and orderorder..

Shay’s Rebellion 1786Shay’s Rebellion 1786

EconomicEconomic troubles and troubles and political unrestpolitical unrest caused many Americans to caused many Americans to doubtdoubt whether their young country could whether their young country could long long survivesurvive under a under a weak central weak central governmentgovernment..

Particularly alarming was a violent Particularly alarming was a violent protest by protest by Massachusetts farmersMassachusetts farmers against the collection of a against the collection of a state taxstate tax..

QuestionQuestion

Why was it ironic that Shay’s Why was it ironic that Shay’s Rebellion took place in Rebellion took place in Massachusetts so soon after Massachusetts so soon after the Revolution?the Revolution?