Forming a New Government• The main goal of the colonists was to

prevent oppression from a government like Britain

• The people wanted to be involved• A republic was decided as the best form

of government – People choose their representatives– But would everyone be involved??

• At first, only property owners• Some states allowed all white males• African Americans and women were not allowed

State Constitutions Lead the Way• After the Declaration of Independence,

each state created its own government

• Some states included a Bill of Rights– Lists of freedoms that were to be protected

• Discussions began about how to form a national government

• Unity became very important

• “By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.”

– John Dickinson

“Confederation”• What does this word mean?

– An alliance– The 13 states– Uniting separate things

The Articles of Confederation• 1776: Congress began to make a

plan for a national government

• Disagreement about how many representatives/votes each state would receive– Based on population or equal

• Government would be run by the Confederation Congress

Articles of Confederation

• John Dickinson’s plan for central government– proposed cession of West to Congress opposed– proposed equality in state representation opposed

• Articles of Confederation severely limit central government’s authority over states

• States suspicious of Articles

Western Land: Key to the First Constitution

• Maryland ratification of Articles delayed for Virginia’s renunciation of Western claims

• 1781--Virginia takes lead in ceding Western claims to Congress

• Other states cede claims to Congress• Congress gains ownership of all land west

of Appalachians

Western Land Claims Ceded by the States

Northwest Ordinance: The Confederation's Major Achievement• Creates 3-5 new territories in Northwest• Population of 5,000 may elect Assembly• Population of 60,000 may petition for

statehood• Bill of Rights provided• Slavery outlawed

Northwest Territory

Land Ordinance of 1785

Powers of the Confederation Congress

Powers Given Powers Denied

Conduct foreign affairs Establish executive branch

Declare war and make peace

Enforce national laws

Issue or borrow money Create and collect taxes

Control Western territories Regulate interstate or foreign trade

Control Indian affairs Establish federal courts

Run postal service Amend the Articles

• Each state had only one vote in Congress• Most important powers were left to each state• Only states could set taxes and enforce national laws

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles

• Confederation Congress had been running the nation since the Revolutionary War

• They decided how the western lands were to be divided and governed– Land Ordinance of 1785- 6 mile square plots

were divided and called townships– Later became the states of Ohio, Michigan,

Illinois, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota– Called the Northwest Territory

Problems with Britain and Spain• It was time to pay back loans• But… the Confederation Congress did not

have the money• Some challenges

– Britain refused to leave the Great Lakes region and competed against the states in the fur trade

– Britain banned American ships in the British seas– Spain did not allow Americans to ship in the Caribbean– Spain refused to allow Americans to use the Mississippi

River– Spain and Congress argued over boundary of Florida

Economic Problems and Shay’s Rebellion

• American trade was weak• Many economic problems• Congress could not levy, or collect taxes• 300 soldiers from the war were angry about not being paid• Led a demonstration in Pennsylvania• Delegates of the Congress were forced to leave the city• Shay’s Rebellion

– Daniel Shays and many others were angry after they returned from the war

– Shays led a march on a federal arsenal– The state militia quickly defeated the rebellion– But Americans realized that the national government had

no power to raise an army or deal with economic issues