What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?

“…“…it has been said it has been said that democracy is that democracy is the worst form of the worst form of government except government except for all those other for all those other forms that have forms that have been tried from time been tried from time to time.”to time.”

Articles of Articles of ConfederationConfederationFirst Constitution of the United First Constitution of the United StatesStates

June 12, 1776June 12, 1776

Committee of 13 Committee of 13 set up by Second set up by Second Continental CongressContinental Congress

PurposePurpose: Draft a constitution to secure : Draft a constitution to secure freedom, sovereignty and independencefreedom, sovereignty and independence

Written primarily by Written primarily by John Dickinson John Dickinson of of DelawareDelaware

““Confederation of the United States of Confederation of the United States of America”America”

Writing of Articles of Writing of Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Initially Dickinson wanted Initially Dickinson wanted national national governmentgovernment to be able to: to be able to:

Control western lands disputesControl western lands disputes Ensure equal representation for the Ensure equal representation for the

statesstates Levy taxesLevy taxes

Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

StatesStates feared powerful central feared powerful central governmentgovernment

States given as much independence as States given as much independence as possible possible

Limited powers of central governmentLimited powers of central government

Articles of Articles of ConfederatioConfederationn

Contained:Contained:Preamble Preamble 13 articles13 articlesConclusionConclusion Signature areasSignature areasFirst Constitution of First Constitution of the United Statesthe United StatesMarch 1, 1781 to March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1788June 21, 1788

•Articles of Articles of ConfederationConfederation

Provided a blanket Provided a blanket acceptance for acceptance for CanadaCanada to become part of the to become part of the United StatesUnited States

Congressional Congressional representation representation based on based on population of a statepopulation of a state

Each state had Each state had oneone vote vote in Congressin Congress

Problems with Problems with RatificationRatification It took almost It took almost 5 years 5 years to ratify to ratify Control of Control of western land debatewestern land debate Created Created loose confederation loose confederation of of

independent statesindependent states Limited powers Limited powers to the central governmentto the central government

Weaknesses of Articles: Weak National Government

Request donations from the states to raise armed forces and control western territories

Judicial was in each state and honored by each other

Only judicial power Congress had was to mediate between states

Donations by states based on value of land Any amendment to the Articles of

Confederation required all states to approve it

Weaknesses of the Articles Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederationof Confederation

Congress elected by the Congress elected by the state legislaturesstate legislatures

Laws difficult to pass Laws difficult to pass (approval 9 out of 13 (approval 9 out of 13 states required)states required)

Congress given Congress given no power no power to collect taxesto collect taxes

Congress given Congress given no power no power to regulate tradeto regulate trade

Congress given Congress given no power no power to coin moneyto coin money

Congress given Congress given no power no power to establish armed forcesto establish armed forces—each state had its own —each state had its own troopstroops

No president or executive No president or executive branchbranch

No system of national No system of national courtscourts

States given most powers; few powers given to the national government

Weaknesses: States Controlled Most of Power

Central government did not have sufficient authority

States could refuse to give the government the money

States had tax and trade wars between each other

Government could not pay off debts from the American Revolution or pay the soldiers who fought in it or people who gave supplies

Illustration of Illustration of WeaknessesWeaknesses Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion Uprising in western Uprising in western

Massachusetts in 1786 Massachusetts in 1786 and 1787 by poor farmers and 1787 by poor farmers led by led by Daniel ShayDaniel Shay

Causes: taxes on land, Causes: taxes on land, legal costs legal costs

Economic depression Economic depression after the Revolutionary after the Revolutionary WarWar

Weak federal government Weak federal government could not raise an army could not raise an army to assistto assist

Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion Demands:Demands: Laws to protect farmersLaws to protect farmers DissolvingDissolving the court of common appeals the court of common appeals Reduction of taxesReduction of taxes Shay and his men marched into Springfield, Massachusetts Shay and his men marched into Springfield, Massachusetts

to seize a federal arsenalto seize a federal arsenal Militia under General Benjamin Lincoln stopped themMilitia under General Benjamin Lincoln stopped them Most of the men were Most of the men were pardonedpardoned a year later a year later Forced political leaders to make laws that could effectively Forced political leaders to make laws that could effectively

govern the nationgovern the nation

Barbary PiratesBarbary Pirates

Late 1700s nations paid Late 1700s nations paid tributetribute to the to the pirates of North Africa to ensure pirates of North Africa to ensure merchant shipping without attacksmerchant shipping without attacks

Pirates had been in area since the Pirates had been in area since the Crusades: Crusades: attacked ports, captured attacked ports, captured people for slavery and looted merchant people for slavery and looted merchant shipsships

Barbary PiratesBarbary Pirates

European nations worked out treaties European nations worked out treaties with Arab rulers who with Arab rulers who sponsoredsponsored pirates pirates

Morocco, Algeria, Tunis and TripoliMorocco, Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli March 1786 Thomas Jefferson, March 1786 Thomas Jefferson,

ambassador to France and John Adams, ambassador to France and John Adams, ambassador to Great Britain met with ambassador to Great Britain met with ruler in Tripoli to settle the issueruler in Tripoli to settle the issue

Barbary PiratesBarbary Pirates U.S. paid tribute until 1800 to free captured U.S. paid tribute until 1800 to free captured

AmericansAmericans First Barbary War 1801-1805: Navy ship First Barbary War 1801-1805: Navy ship

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia sent to Tripoli and was captured sent to Tripoli and was captured LT Stephen Decatur LT Stephen Decatur sailed into Tripoli on a sailed into Tripoli on a

captured ship to recapture captured ship to recapture Philadelphia Philadelphia and and succeededsucceeded

CO of CO of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, , CAPT William BainbridgeCAPT William Bainbridge rescuedrescued

Barbary PiratesBarbary Pirates 1805: 1805: To the Shores of TripoliTo the Shores of Tripoli Navy and Marines under LT Presley O’Bannon Navy and Marines under LT Presley O’Bannon

Battle of DernaBattle of Derna Attacked Tripoli captured the fort Attacked Tripoli captured the fort New ruler presented O’Bannon with a “Marmaluke” New ruler presented O’Bannon with a “Marmaluke”

sword, which is named after African warriorssword, which is named after African warriors Sword used with the Sword used with the Marine Dress UniformMarine Dress Uniform is is

similarsimilar Treaty signed 1806Treaty signed 1806

Marine Dress SwordMarine Dress Sword

Barbary PiratesBarbary Pirates Second Barbary War 1815 Second Barbary War 1815 Between U.S. and AlgiersBetween U.S. and Algiers Stephen Decatur and William Bainbridge sent Stephen Decatur and William Bainbridge sent

a fleet of 10 vessels and captured Algerian a fleet of 10 vessels and captured Algerian shipsships

Algerian ruler signed a treatyAlgerian ruler signed a treaty Helped U.S. with identity on the international Helped U.S. with identity on the international

levellevel and supported a need for a strong navy, and supported a need for a strong navy, army and national governmentarmy and national government

Result of Articles of Confederation Failures

February 21, 1787, Congress called for a Constitutional Convention to revise the articles

Between May and September, 1787, the convention wrote the Constitution of the United States, which retained some features of the Articles, but the major difference was a strong central government with 3 branches, including a Congress with two houses

Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787