HOW WILL COLONIAL PAST AFFECT AMERICAN FUTURE?• What were colonists mad about?

• Discuss with partners: specific grievances and how newly independent America will try to deal with them

• Examples

• Paying taxes

• Not being able to move west

• Not being represented enoughLet’s see how they deal with each of these issues…

Mr. Richardson, MAT

GHHS

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

SETTING THE STAGE• Oct 1777 – Saratoga, 5k

British soldiers captured in upstate New York

• At this point, colonies are very much like 13 different colonies.

• 2nd Continental Congress is running the war, publishes Dec. of Independence

• Three names to associate: Jefferson, Adams, Hancock

AFTER DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

• Begin planning for self-government.

• Precedents?

• Mayflower Compact (1620), House of Burgesses (1607)

• 1776 Virginia (VA) constitution

• Written by George Mason, limits VA governor

• 1777 Massachusetts (MA) constitution

• Written by John Adams: bicameral, Bill of Rights

STATE CONSTITUTIONS• Republicanism.

• Most had strong governors with veto power.

• Most had bicameral legislatures.

• Property required for voting.

• Some had universal white male suffrage.

• Most had bills of rights.

• Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

OCCUPATIONAL COMPOSITION OF SEVERAL STATE ASSEMBLIES IN THE 1780S

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FORMING A NEW GOVERNMENT• A Republic

• Republicanism- Government is based on the consent of the people.

• States maintained their own constitutions.

• The need for a national government persisted.

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• The Articles were written in 1777 by John Dickinson, a Pennsylvania statesman

• All 13 states had to approv

• The Articles were accepted by Congress in 1781 and is considered the first national constitution

• Shared fundamental powers between the states & Congress

• Called a Confederation:an alliance.

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STRUCTURE OF ARTICLES

• Unicameral (single house) legislative body

• Each state had one vote regardless of population size

• Congress given sole authority to govern the country

• Congress would establish temporary courts to hear disputes among the states

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• Fear of the government having too much power

• In the Articles, the state governments limit the power of the national Congress

STRENGTHS OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION: SETTLING WESTERN LANDS

• The Land Ordinance of 1785, stated that land in the west was to be surveyed using a grid system to establish 6 mile blocks

• The Northwest Ordinance 1787 assisted in the orderly expansion of the United States, it outlined a plan for applying for statehood to western territories• 5,000 free males who own 50 acres can start govt

• Population of 60,000 could become a state

INDIAN LAND CESSIONS:1768-1799

DISPUTED TERRITORIAL CLAIMSBETWEEN SPAIN & THE U. S.:1783-1796

STATE CLAIMS TO WESTERN LAND

LAND ORDINANCE OF 1785

SETTLING WESTERN LANDS

• The Northwest Ordinance provides an orderly settlement process in the West

• It promised• no slavery

• education

• freedom of religion

• trial by jury

NORTHWEST TERRITORY

• The Northwest Territory was east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River. The states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin would be formed from this area.

PROBLEMS OF TAXATION• States send 2.4 of 15

million dollars requested by Congress

• Not paying our debts

• Newberg Conspiracy

REASONS FOR SHAYS’ REBELLION

• Farmers are required to pay debts in gold, they have no money because they were not paid during the war

• Wealthy lawmakers invested their money in the war too. And seek to get money from the farmers debts

DANIEL SHAYS & HIS REASONS• Daniel Shays- Revolutionary War

Veteran & farmer in debt.

• Poor farmers are not represented in the Mass legislature and cannot pass debt relief laws

• The rebellion will free debtors from prisons and close courts that are hearing cases against farmers

SHAYS’ REBELLION 1787-Formed an army of 1,200 farmers

-Marched towards arsenal in Springfield

-The Mass. militia is called out to stop it- Result: 4 rebels killed

-Shays’ Rebellion will prompt national leaders to create a stronger central government

SAMUEL ADAMS

• “Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death”

THOMAS JEFFERSON

• "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion."

CALL FOR CONVENTION• Problems:

• Trade between states

• Taxes on goods

• Madison & Hamilton called for convention in Annapolis, Maryland 1786

• 5 states sent delegates

• Failure

• Shay’s Rebellion got attention= Convention in 1787 in Philadelphia

• 12 states sent delegates

• Rhode Island did not

55 Delegates total- merchants, lawyers, planters.

KEY CONFLICTS: CENTRAL GOVERNMENT VS. STATES

Strong Central Government:

-Authority comes from the people

-The central government should be stronger than the states

Strong States:

-Authority comes from the states

-The states should remain stronger than the central government

KEY CONFLICTS: LARGE VS. SMALL STATESLarge States:

-Congress should be 2 houses

-Delegates should be assigned based on population size

Small States:

-Congress should remain unicameral (1 house)

-Each state should have one vote

KEY CONFLICTS: NORTH VS. SOUTH

North:

-Slaves should not be counted when assigning delegates

-Slaves should be counted when levying taxes

South:

-Slaves should be counted when assigning delegates

-Slaves should not be counted when levying taxes