The Articles of Confederation

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State Constitutions

• As the war was being fought, the colonies wrote
  new constitutions
• By 1777, ten of the thirteen had new
  constitutions
• Most were ratified by state legislatures
• Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina by
  direct vote
• Common features
• Each had a Bill of Rights
• Separation of Powers to safeguard against
  tyranny of executive
• Voting rights extended to all property owning
  white males
• Office holders usually held to higher requirement
  of ownership
• At the same time, after 1776, the Second
  Continental Congress attempted to create a new
  central government

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The Articles of Confederation

• As Jefferson drafted the Declaration of
  Independence, John Dickinson drafted the Articles
• Adopted by Congress in 1777 and sent to the
  states for ratification
• Ratified in March 1781
• Structure of the government
• Each state had one vote
• 9/13 to pass a law
• Unicameral Congress
• Unanimity required for amendment
• Powers given to Congress
• Power to make war
• Send and receive diplomats
• Borrow money
• Powers denied Congress
• Regulate commerce
• No executive power
• Collect taxes relied upon states

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The Articles of Confederation

• Accomplishments
• Winning the war
• Land Ordinance of 1785
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787
• Problems
• Financial
• Most war debts were unpaid after Revolution
• Individual states had printed paper money
• Congress could only request money
• Foreign
• Britain and Spain were attempting to take
  advantage
• Domestic
• Shays Rebellion in January 1787
• No national judiciary
• No executive branch

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Revising the Articles of Confederation

• Madison and Hamilton suggest to Annapolis
  Convention in 1786 a meeting for the sole
  purpose of revising the Articles of
  Confederation.
• Issues at the Constitutional Convention
• Representation
• Slavery
• Trade
• Powers of the President
• Ratification
• Read from pg. 175 and stop at The Clash of
  Federalists and Anti-Federalists for Monday.

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Homework Assignment

• Log on to wshsfernandez.yolasite.com and then
  click the link to constitutionfacts.com under
  Unit One Lesson Plans
• Browse the tabs under The Articles of
  Confederation
• Be sure to read the John Hanson story!
• Take the quiz 20 questions I will select at
  least five of these questions for your Unit One
  Test.