The dicey period under the Articles of Confederation. Successes and failures. Lead up to the Constitutional Convention

1.  Starting a country’s not that easyStarting a country’s not that easy

3.  Massive debt and nearly worthless currencyMassive debt and nearly worthless currency
 Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________
 Unity among what amounts to 13 separateUnity among what amounts to 13 separate
countriescountries
 Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________
 Conflicting territorial claims between statesConflicting territorial claims between states
 Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________
 Militarily weakMilitarily weak
 Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________

5.  Laws – why laws?Laws – why laws?
 A way to make lawsA way to make laws
 A way to make sure laws are fairA way to make sure laws are fair
 A way to make sure laws are carried outA way to make sure laws are carried out
 A way to interpret or apply lawA way to interpret or apply law
 In other words, a governmentIn other words, a government
 A way for gov’t to pay for itselfA way for gov’t to pay for itself
 A way to protect people’s rights fromA way to protect people’s rights from
governmental powergovernmental power
 A way to defend itself – foreign and domesticA way to defend itself – foreign and domestic
 A stable economyA stable economy

6.  Basics:Basics:
 Drafted by a committee of the 2Drafted by a committee of the 2ndnd
Continental CongressContinental Congress
 Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga]Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga]
 Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]
 Emphasis on state powerEmphasis on state power
 Not UNITED States of AmericaNot UNITED States of America
 United STATES of AmericaUnited STATES of America

7. Nat’l
Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t

8.  Land Ordinance of
1785
 States had surrenderedStates had surrendered
their claims to Westerntheir claims to Western
TerritoryTerritory
 Conflict avoidedConflict avoided
 Way open for orderlyWay open for orderly
expansion of the nationexpansion of the nation
by the admission ofby the admission of
new states carved outnew states carved out
of the unclaimed landof the unclaimed land

9.  Land Ordinance surveys landLand Ordinance surveys land
into squares of 1 sq. mileinto squares of 1 sq. mile
 36 make up a township36 make up a township
 1616thth
square reserved forsquare reserved for
public/gov’t usepublic/gov’t use
 Squares can be divided furtherSquares can be divided further
for salefor sale
 Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is
a plan for growth
 Area of 5000 voters makes aArea of 5000 voters makes a
temporary constitutiontemporary constitution
 When pop. reaches 60K stateWhen pop. reaches 60K state
constitution submitted forconstitution submitted for
congressional approvalcongressional approval
 This process will included inThis process will included in
Article IV of the Constitution asArticle IV of the Constitution as
the way to admit new states tothe way to admit new states to
the Unionthe Union

11.  Border disputes among statesBorder disputes among states
 States printing own currencyStates printing own currency
 Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion
 In Western Mass. 1786, led byIn Western Mass. 1786, led by
Captain Daniel Shays , a veteranCaptain Daniel Shays , a veteran
of the Revolutionof the Revolution
 Many farmers losing farms toMany farmers losing farms to
non-payment of taxesnon-payment of taxes
 Mass. raises an army to fight andMass. raises an army to fight and
the rebellion is crushedthe rebellion is crushed
 Convinced many that the countryConvinced many that the country
was failing under the Articleswas failing under the Articles
 Meetings in Annapolis andMeetings in Annapolis and
Philadelphia to repair thePhiladelphia to repair the
ArticlesArticles

12.  55 delegates meet in Philadelphia55 delegates meet in Philadelphia
from May to Sept., 1787from May to Sept., 1787 [sans Rhode[sans Rhode
Island]Island]
 Authorized “Authorized “for the sole and expressfor the sole and express
purpose of revising”purpose of revising” the Articles ofthe Articles of
ConfederationConfederation
 It’s always easier to get forgiveness thanIt’s always easier to get forgiveness than
permission …permission …
 Articles dropped in favor of an entirelyArticles dropped in favor of an entirely
new governmentnew government
 Meetings in secret so thatMeetings in secret so that
 Delegates could speak freelyDelegates could speak freely
 States would not find out what wasStates would not find out what was
happeninghappening
 The brightest and bestThe brightest and best