Unit 2 Chapter 2, Section 3

Unit 2Chapter 2, Section 3 Articles of Confederation Mr. Young Government

Essential Question • What major weaknesses about the Articles of Confederation led the 1787 Convention to scrap them and write the Constitution?

Articles of Confederation Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQtJNK5_8Uk&feature=related 15 Min.

Confederation Ways Government Distributes Power Regional Authority Regional Authority Central Authority Regional Authority Regional Authority

Articles of Confederation • The Articles of Confederationbasically continued the structure and operation of government as established under the SecondContinental Congress. • By March 1781, all 13states had ratified, or approved, the Articles of Confederation.

Articles of Confederation • Ratified- approved, on March 1781 • States wanted a confederation among the 13 states instead of a strong national government

Government under the Articles • Unicameral- single chamber Congress from which executive positions were chosen • No federal court system • Congress settled disputes among States • Each state had one vote in Congress

Government Under the Articles Cont. • Congress had only powers expressed in the Articles • All other power remained with the States

Powers of Congress under Articles • Make War and Peace • Send and receive ambassadors • Enter into treaties • Raise and equip a navy • Maintain army by help of states • Appoint senior military officers • Fix standard of weights and measures • Regulate Indian affairs • Establish Post offices • Decide certain disputes among states

Weaknesses of the Articles The Articles of Confederation gave Congress power, they still created a weak national government

Weaknesses • Congress did not have the power to levy or collect taxes • It could only raise money by borrowing or requesting money

Weaknesses 2) Congress did not have the power to regulate trade

Weaknesses 3) Congress could not force anyone to obey the laws it passed or abide by the Articles

Weaknesses 4) Laws needed the approval of 9 of 13 states Usually only get 9 or 10, each state only has 1 vote, the 5 smaller states could block the 8 larger states

Weaknesses 5) Amending the articles required all consent of all states • The articles were never amended

Weaknesses 6) Central government had no executive branch • No unity in policy making and no way to coordinate the work of the different committees

Weaknesses 7) No national court system • State courts enforced and interpreted national laws • Difficult to settle disputes among states

Achievements • Greatest achievement was of a land policy for lands west of Appalachia • Individual states ceded or yielded their claims to the central government • Congress enacted two land Ordinances- laws

Land Ordinances • Ordinance of 1785- survey and division of West lands • Northwest Ordinance of 1787- territories to be developed for statehood on equal basis w/old states

Other Achievements • In 1783, negotiated a peace treaty with Great Britain and recognized American Independence • 4 Cabinet departments: Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, and Treasury • Provided full faith and credit to help treat citizens without discrimination

Need for a Stronger Government • States quarrel over boundary lines and deal with foreign nations • 1787 government owed $40 million to foreign governments and Revolutionary war vets

Shays’s Rebellion • Armed groups of farmers closed courts to prevent farm foreclosures • Daniel Shays’s closed the Massachusetts and then gathered a force of 1200 men and advanced to arsenal in Springfield

The Annapolis Convention • Concerned about problems between the states of Maryland and Virginia, called the Mount Vernon Convention to discuss currency, import duties,and navigation

Annapolis Convetion 2) In 1786, in Annapolis, Maryland a convention was called to discuss commerce 3) In 1787 a convention would meet in Philadelphia to revise the Articles, but they would scrap them and it would be called the Constitutional Convention

Unit 2 Chapter 2, Section 3