Building the New Nation: The Articles of Confederation APUSH

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Building the New Nation The Articles of
Confederation

• APUSH
• Ms. Weston
• 9/13/06

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Evidence of Equality

• After the Revolutionary War
• Reduction of property requirements for voting
• Social hierarchies less defined (Mr. and Ms.
  example)
• White servitude eliminated by 1800
• Growth of trade organizations
• More separation of church and state, more
  religious freedom
• Growth of anti-slavery sentimentQuakers form
  anti-slavery society, abolished in some Northern
  states

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An Incomplete Equality

• No Southern states abolished slavery
• Discriminatory laws against blacksfree and slave
• Womenno political rights, still limited to
  womens work.

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Women in Post-Revolutionary America

• Many had fought in Revolution
• New Jerseys constitution gave right to vote for
  short time.
• Some ideas changedREPUBLICAN MOTHERHOOD
• Women central to creating civic virtue

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Republican Motherhood
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Abigail Adams

• Wife of John Adams
• Took a stand for womens rights in her letters to
  her husband.
• During revolutionary warsaw implications for
  women "I long to hear that you have declared an
  independency. And, by the way, in the new code of
  laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you
  to make, I desire you would remember the ladies
  and be more generous and favorable to them than
  your ancestors.
• "Do not put such unlimited power into the hands
  of the husbands.

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Abigail Adams ctnd.

• "Remember, all men would be tyrants if they
  could. If particular care and attention is not
  paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a
  rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by
  any laws in which we have no voice or
  representation.
• "That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a
  truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no
  dispute but such of you as wish to be happy
  willingly give up -- the harsh tide of master for
  the more tender and endearing one of friend.

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State Constitutions

• Began drafting them in 1776
• Ratified by special conventions
• All based on REPUBLICANISM
• Power of the people
• Contracts that defined powers of government
• Bills of Rights
• Power to legislatures, would be elected each year

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Democratic State Legislatures

• More participation from people in poorer Western
  districts.
• Move of state capitals West.

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Economic Changes

• ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY Former land belonging to king
  or loyalists redistributed.
• Positives More manufacturing, more trade with
  foreign nations.
• Negatives Commerce with Britain cut off,
  speculation and profiteering, debt, INFLATION!
• Economic and social atmosphere unhealthy.

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Trying to Establish a Union

• Difficulties People suspicious of authority, not
  a lot of unity, confusion, hard times after the
  war.
• Signs of hope Colonies had similar governments,
  and philosophies about government. Great leaders
  too-Washington, Hamilton, Madison etc.

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Agreeing to the Articles of Confederation

• Conflict over how to deal with new western lands.
• Finally unanimously approved in 1781when
  Congress agreed land would be used for common
  benefit and would be turned into states.

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The Articles of Confusion

• Very weak confederation.
• Mainly just legislative branchno executive,
  courts mainly in states.
• Weaknesses
• Difficult to pass lawsneeded 9 states, 13 to
  amend
• Could not regulate commerce
• Couldnt enforce tax collection
• BASICALLYNATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAD NO POWER OVERT
  STATES!

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Importance of Articles of Confederation

• Steppingstone to present Constitution.
• Clearly outlined powers of central government.
• First national written constitutionheld the
  states together until they were ready for a more
  powerful Constitution.

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Land Reform

• THE ACHIEVMENT OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
• Land Ordinance of 1785Provided method for
  dividing up and selling land in Old Northwest.
  Provided parcel for education.
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787provided ways for
  territories to become states. Also, forbade
  slavery in Old Northwest.

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States Under Northwest Ordinance

• Settling the issue of land was the success of the
  Articles.

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Weaknesses of Articles Problems with Foreign
Relations

• Tensions with Englandwouldnt send minister,
  wouldnt trade fairly, kept trading posts in
  Northused to harass settlers and keep them from
  attacking Canada.
• Congress under the Articles could no nothing to
  hurt British.
• Spanish control of Mississippi was also causing
  problems.
• Pirates from North Africa.
• All of this showed need for stronger central
  government.

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Shays Rebellion and the Need for Stronger
Government

• Lots of economic problems in 1780s.
• Couldnt control commercestates making own
  tariffs, printing moneyall out of hand!
• Shays Rebellion
• Backcountry farmers, in debt
• Wanted states to print money, lighten taxes, help
  them keep property.
• Massachusetts raised army and crushed rebellion.

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A Desire for Change

• Many fear effects of Shays Rebellionesp.
  wealthy, conservative
• Wanted stronger central government.
• Many begin to clamor for new Constitution.

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Multiple Choice Practice

• 16.Among the important changes brought about by
  the American Revolution was
• A. a. the abolition of slavery in all the
  states.B. b. a strong movement toward equality
  of property rights.C. c. the increasing
  separation of church and state.D. d. full
  equality and voting rights for women.17.A
  major new political innovation that emerged in
  the Revolutionary era was
• A. a. the election of legislative representatives
  capable of voting on taxation.B. b. the shifting
  of power from the legislative to the executive
  branch of government.C. c. the idea of a written
  constitution drafted by a convention and ratified
  by direct vote of the people.D. d. the
  regulation of land sales by the courts.

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• The primary political obstacle to the formation
  of the first American government under the
  Articles of Confederation was
• A. a. disputes among the jealous states over
  control of western lands.B. b. disagreement over
  the relative power of Congress and the executive
  branch.C. c. conflict over the right of Congress
  to regulate trade and manufacturing.D. d.
  conflict over slavery between northern and
  southern states.24.The greatest weakness of
  the government under the Articles of
  Confederation was that
• A. a. it was unable to deal with the issue of
  western lands.B. b. it had no power to regulate
  commerce or collect taxes from the sovereign
  states.C. c. it had no power to establish
  relations with foreign governments.D. d. the
  legislative branch was unable to cope with the
  powerful executive branch.