CH. 7: A MORE PERFECT UNION 1777-1790 Why It Matters: When

the American colonies broke their political ties with Great Britain, they faced the task of forming independent governments at both the state and national levels. In 1788 the Constitution became the official plan of American government.

The Impact Today: Created to meet the needs of a changing nation, the Constitution has been the fundamental law of the United States for more than 200 years. It has served as a model for many constitutions all over the world.

SECTION 1: THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION PGS. 192-193 Main Idea: The leaders

of the new United States worked to decline the powers of government.

Key Terms: Constitution Bicameral Republic Petition Ordinance Depreciate

THIRTEEN INDEPENDENT STATES Americans needed to establish their own government and gain Britain’s respect. This brought new challenges. The British believed the new government was weak and ineffective. States organized their governments and adopted their own state constitutions. The writers wanted to prevent abuses of power and also wanted to keep power in the hands of the people. State constitutions limited the power of the governor to avoid giving one ruler too much power. Pennsylvania replaced the office of governor with an elected council of twelve members. Wanted to keep state power and not central power

THIRTEEN INDEPENDENT STATES States divided functions between the

governor and the legislature. 1. The legislature was the more powerful branch

because of the limited powers of the governor. Most states had a bicameral, or two-house

legislature. This further divided the power.

2. Legislatures were popularly elected and elections were frequent. State legislatures had many disagreements about

how to make taxes fair.

VOTING RIGHTS In most states only very select few could vote:

White males who were 21 years of age

They also had to either be property owners or pay a certain amount of taxes.

In some states free African American males could vote.

FORMING A REPUBLIC PGS. 193-195 Americans agreed that the country

should be a republic, which is a government with elected representatives.

When they could not agree on was the origin and powers of the new republic.

FORMING A REPUBLIC At first most Americans favored a weak central

government with the powers being given to the states to function independently

Central government would have the power to wage war and handle relations with other countries.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION In 1777 the Articles of Confederation were adopted to

provide for a central government.

At the time the country needed a central government to fight the war against Britain.

The Articles were America’s first constitution.

States gave up little of their power.

Each state kept “its sovereignty, freedom, and independence.”

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Under the Articles of Confederation, the government, which was the Confederation Congress, has the authority to:

1. conduct foreign affairs 2. maintain armed forces 3. borrow money 4. issue currency

The government did not have the authority to:1. regulate trade2. force citizens to join the army3. impose taxes

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION The government did not have a chief executive. Each state had one vote in Congress. State population did not matter, although larger, more populated states believed that they should have more votes.

CONFEDERACY States also argued about whether or not they claimed land

in the West.

Maryland refused to ratify the Articles of Confederation until states abandoned their land claims.

Finally all 13 states approved the Articles on March 1, 1781.

The Confederacy formally became the government of the United States.

FORMING A REPUBLIC The Confederation government had its

weaknesses, but it won Americans their independence, expanded foreign trade, and provided for new states in the West. 1. It had limited authority 2. It could not pass a law unless 9 states voted

for it. 3. To change the Articles of Confederation, all 13

states had to give consent. It was difficult therefore, for Congress to pass laws when there was any opposition.

NEW LAND POLICIES The Articles of Confederation had no provision for adding

new states.

Congress realized it had to extend its authority over the frontier and bring order and stability to the territory where western settlers reached almost 120,000 by the 1790s.

The Western Ordinances had a large impact on Western expansion and development of the United States.

NEW LAND POLICIES In 1784 Congress divided the Western territory into self-governing districts. When the number of people in a district reached the population of the smallest existing state, that district could apply for statehood.

ORDINANCE In 1785 the Confederation

Congress established a new law that divided the Western territories into larger townships and smaller sections.

Each smaller section would be sold at auction for at least $1 an acre. This was called the Ordinance of 1785.

Land speculators bought large pieces of land cheaply.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR AN ACRE TODAY?

Location, location, location is the main factor when determining price of real estate. An acre of land in a remote area can cost between $5000. and $10,000. However in a more commercialized area where building is in bloom, an acre can cost $45,000. to $60,000. Remember the location is the main factor.

NEW LAND POLICIES Another ordinance passed in 1787 was the Northwest Ordinance.

– 1. It created a Northwest Territory out of the lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River.

– 2. It divided the lands into 3 to 5 smaller territories.

– 3. It stated that when the population of a territory reached 60,000 citizens, that the territory could apply for statehood. Each new state would enter as an equal to the original 13 states.

– 4. It included a bill of rights to protect the settlers that guaranteed freedom of religion and trial by jury. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude were permitted in the new territories.

TROUBLE ON TWO FRONTS The Confederate government had trouble with finances, and with Britain and Spain over landholdings and trade.

Many Americans felt the country needed a stronger government to better with the problems.

The government had a large debt from the war.

Congress had borrowed money from American citizens and foreign governments.

It owed soldiers their wages. But because Congress had no power to tax, it did not have a way to raise revenue and pay off this debt.

TROUBLE ON TWO FRONTS PGS. 197-198

Money was almost worthless.

The paper money printed during the Revolutionary War had depreciated, or fallen in value, while food prices and other goods soared.

In Boston, for example, high prices led to food riots. Because Congress had no power to tax, it and the states issued paper money.

Because there were so many bills in circulation, the value of money fell.

No gold or silver backed these bills.

Many believed that the central government needed to issue a stronger banking system and national currency.

MO MONEY MO PRA’LEMZ To help solve the financial

problems, the Confederacy created a department of finance.

Robert Morris, a Philadelphia merchant, headed the department.

Morris proposed a plan that called for collecting a 5% tax on imported goods to help pay off the national debt.

Because of Rhode Island’s opposition, the measure did not pass.

A second effort also failed 5 years later.

The country’s financial situation worsened.

THIS IS MY LAND, THIS IS NOT YOUR LAND!

The problem with Britain concerned landholdings and trade.– 1. British troops remained in several strategic forts in the

Great Lakes Region even though Britain had promised to withdraw all troops under the Treaty of Paris.

– 2. British merchants closed Americans out of the West Indies and other profitable British markets.

– 3. John Adams went to London in 1785 to discuss these issues. The British claimed that because Americans had not paid Loyalists for the property taken from them during the war, as agreed to under the Treaty of Paris, they were not willing to talk. Congress recommended payment, but the states refused.

TENSION WITH SPAIN The problems with Spain were worse than those with England.

1. Spain closed the lower Mississippi River to American shipping in 1784 in hopes of halting American expansion into their territory of Spanish Florida and lands west of the Mississippi River. 2. A compromise was reached with an agreement in 1786 that limited American shipping on the Mississippi. In return for this, Spain promised to accept the border between Georgia and Spanish Florida proposed by the Americans. Representatives from the South rejected the agreement because it did not include the right to use the Mississippi River.