Articles of Confederation Chapter 5 Section 1

1
Articles of ConfederationChapter 5 Section 1
2
Objectives

• Explain how the states new constitutions
  reflected republican ideals.
• Describe the structure and powers of the national
  government under the Articles of Confederation.
• Summarize the Congresss plan for the settlement
  and governance of western lands.
• List the main weaknesses of the Articles.

3
State Constitutions

• Patriots disagreed over the design of these
  republics, especially over how much power to give
  the common people.

• Although state constitutions varied, each
  provided for a republic in which people voted for
  their representatives.

4
Democratic Patriots

• They favored
• Weak state governments with most of their powers
  in a popularly elected legislature
• Unicameral legislature, or one having single
  house, with either a weak governor or no governor
  at all
• A large House of Representatives with small
  districts so that the people had more control

5
Conservatives

• They favored
• A governor with broad powers
• Bicameral legislature, with two houses
• An upper house or senate made up of wealthy,
  well-educated gentlemen who would balance a lower
  house elected by the common people

6
Debate Over Voting Rights

• Democratic states like Pennsylvania allowed all
  male taxpayers over age 21 to vote.
• Conservative states required property ownership
  for voting.
• None of the states gave the vote to women or to
  slaves.

7
Most new state constitutions guaranteed freedom
of religion.

• Previously, colonies collected taxes for
  religious institutions.
• Now, religious freedom and pluralism became the
  norm.
• The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,
  written by Thomas Jefferson set the example. It
  allowed for religious liberty free of state
  influence.

Thomas Jefferson Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom, 1786
8

• This first national constitution created a loose
  confederation, or league of states, in 1777.
• Congress drafted the Articles of Confederation
  under the leadership of John Dickinson of
  Pennsylvania.
• Congresss power was limited to prevent the
  problems experienced under Britain.

The Articles of Confederation was created by the
Continental Congress.
9
Limits of the Articles

• Congress implemented and enforced laws.
• Executive power was shared, no one leader.
• One state one vote in Congress.
• Major issues, like declaring war, required nine
  states.
• Amendments (Changes) required the agreement of
  all 13 states.

10
Congress could Congress could not
Declare war or conduct foreign policy Raise money through taxes
Administer relations with Indian nations Regulate commerce between states or states and foreign nations
There was also no federal court system.
11
The Articles created a method to settle and
govern the Northwest Territory.
12

• Surveyors divided the territory into a grid of
  lines north to south and east to west,
  establishing hundreds of townships.
• Each township was subdivided into sections of one
  square mile (640 acre), to sell at 1 each.

The Land Ordinance of 1785 established a method
to distribute public land.
13
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 set up a system
to govern territories and create states.
Congress established a territorial government and appointed a governor. Settlers were guaranteed freedom of religion, trial by jury, and rights of common law.
Once there were 5,000 men, an assembly could be elected. The appointed governor retained veto power. Once there were 60,000 residents, a territory could apply for statehood.
14

• Barred slavery
• Required a republican constitution
• Promised settlers basic freedoms
• Ignored the rights of Native Americans
• Resulted in five new states Ohio, Indiana,
  Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of
  Minnesota

The Northwest Ordinance
15
Disrespected

• Britain kept soldiers in frontier forts located
  in the Northwest Territory.
• Spain forbade American trade with New Orleans.
• Britain kept soldiers in frontier forts located
  in the Northwest Territory.

16

• The nations debt was mounting.
• The economic depression was deepening as debts,
  bankruptcies, and foreclosures grew.

Growing problems led to calls for a revision of
the Articles of Confederation.
17
Shays Rebellion demonstrated the weakness of the
national government.
In 1787, Daniel Shays led about 1,000 farmers in
a raid on a federal arsenal in Massachusetts to
protest taxes and farm foreclosures. The revolt
failed, but many people saw the unrest as a sign
that a stronger central government was needed.