Ch 8 Notes

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Ch 8 Notes

• Confederation to Constitution,
• 17761791
• Section 1 The Confederation Era

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Main Idea

• The Articles of Confederation were too weak to
  govern the nation after the war ended.

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Why It Matters Now

• The weakness of the Articles of Confederation
  led to the writing of the U.S. Constitution.

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Moving West

• Some Americans thought of Kentucky as the wild
  frontier.
• Others, were attracted to the rich river valleys
  saw opportunity
• Daniel Boone and 30 woodsmen cut Wilderness
  Road over the Appalachian Mountains stretching
  250 miles!

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Moving West

• Conflict w/Natives settlers continued to move
  West.
• By 1790s, about 100,000 Americans lived in the
  Kentucky region.
• While settlers headed into the Western
  territories, the people in the East began to
  create new state governments.

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New State Governments

• After declaring independence, each state created
  its own government.
• Some states created separate branches of
  government, giving different powers to different
  branches.
• They did this hoping to prevent the government
  from becoming too powerful.

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New State Governments

• Some states included a bill of rights to help
  control government.
• All state governments were republicspeople
  chose representatives to govern them.

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The Articles of Confederation

• What was this? Plan for national govt.
• Gave national govt. few powers to avoid
  tyranny, or oppressive rule.
• Had the power to wage war, make peace, sign
  treaties, and issue money.
• Each state had 1 vote in Congress.

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The Articles of Confederation

• States had the most important powers - setting
  taxes and enforcing national laws.
• Leave states in control of lands west of App.
  Mts.
• Continental Congress passed the Articles of
  Confederation in November 1777.
• In 1778, 8 states ratified (approved), small
  states refuse to sign.

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The Articles of Confederation

• Large states with western lands had an advantage
  in paying debts by selling the land to the west
  (map pg. 207).
• All states gave up their claims to Western lands
  over the next three years and the articles were
  ratified in 1781.
• Result? The U.S. finally had an official
  government! Wow!

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The Northwest Ordinance

• What was Congress supposed to do with the
  Western lands that it now controlled?
• Congress passed important laws on how to divide
  and govern these lands.
• The Land Ordinance of 1785 divided Western lands
  into townships.
• These lands were known as the Northwest
  Territory.

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The Northwest Ordinance

• Northwest Ordinance (1787) described how
  territory was governed
• As the territory grew in population, it would
  gain rights to self-government.
• Slavery was outlawed.
• Rivers were open to be navigated by all.
• Freedom of religion.
• Trial by jury.

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Why is the Northwest Ordinance important?

• When pop. reached 60,000, territory could apply
  to be a state.
• The Northwest Ordinance was important because it
  set a pattern for the orderly growth of the
  United States.

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Weaknesses of the Articles

• The U.S. government (1776-1787) under the
  Articles were weak in the following areas
• Lacked power to enforce laws.
• Lacked power to levy taxes.
• Lacked power to regulate trade among the states.
• Required all 13 states to approve changes in the
  Articles.
• Yikes!

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Weaknesses of the Articles

• The Rev. War left the U.S. government with huge
  debts.
• The Articles of Confederation do not give
  Congress the power to charge taxes (no money
  coming in).
• Congress was unable to pay soldiers and the
  soldiers rioted.

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Shayss Rebellion

• In the mid-1780s, Massachusetts (Mass.) faced
  economic problems.
• People had little money, but had to pay high
  taxes.
• Many farmers could not repay their debts.
• Their property was auctioned off.
• If the auctioned property did not pay debts off,
  the farmer was put in prison.

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Shayss Rebellion

• Farmers requested debt relief from the state.
• The legislature refusedthe farmers rebelled!
• Led by Daniel Shays, 1,500 men marched on a
  federal arsenal
• (place to store weapons).  

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Outcome of Shayss Rebellion

• The rebellion was defeated quickly.
• Farmers won the sympathy of many people.
• Why Shayss Rebellion was important
• American leaders realized that changes within
  the govt needed to occur!
• Convention held to change the Articles of
  Confederation!

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