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The
United States of America
Constitution
st
1
Union of States
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The 1st Union of States
Alexander Hamilton
Hurricane in St. Croix in West Indies
Wrote of experience & damage
Local newspaper published his writings
Plantation owners thought he should go
to school
Sent him to America to Columbia College
in NYC
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From Aide to Legislator
During the War of Independence
• Education was delayed
• Served as aide & secretary to George
Washington
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After the War
Practiced law in New York
1782 served a term in Congress
Didn’t think Central Government
Was strong enough so he did not
serve another term
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Articles of Confederation
Richard Henry Lee
Introduced resolution for
independence which led to our
Declaration of Independence
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Richard Henry Lee
Wanted a Confederation
A loose union of
independent states
organized to take
action on a few
matters
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November 1777
Articles of Confederation
• Listed Powers of the Central Government and
powers of the states
• Delays in approval of laws
• Some states felt they should be able to run their
own states separately
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November 1777
Articles of Confederation
• States feared limited powers
• Allowed central government control of land
west of the Appalacian Mountains
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Western Land Claims
• All sates had to agree to the terms of the Articles of
Confederation
• Maryland reluctant to agree
• New York & Virginia gave up lands west of
Appalacian Mountains
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Western Land Claims
• Other states agreed to give up lands
• Ratified in 1781
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Details of the
Articles of Confederation
• Established a government organized around a
Congress
• Each of the 13 states had 1 vote regardless of
the size or population of the state
• 9 of 13 states had to agree for a law to pass
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Articles of Confederation
Gave Congress Power to:
Declare War
Make Peace
Make treaties
Coin Money
Borrow Money
Create Post Offices
Admit New States
Create an Army & Navy
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Articles of Confederation
Said Congress Could Not:
Impose a Tax
Control or Interfere with Trade
Between the States
No One Person in Charge
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States Had A Fear of:
Tyranny
Cautious not to create a new “king”
No executive to
carry out laws
passed by Congress
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Problems with
Articles of Confederation
• Lack of leader caused much confusion
•
• No one to organize states
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Articles of Confederation
• First form of our National Government
• Created a loose friendship between the 13
colonies
• Enough support of each other to win the
War for Independence
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Articles of Confederation
• Designed to begin to govern the United
States in March of 1781
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Congress Could Not
Function Properly
BECAUSE
No executive
No power to tax
No ability to regulate trade
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Many Felt
Articles of Confederation
Should be
REVISED!
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Annapolis Convention
1786
• 5 of 13 states attended
• Met at Annapolis, Maryland
• Main purpose of meeting was to study
trade problems
• Not enough representation from the
colonies to make any big decisions
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Called for another Convention
May 1787
Held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Meeting led by
Alexander Hamilton (NY)
&
James Madison (VA)
Purpose of Meeting
To revise the
Articles of Confederation
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Confusion with the Money System
• 1786 storekeepers in New Jersey
closed shops & would not accept any
paper money
• Caused a series of uprisings in
Massachusetts
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Confusion with the Money System
• Farmers could NOT pay their taxes
due to hard times
• Farms were seized
• Farmers rebelled
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Daniel Shay
Veteran of Revolutionary War
Led rebellion of farmers
Refused to let courts take land away
Because of lack of tax money
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Congress Weak
• Great Britain (England) refused to
enact trade treaties
• Great Britain kept their soldiers in the
Colonies
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Congress Weak
• Spain denied the colonies the right to
ship through New Orleans
• The Colonies had trouble gaining
respect as a new country
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Accomplishments of the
Articles of Confederation
Held the colonies together
for 6 years after
The War of Independence
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Northwest Ordinance
1787
Most lasting accomplishment of the
Articles of Confederation
Set up a system for governing the
Northwest Territory
Divided the Northwest Territory into 3-5
portions
Made new states
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Northwest Ordinance
1787
Granted public support for the area
Education was made possible
Trial by jury began
Freedom of Worship
Any state formed would have equal rights as any
existing state
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