Articles of Confederation 1781 1787

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Articles of Confederation 1781 - 1787
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• In 1776 the 2nd Continental Congress appointed a
  committee to draft the 1st Constitution of the
  United States.
• A constitution is a written document that
  includes the organization of government, the
  powers of government, and the limits placed on
  government.

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• Americans wanted a republic. A republic is a form
  of government where people elect their leaders.
• Americans did not want a strong central
  government.
• A confederation is an association of equals.
  Individual states operated like independent
  countries.

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• Our national government today has three separate
  branches that work together
• Legislative Branch - makes national laws
  (Congress)
• Executive Branch - enforces the laws (President)
• Judicial Branch - interprets the laws (Supreme
  Court)

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• The national government under the Articles of
  Confederation had only one branch Congress
• Congress had the power to
• Make treaties
• Maintain an army and navy
• Coin and borrow money

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• National laws had to be agreed to by 9 of the 13
  the states. In the Congress, each state had one
  vote on all laws.
• All 13 states had to agree to amendments to the
  Articles of Confederation.
• The Confederation Congress did not have the power
  to enforce national laws.

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• Military Problems
• Britain maintained troops around the Great Lakes
• Spain refused Americans the right of deposit in
  New Orleans
• Shays Rebellion

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• Economic Problems
• Each state coined its own money
• No national standard for weights and measures
• States began imposing tariffs on one another