Structure of the Government

Loose union of autonomous statesUnicameral CongressEach state has 1 voteCongress has the

power toConduct Foreign AffairsDeclare WarMaintain Armed ForcesRaise Loans, Issue Credit,

est. CoinageRegulate Trade with

Indians

Ratification

All 13 states must ratify for the Articles to go into effectMaryland will not ratify because of Western land claims1781: 8 states w/ land claims cede the land to CongressArticles finally ratified & go into effect

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

States retained the majority of the powerSuccessfully won the Revolution & negotiated a peaceWon large amounts of land

Weaknesses of the Articles of Weaknesses of the Articles of ConfederationConfederation

9 of 13 votes to pass a law

13 out of 13 to amend the Articles

Representatives were frequently absent

Could not tax

Could not raise an army

No executive or judicial branches

Local vs. National Identification

Americans did not see themselves as “Americans”Identified themselves by their states– ex: Virginians or New Yorkers– Saw the country as “these” United

States

Wanted the states to have the majority of the power

State ConstitutionsState Constitutions

Ideals of Republicanism

Most had strong governors with veto power

Most had bicameral legislatures

Established Judicial branches

Property required for voting

Some had universal white male suffrage

Most had bills of rights guaranteeing basic rights to all citizens

The United States in The United States in 17831783

The Land Ordinance of 1785

Established a system for the Northwest Territory to be surveyed and sold

Land to be sold cheaply since gov’t needed $

Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of 17871787

Established how statehood could be achieved in the Northwest Territory

3-5 states would be created

NO SLAVERY IN THIS TERRITORY

Things necessary for statehood:

1. When population reached 5,000 adult male landowners elect territorial legislature.

2. When population reached 60,000 elect delegates to a state constitutional convention.

Problems in the West

After the Revolution, Americans moved out westIndian conflicts! Squatters: no governments out west to buy land from

People just moved and took over land

British: still occupied forts in the NorthwestWould not leave until ALL British debts paid

Disputed Territorial ClaimsDisputed Territorial ClaimsBetween Spain & the U. S.:Between Spain & the U. S.:

1783-17961783-1796

Spanish: worried Americans were going to take their landClosed port of New Orleans effectively killing ALL trade west of Appalachian Mtns.

The Economy

The U.S. owed $50 million to foreign nationsOver printing of

money led to inflation, then a depression

Had a huge trade deficit with Britain

Each state had it’s own solutionTariffs placed on each otherStates began to tax heavily to deal with problems

Shays’ Rebellion (1786-87)

Farmers in Western MA upset about taxes and increasing debtThey were losing land or were put into prisonWere owed a pension since most fought in the Revolution

Daniel Shays leads these men in a rebellion against MA governmentAttack the courts of MA in SpringfieldMA militia forced to act to put down rebellionNational gov’t unable to do anything

Problems between the States

• States are fighting amongst themselves– Territory– Tariffs– Commerce– Money

• National government is supposed to solve these problems, but the representatives only argue and 9 states never form a consensus

Annapolis Convention (1786)

Major problems under the ArticlesVirginia called for a meeting to discuss fixing the problemsMeeting held in Annapolis, MDOnly 5 states showed up– NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA

Decided to meet again in May 1787 in Philadelphia