Transcript Presentation

 Essential
Question:
–Why did the Americans create
the Articles of Confederation &
what problems did the Articles
present?
 Warm-Up Question:
–What major decisions did the
new American nation have to
answer after winning the war for
independence?
The Impact of the
American Revolution
on American Society
Blacks
demanded
Statesto
abolished
the right“feudal”
to Society
laws
Changes
American
freedom in petitions
of primogeniture
& lawsuits
& entail
 The American
Revolution
led
to
Many
Franklin,
statesJay,
lowered
Hamilton
property
founded
qualifications
abolition to
unintended
social
changes
by
vote;
societies;
but none
Washington
offered
universal
manumitted
male
hissuffrage
slaves
many
Americans
to
Mostforcing
statesVT,
clearly
separated
church
& state
PA, MA abolished slavery
question the meaning of “equality”
Some Southern slave owners
–Many wanted
to
eliminate
the
privately freed their slaves
“Republican Motherhood”—mothers
idea
of
an
American
aristocracy
should instill virtue in their children
–Fighting Took
British
tyranny
made
greater control over
slavery seem
hypocritical;
family farms
& businesses
Abolitionist sentiment grew
–Women gained increased status
Benjamin Banneker & Phillis Wheatley
Postponing Full Liberty
 The
Revolution
was
limited
in
its
Lots of references to
of rights & failed to
theextension
“Spirit of ‘76”
abolish slavery, grant universal
male suffrage, or apply equality to
women; But…
 …it introduced the ideal of
freedom and equalityWorld
that War
future
I
poster
generations wouldpropaganda
use to make
these ideals a reality
New State &
National Governments
Forming New Governments
 When
independence was declared
from England in 1776, colonists
considered themselves a new
nation & needed a new gov’t:
became
individually
In –Colonies
1776, the American
Revolution
has just
sovereign
states
by
started;
The colonists
didgoverned
not wait to gain
British
recognition
of their independence
written
state constitutions
before creating new governments!
–A national gov’t was needed to
provide basic services like sign
treaties & develop a military
States Constitutions
 In
1776, the new states created
written constitutions which:
–Clearly defined the citizens’
rights & the limits of government
–Guaranteed natural rights;
Eight states had bills of rights
–Almost all states reduced the
powers of the governor & kept
most power in the hands of the
people via state legislatures
The United
1783
How “democratic”
are States,
these new
state gov’ts?
Defining Republican Culture
creating a national gov’t that
met everyone’s needs was hard:
– How to balance individual liberty
with maintaining order?
– How to balance property rights
with equality?
– How to create a centralized
gov’t without creating a new
tyrannical authority?
 But,
Defining
CivicRepublican
virtue is now Culture
a necessity
 Americans
set out to create a
republican form of government
after independence was declared:
–Gov’t with no king or aristocracy
–With power held by the citizens
 Even though all previous
republics had failed, Americans
were optimistic this would be an
“uncompromising commitment to
liberty & equality”
The Articles of Confederation
 In
1775, three committees were
formed to sever ties with England:
–Thomas Jefferson headed the
committee to draft a declaration
of independence
–John Adams headed committee
to establish foreign alliances
–John Dickinson headed a
committee to draft a new central
government
Articles of Confederation
 The Articles
of Confederation was
adopted as America’s 1st national
gov’t in 1777 (but ratified in 1781)
–The Articles
established
an
Each states was treated
intentionally
weak central gov’t
as a pseudo-nation
in order to protect state power
–The confederation-style gov’t
gave all 13
states
1
vote
in
a
Too similar to a monarch
unicameral congress
–There was no national president
The Articles
were created to
The Articles
of
Confederation
loosely tie the states together
 The
only powers granted to the
national government were to
–Settle disputes between states,
negotiate treaties, handle Indian
affairs, oversee an military
 It could not tax citizens or states;
could only request contributions
 Laws required 9 of the 13 states
 Amending the gov’t required
agreement by all 13 states
“A firm league
of friendship”
The colonies were
loosely joined to
address common
problems
"each State retains its sovereignty, freedom and
independence, and every power...which is not...
expressly delegated to the United States.…"
What
is the significance of the
following quote:
–“People do not chop off
heads so readily when they
can chop down trees.”
 The
Western Lands
“West” presented a problem:
–Many states had overlapping
land claims in the West
–Some “landless” states (MD,
NJ, DE) wanted part of West &
refused to ratify the Articles
without this issue resolved
–The US gov’t negotiated treaties
with Indians to gain land in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky
The USA
in the
“Critical
Period”
The
United
States,
1783
Western Lands
 Virginia
took the lead to solve the
“West problem” by ceding its
western claims to the national gov’t
–Other states, especially NY,
Withceded
the newtheir
gov’twestern
finally ratified
1781,
landsintoo
Congress created the Departments of
–By
1781,
Congress
the
War,
Foreign
Affairs, &(not
Finance
states) gained control over all
lands west of the Appalachians
 With dispute over, Maryland was
the last state to ratify the Articles
Don’t forget Indian lands too
Indian Land Cessions:1768-1799
Western
Land
Claims
Ceded
by the
States
The Land Ordinance of 1785
 The
U.S. gov’t was eager to sell
off Western lands to settlers to
gain revenue (since the gov’t did
not have the power to tax)
–The Land Ordinance of 1785
established an orderly process
for laying out western townships
–Section 16 of the each township
was dedicated to public schools
The Northwest Ordinance
 The
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
gave structure to the NW territory:
–Created new territories, ruled by
a governor, & whose citizens
were protected by a bill of rights
–Residents could create a
legislative assembly when the
population reached 5,000
–Residents could apply for
statehood with 60,000 people
–Slavery outlawed in NW lands
Because
ofUnited
the 1785
& 17871783
Prospectors
intoStates,
Kentucky
& Tennessee
Thepoured
ordinances, the Northwest territories
Bywere
1790,well
the region
was&
plagued
organized
orderlyby land claims
& counterclaims that generated lawsuits for years
The
USA in
1787
Territories south of the Ohio River
received less attention from Congress
Conclusions
 The Articles
of Confederation
accomplished exactly what its
framers intended:
–By creating a weak central gov’t,
the power of the states was
preserved & no tyrants emerged
–The weaknesses of the central
gov’t failed to meet the longterm needs of the new USA