A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

How difficult is it to get a group of your friends to agree on what movie to watch or game to play?

A. Very difficult

B. Somewhat difficult

C. Somewhat easy

D. Very easy A B C D

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Chapter 7 A More Perfect Union (1777-1790)

Section 1 The Articles of Confederation

How effective was government under the Articles of Confederation?

Second Continental Congress• Needed a plan of

government that met the needs of all 13 states

• The states joined to fight against the British, but would they be able to work together and maintain their independence?

• The states’ first task was to establish their own political institutions

State Constitutions• May 1776, Congress

asked the states to organize their governments

• Each state adopted a constitutionconstitution (Plan of government)

• Each learned from British rule and did not want too much power on a single ruler

• Each had limited power on the governor

• Pennsylvania even had an elected council with 12 members

Limiting Power• States also divided government

functions between the governor and the legislature

• Most states established bicameral (two-house) legislatures to divide power even further

• The writers of the constitutions wanted to keep the power in the hands of the people

• Elections were frequent • In order to vote (in most states)

you had to be a white male, 21 years old or older, and own property

• Some states allowed free African Americans to vote

Forming a Republic• Americans agreed that they

should be a republicrepublic• Citizens rule through elected

representatives• Disagreements arose on

organization of the powers• Most Americans wanted a

weak central government• Each state would be like

independent countries• States would act

independently on most issues• The central government

would only wage war and handle relations with other nations

Planning a New Government• 1776- Congress appointed a

committee to draw a constitution

• November 1777- The Articles Articles of Confederationof Confederation was adopted

• Was America’s first constitution• Central government in which

the states kept most of their power

• Under the Articles Congress had the power to conduct foreign affairs, maintain armed forces, borrow money, and issue currency

John Hanson- 1st President of the United

States under the Articles of

Confederation

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

A B

C

D

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Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress could do which of the following?

A. Regulate trade

B. Force citizens to join the army

C. Impose taxes

D. Conduct foreign affairs

Weaknesses of the Articles• Congress could not

regulate trade• Or force citizens to

join the army• Or impose taxes• If Congress needed

money they had to ask the state legislatures- but they were NOT required to contribute

• Congress lacked a chief executive

More of the Articles• The Articles were not fully

supported by the states• Each state got one vote,

regardless of population• All states had to approve the

articles and any amendments

• Larger states believed they should have more votes

• Some states claimed land in the West

• Maryland refused to approve the Articles until these states abandonedabandoned these land claims

• The states did and all 13 states approved the Articles on March 1, 1781

The Confederation Government• 1781-1789• Did not provide a strong enough

government• To pass a law 9 states had to

agree• Despite weaknesses it made

some important achievements• Under the Confederation

government, Americans won independence and expanded foreign trade

• Also helped with the governing if western territories

Moving West• Before the Revolutionary War,

on a few thousand lived west of the Appalachian Mountains

• 1790- About 120,000• Settlers hoped to organize

lands as states and join the union

• Land claims were given up and Congress took control of these lands

• 1784- Congress divided the western territory into self-governing districts

• When the number of people in a district reached the population of the smallest existing state, that district could petitionpetition for statehood

The Ordinance of 1785• 1785- Congress passed an

ordinanceordinance (law) that established a procedure for surveying and selling western lands north of the Ohio River

• Divided the massive territory into 6 miles by 6 miles townships

• Townships were divided into 36 sections (640 acres)

• Each would be sold at public auction

• To govern the territory, a new ordinance was needed

The Northwest Ordinance• 1787- Created a single

Northwest Territory• North of the Ohio River

and east of the Mississippi River

• Divided into 3 to 5 smaller territories

• When the population reached 60,000 the people could petition for statehood

• Each new state would have the same rights as the original 13 states

More of the Northwest Ordinance• Had a bill of rights for settlers• Guaranteed freedom of

religion and trial by jury• Slavery was outlawed• This clauseclause (condition added

to a document) marked the first attempt to stop the spread of slavery in the US

• The Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance opened the way for settlement of the Northwest Territory in a stable and orderly manner

Financial Problems• By 1781- The money printed

during the Revolutionary War depreciateddepreciated (fell in value) so far that it was almost worthless

• Taxes could not be collected so Congress and the states printed their own paper money

• Not backed in silver or gold, so it had no real value

• “Not worth a continental”- worthless

• War for independence left Congress with a huge debt

• Congress owned money to American citizens and foreign nations

• Still owed money to soldiers• States did not send money

Robert Morris’s Import Tax• 1781- The finances were

collapsing• Congress created a

department of finance led by Philadelphia merchant Robert Morris

• Morris proposed a 5% tax on imported goods to help pay the debt

• The plan called for the Articles to be changed to give Congress the power to tax

• Rhode Island refused so it did not pass

• The financial crisis continued to worsen

Problems With Britain• The British didn’t leave the

forts they were supposed to according to the Treaty of Paris (1783)

• Americans complained that the British were keeping them out of the West Indies and other British markets

• 1785- John AdamsJohn Adams was sent to London to discuss the problems

• The British responded that the United States didn’t live up to their side of the Treaty

• The states never paid the loyalists that lost their land and property

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

A B

C

D

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Who honored all the promises they made in the Treaty of Paris?

A. Both Britain and the United States

B. Just Britain

C. Just the United States

D. Neither Britain nor the United States

Problems With Spain• Spain wanted to stop

American expansion into its territory

• Spain closed the lower Mississippi River to American shipping in 1784

• Westerners no longer had this trade route

• The Confederation could not deal with these problems

• These problems worried many leaders and they saw that there was a need for a stronger government

How effective was government under the Articles of Confederation?

-Ineffective because the Congress lacked important economic and diplomatic powers.

Chapter 7 Section 1 Quiz

The Americans were ready to concentrate power in the hands of one ruler.

Tru

e

Fal

se

50%50%A. True

B. False

The war left the Continental Congress with a large debt.

Tru

e

Fal

se

50%50%A. True

B. False

The Americans formed a republic, a government in which citizens rule through

ele

cted

repre

sent

ativ

es.

mon

arch

ies.

kin

gship

s.

appoin

ted re

prese

nta...

25% 25%25%25%A. elected representatives.

B. monarchies.

C. kingships.

D. appointed representatives.

What was the single territory that was created out of the lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River?

Mis

siss

ippi T

errit

ory

Wes

tern

Ter

ritory

North

wes

t Ter

ritory

Ohio

Ter

ritory

25% 25%25%25%A. Mississippi Territory

B. Western Territory

C. Northwest Territory

D. Ohio Territory

One major weakness of the Confederation was that it could not deal with

dra

win

g map

s.

new

sta

tes.

Nat

ive

Amer

ican

s.

the

natio

n&#039

;s fi

...

25% 25%25%25%A. drawing maps.

B. new states.

C. Native Americans.

D. the nation's finances.

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