The Confederation Era

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The Confederation Era

• Red copied
• Blue in your own words
• Black informational

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The war is over, now what?

• America was now and independent nation having won
  the Revolutionary War, but now what? What would
  the country and the government look like?

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The Articles of Confederation

• The Articles of Confederation was the name of the
  first government of the United States.
• It had been started back in 1776 during the
  Second Continental Congress, and finally approved
  by all the states in 1781.

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The Articles of Confederation were weak (on
purpose)

• Americans were afraid of a strong national
  government. After all, they had fought a war over
  it. So, the government they decided on was weak.
• The national government under the Articles did
  not have the power to tax or enforce laws. Those
  powers were left up to the states.
• The national government did have the power to
  wage war, but since they couldnt tax, there was
  no way to pay for it.
• The government could also issue money, but the
  states didnt have to use it. They had their own.

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The Northwest Ordinance

• One of the things the new government was allowed
  to do was divide any new lands the United States
  acquired. (Or you could say taken. Most of the
  lands belonged to the Native Americans, but that
  didnt stop anyone from taking them)
• Under the Northwest Ordinance, when 60,000 people
  lived in a territory, they could apply to become
  a state.
• Slavery was also outlawed, but runaway slaves
  were to be returned to their lawful owners.
• Freedom of religion and trial by jury were
  guaranteed.

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Weaknesses of the Articles

• Since the national government could not tax, and
  the national money was worthless, debt became a
  huge problem.
• No executive branch of government
• Nine of the thirteen states had to approve laws

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What is happening in the following picture?

• You are going to be looking at a picture in a few
  seconds? See if you can figure out what is going
  on in the picture. Look at the picture closely.
• Describe the people, objects, where the event is
  happening, and what is happening. (Who, what,
  where, and objects)

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Shays Rebellion

• The American Revolution ended in 1783
• The money paid to the soldiers who had fought in
  the Revolution was worthless.
• This was because the government was not allowed
  to raise taxes in the Articles of Confederation.
• As a result, the farmers were unable to pay their
  debts.

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• The farmers were taken into court, then into
  jail, and their land was taken away from them.
• Most of the farmers were soldiers who had fought
  in the Revolution and they were mad.
• In 1786, an armed revolt by farmers against the
  state government took place.
• Led by Daniel Shays, the farmers began to
  forcibly prevent the courts from meeting so they
  couldnt take anyone elses land away or put them
  in jail.
• Early in 1787, the Governor sent 4,400 men
  against the rebels and the rebels were defeated.
• Shays and the other rebels were pardoned. (An
  official act of forgiveness)

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Results of Shays Rebellion

• Shays Rebellion showed the leaders of America
  that the Articles of Confederation were too weak,
  and a stronger national government was needed.

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Constitutional Convention Begins

• Purpose was to revise the Articles of
  Confederation
• Included 55 delegates from 12 states, Rhode
  Island did not participate
• They met at the Philadelphia Statehouse, now
  known as Independence Hall

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Summary Question

• What do you think would happen if we did not have
  a strong central government and each state acted
  like their own country?
• Answer using information we have talked about in
  class. Write at least one paragraph