a loose confederation learning objectives: swbat tell why each new state made a constitution and...
TRANSCRIPT
A Loose Confederation Learning Objectives:• SWBAT tell why each new state made a
constitution and tell what the new Constitutions were like.
• SWBAT describe America’s first government, the Articles of Confederation.
• SWBAT explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and tell why it did not last.
• SWBAT explain the importance of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance.
• SWBAT explain what happened in Shay’s Rebellion and tell why the colonies needed to change or replace the A.O.C.
Pgs.200-204
Chapter 7Section 1
TIME LINE1775 Fighting breaks out in Lexington and Concord,
the American Revolution begins.1776 July 4th, the Continental Congress passes
the Declaration of Independence. America
becomes a nation.
1777 The Continental Congress passes America’s first
government, the Articles of Confederation.
States pass their own constitutions, setting up state
governments.
1783 The peace treaty is signed, ending the Revolutionary
War.
1787 The states call a meeting to fix the A.O.C.
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Setting the ScenePg.200
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The State Write ConstitutionsPg.200
As colonies became states, they wrote out constitutions to
explain how their new governments
would work without the laws
of the King of England.
The states wanted to accomplish two main
things when writing their constitutions:
1. They wanted to spell out all of the rights of the citizens.
2. They wanted to limit the power of the government.
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The State Write ConstitutionsPg.200
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The State Write ConstitutionsPg.200
Most state governments only had two branches:
- a legislative branch to pass laws- an executive branch (a governor) to carry out the laws
Many state governments also had a bill of rights or list of rights guaranteed to the citizens.
* Note: There was not a judicial branch in many original state constitutions because there were many local courts to handle disputes.
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Passed by the Continental Congress
in 1877
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The Articles of ConfederationPg.201
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Limited PowersPg.201
The Articles of Confederation (A.O.C.)
•a one branch- legislative (Congress) and each state
gets one representative (one vote)
•could pass laws with 9 votes out of 13 states
•had the power to:-declare war
-appoint military officers
-coin (print) money
-make treaties with foreign countries
-request (ask for) money
-set up a post office
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Limited PowersPg.201
The A.O.C.-declare war-appoint military officers-coin (print) money-make treaties-request (ask for) money
-set up a post office
The States-regulate their own trade-make laws about taxes-could coin (print) their own money-could act independently on most issues-were responsible to enforce the national laws
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Limited PowersPg.201
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Dispute Over Western LandsPg.201-202
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Weaknesses of the ConfederationPg.202
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Weaknesses of the ConfederationPg.202
•Many states did not enforce the laws properly which made any national laws and the national government weak.•When states argued with each other, the A.O.C. could do nothing to solve it because there was no Judicial or Executive branches.•Since the A.O.C. could not tax the states, it printed its own paper money which became nearly worthless because it had nothing of value to back it up.•Foreign countries took advantage of the weakness of the A.O.C. government by disobeying it.
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Weaknesses of the ConfederationPg.202
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A Loose ConfederationThe Northwest Territory
Pg.203
Two positive laws passed by the A.O.C. government:
The Land Ordinance of 1785 - set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory.
The Northwest Ordinance - set up a government for the Northwest Territory. AND… set up a way to admit new states to the nation.
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Admitting New StatesPg.203
After the land was surveyed (measured to see how big it was), it was divided into townships which were six miles by six miles square.
Each township could then be divided into one mile by one mile sections to be sold for $640 each.
One central section (usually section 16) was set aside to support public schools and other government buildings.
Eventually people divided the one mile by one mile sections even smaller and sold pieces.
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The Land Ordinance of 1785 Pg.203
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The Land Ordinance of 1785
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The Land Ordinance of 1785 Pg.203
Set up a system to admit new states:
•after there were 60,000 free settlers living in a territory and it had passed a written constitution, a territory could ask Congress to admit it as a state.
•A new state would have equal “standing”/power with the other states
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The Northwest Ordinance Pg.203
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A Call for Change Pg.204
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Farmers Revolt Pg.204
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Farmers Revolt Pg.204
The Start of Shays’ Rebellion
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Farmers Revolt Pg.204
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Farmers Revolt Pg.204
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A Convention is Called Pg.204
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A Convention is Called Pg.204
As a result of Shays’ Rebellion, many Americans acknowledged that the A.O.C. government was not working well. Several states called for a convention to fix the A.O.C. The meeting was set for May of 1787 in Philadelphia.
“I predict the worst consequences from a half-starved, limping government, always movingupon crutches and tottering at every step.”