A Growing Country, Growing Problems

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A Growing Country, Growing Problems

• Please Hand in your Constitution Center Packets
  in pile on front table

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After Independence

• Articles of Confederation approved in 1781
• Why would the new country create such a weak
  government?

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Growth

• Proclamation of 1763 gone
• Westward Settlement begins
• Central Government to sell land for revenue.

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Jeffersons Idea

• Divide into self governing districts
• Certain population petition for statehood

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Ordinance of 1785

• Procedure for dividing and selling land
• Township
• 6mi x 6mi / 36 sections of 640 Acres
• Sold at 1 acre per 1 dollar

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Northwest Ordinance

• 1787
• Single District N of Ohio and E of Mississippi
• 60,000 could become a state
• No Slavery
• Law protecting rights
• Trial By Jury
• Freedom of religion

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Land Sales Good, Other Problems Bad!

• Foreign Problems
• Money Problems
• Economic Problems
• Trade Problems

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Foreign Problems

• England
• Failure to meet terms of Treaty of Paris 1783

• Spain
• Closed Mississippi

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Money Problems

• Debt
• Why under the Articles of Confederation could the
  National Government run into money problems?

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Economic Depression

• Inflation
• Slow economic activity
• Unemployment up

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Economic Depression

• Crops in the South damaged
• Most governmental money went to debt payments
• Shortage of Currency

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Unfair Trade

• Britain closed West Indies to colonial trade

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Tough Times for Farmers

• Many states taxed farmers
• Farmers unable to pay
• Lost farms and went to jail

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1786 - Shays Rebellion

• Capt Daniel Shays
• Western Massachusetts
• Jefferson on the revolt
• A little rebellion now and then is a good
  thing.

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Weaknesses of the Articles

• Ineffective national government
• States too powerful
• Clashes between the states
• Economic Depression

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Call for Change

• Led By
• Alexander Hamilton Lawyer
• James Madison Planter
• Revise the Government!

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The Annapolis Convention

• Lack of ability to regulate commerce

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Its Time to Meet!

• Constitutional Convention May 1787
• Originally to meet on trade issues

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T-Chart Activity