Chapter 10 Lesson 1

Confederation – an alliance, league, the thing formed when a group bands together or unites.

Articles – distinct, numbered, non-fiction pieces of writing

Articles of Confederation –first national government of the United States of America

If not a King, what kind of government?

One government for all of the states.

Not more powerful than the states. This could become too much like the King.

The states would remain “free and independent” but would join in a league of friendship.

All 13 states needed to ratify it, or to approve it by signing,

The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781.

This was a central government that connected the 13 states, but it was powerless.

Congress Could…

make laws

ask states for money

Congress Could NOT…

carry out laws

interpret laws

pass laws to collect taxes

force states to give the government money

Congress had borrowed money from regular citizens and foreign countries to fight the American Revolution.

Congress had no way to collect money to pay back these debts or pay the soldiers that fought the war.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the Federal Government printed its own money.

Each state also printed their own kind of money.

People had a hard time keeping these different types of money and all of their values straight.

Before the American Revolution, the King put strict restrictions on the colonies with regard to trading with other countries.

America was only allowed to trade with England.

Because of this, the states would not allow Congress to pass laws governing trade with other countries. The states wanted to keep control of their own trade.

Because there was not a uniform understanding of trade with the United States, some other governments had little respect for the new country.

By the middle 1780’s, some Americans began to see that the Articles of Confederation was not working.

A group called Nationalists began arguing for a stronger form of national government.

Famous nationalists were: ▪ Ben Franklin▪ George Washington

Massachusetts was one of the states that borrowed money to fight in the American Revolution.

To pay back the debt, the state taxed the citizens that owned property.

The farmers were taxed the most because they owned the most land.

Many of these farmers fought in the American Revolution.

Shays became a leader in a movement that demanded lower taxes and relief for farmers about to lose their farms.

Shays lead an attack to close area courts to protect farmer’s property.

Shay’s rebellion was unsuccessful, but it brought much attention to the need to strengthen the national government.

Why did Shays’ Rebellion frighten the nationalists and other Americans?

Shay’s was a hero of the American Revolution. How do you think he felt when the country he fought for tried to take his farm away?

What would you have done if you were Daniel Shays?

Looking at the map, you see the Northwest Territory shaded in green.

This territory needed to be divided into states and governed.

The national government would decide how the territory would be divided and the steps that needed to be followed to become a state.

Congress would name a governor and three judges to govern the whole territory.

When the population of the territory reached 5,000 free adult males, a legislature could be elected to represent the territory in Congress.

When the population reached 60,000 adult males, the territory could petition to become a state.

Congress would need to ratify the petition.

Slavery was not allowed in the Northwest Territory.

Freedom of speech and religion and the right to a trial by jury were promised.

Public schools would be established throughout the territory.

The national government had control over the Northwest Territory, but it was still too weak.

Congress called the states to send representative to a meeting in Philadelphia in May of 1787.

Their job was to revise the Articles of Confederation to make the federal government stronger.