Articles of Confederation

1-Why did the Founders believe a national government was needed?

• Unify the states

• conduct the war

• control trade

• manage conflicts among the states.

2-Who proposed a national government to the Continental Congress?

• Richard Henry Lee (VA); June 7, 1776

3-List and explain 2 problems the Founders had to deal with when

contemplating a national government?

• The people’s fear of a strong national

government.

• The fear that some states would have more power in the national government than other states.

4-Summarize the section “How did the Articles

Organize the National Government?”

The Founders all agreed that the states needed a central government. Their solution to the fears of a strong national government was to create a weak one.

The national government under the Articles of Confederation was simply a legislature, Congress; there were no executive or judicial branches.

4-Summarize the section “How did the Articles Organize the National Government?”

• The states were afraid that Congress might be able to control them. So they made sure that Congress was weak and its powers limited. The Articles left most of the powers of government with the states.

• The national government had little power over the states and their citizens. Every action taken by Congress had to be with the consent, approval and cooperation of the states.

4-Summarize the section “How did the Articles Organize the National Government?”

To solve the problem of representation, the Articles gave each state one vote in Congress. The more populous states did not have more than one vote. The Articles also provided that on important matters, such as declaring war, 9 states would have to agree. This way, the seven less populated states could not outvote the six larger states.

5-List and explain the strengths of the Articles of Confederation. • It successfully waged the war for

independence against Great Britain.

• It negotiated the Treaty of Paris which ended the war.

• It provided that each state recognize the laws of other states.

• It passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

6-Define: “extradited.”

• Sent back to the state in which they committed their crime.

7-Explain why the “power to tax” proved so difficult under the AOC

The Power to Tax: Congress was not given the power to tax people directly. When Congress needed money to run the government, it had to ask the states for it. The states would then either contribute money or refuse to give the central government anything at all. As a result, the central government could not pay its debts and was often close to bankruptcy.

7-Explain why the “power regulate commerce” proved so difficult under the AOC

The Power to Regulate Commerce: As a result, there were many economic quarrels between the states. New York taxed ships that entered its harbor from other states. Products from one state were heavily taxed when transported to another state. Such quarrels made it nearly impossible for Americans to do business within their own country. Congress was just as ineffective in regulating foreign commerce.

8-Define “interstate commerce”

• Trade between the states:

–Trade between PA and Virginia

9-What do you think “intrastate commerce” means?

• Trade within a state:

–Trade between Philadelphia and Harrisburg

10-List and explain the consequences of five weaknesses (in addition to taxing and commerce) of the Articles of Confederation.• Weakness: Each state was allowed to print its own

money. Congress could not regulate the value of this money.

• Consequence Money from one state was not always accepted in another. Money was becoming worthless

• Weakness: There was no federal court system provided for.

• Consequence Congress could not settle disputes between states unless both sides submitted the dispute to Congress.

10-List and explain the consequences of five weaknesses (in addition to taxing and commerce) of the Articles of Confederation.• Weakness: Congress could ask, but not force,

states to send troops for national use.• Consequence States often refused this request.

Congress did not have the power to force England live up to the terms of the Treaty of Paris

• Weakness: 9/13 states had to agree to an important bill before it could become law.

• Consequence Congress had a difficult time passing legislation for the country.

• Weakness: All thirteen states had to agree to any amendments to the Articles.

• Consequence Amendments to the Articles never passed.