The Articles of Confederation:

A Surprising Success OR Fantastic Failure?

Articles of Confederation A eri a’s first go er e t.

Goals:

- Understand the Articles of Confederation

- Identify the main features

- Describe the strengths of the AoC

- Understand its weaknesses and ultimate failure

- Make connections between the Articles and:

- the Declaration of Independence

- The Constitution

- “ otla d’s push for i depe de e fro the U.K. 2

But first, hat’s goi g o ith Scotland?

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http://nyti.ms/1szfiKL

Should we stay or should we go?

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-

independence/11106917/Scottish-independence-live-results-

as-they-happen.html

Why Scotland Voted No

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Still want that tattoo?

Russia cries foul over Scottish independence vote:

Russian observers say referendum count took place in rooms that

were too big and did not meet international sta dard

“ ottish independence result: Petition calling for inquiry

into vote counting reaches 28,000 sig atures

Why Should the U.S. Care?

• U.K. would lose:

1/3 of its territory

8% of its citizens

• Faslene Naval Base

• Whiskey!

• Queen Elizabeth

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Updates: Where does the

movement go from here?

• Still going strong!

• David Cameron will push ahead with plans to reform Common

rules

• Lord Smith of Kelvin will oversee a new Scottish Devolution

Commission

• Likely to come back around, but may have to wait a

generation.

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Whate er else we can say about this referendum campaign, we have touched

sections of the community who have never before been touched by politics, these

sections of the community have touched us and touched the political process.

don’t think that ill e er e allo ed to go a k to usiness as usual in politi s again – Alex Salmond

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Ties to the AOC?

• The ability to guarantee the security of its citizens is a primary

function of government.

• As you ill see i today’s a ti ity, this a ot al ays be

accomplished through good will.

• It must sometimes be backed up by a national defense structure.

• Scottish voters had to consider not how many more domestic

programs would be promised to them, but what they are willing to

give up in terms of collective capability in ensuring security and

projecting power.

• They might not anticipate security threats, but the future is never

a guarantee and the U.K might be a better bet.

England. vs. Great Britain vs. U.K.

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England

United Kingdom Great Britain

Timeline

• 1776: Second Continental Congress

– Declaration of Independence

– Set about forming a central government

• 1787: Constitutional Convention: Constitution Drafted and sent to the states

• 1789: Constitution goes in to effect.

• 1777: Articles Of Confederation sent to the States

• 1781: Articles of Confederation Ratified and Took

Effect

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The Articles: Basic Information

• March 1781 – ratified by all 13 states

• Gave states a confederation

– A union of 13 equal states

– named the United States of America

– Primarily a defensive alliance

• Created a unicameral Congress

– No executive branch

– No Federal Judicial branch

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Powers of Congress

Congress could:

• Make war and peace

• Send and receive ambassadors

• Enter into treaties

• Rise and equip a navy

• Maintain an army by requesting troops from the state

• Appoint senior military officers

• Fix standards and weights and measures

• Regulate Indian affairs

• Establish post offices

• Decide certain disputes among states.

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Activity:

You are all citizens of the newly created United States of America. As citizens, you will either be a member of either a state legislature or of Congress under the Articles of Confederation. As a member of either a state legislature or of Congress, you have certain rules you must follow and objectives to accomplish. These are laid out in your individual state or Congress handout. Once acquainted with your objectives, you must work with Congress (or not) based on the interests and well-being of your own individual state. You will do this through open discussion among the states and Congress to decide on how to use your brigades or money as best for your state and country. This is your country; how you run it and make decisions shall determine its future.

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Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

• Won the War

• Passage of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• Helped to establish certain ideas that would persist in American government

– Article IV States Honoring other states legal acts -> Full Faith and Credit

– Article IX Government Departments -> Cabinet Positions

– NW Ordinance and Natural Rights -> Bill of Rights

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Northwest Ordinance of 1787 - Established the path to statehood

- Required new states to draft state constitutions

that protected the natural rights of the people

- Prohibited slavery from states formed out of

territory

- First university in the

Northwest Territory

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Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• Congress could not:

– Levy taxes

– Regulate trade

– Enforce any of the states to obey the law. Needed 9 of 13

states to approve laws.

– A e d e ts eeded all 13 “tates’ appro al • No executive – difficult enforcement and no unity of policy

• No national court – difficult to settle disputes

• Debt – the new country was severely in debt following the war

• Overall, the Articles created a weak national government

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“hays’ Re ellio • Post-war depression -> many Massachusetts

farmers facing foreclosure

• Rebellion led by Daniel Shays, a Mass. Farmer

and Army veteran, shut down courts

• Eventually suppressed by Mass. Militia

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Impact of Shays

• Rebellion alarmed many and revealed the

weaknesses of and need to change the

Articles

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Closer/Homework: 3,2,1

– 3: List three weaknesses of the Articles of

Confederation

– 2: Explain two strengths of the Articles of

Confederation

– 1: Make one connection between the AOC and

a d “ otla d’s push for i depe de e

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