the articles of confederation: pros & cons › ...what were the pros and cons of this early...
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The Articles of
Confederation: Pros & Cons
What were the Articles of
Confederation?
What were the pros and cons of this
early American government?
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What were the Articles of Confederation?
• The Articles of
Confederation were
America’s first real
national government
– Signed in York, PA in 1777
• Established a “firm
league of friendship”between the colonies
– Kept individual sovereignty
– Came together for “mutual
welfare and protection”
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What were the benefits of the Articles?
• Benefits:
– Limited Government
– State Sovereignty (states
kept their power)
• The individual states
were use to handling their
own affairs
– Under the Articles of
Confederation they could
keep doing that
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
I. Currency Issues
• The United States did not have a common currency.
• Americans carried money from
the federal government, state
government, and foreign nations.
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
II. Debt
• Congress could not tax the people and depended on money
from the states.
• Therefore, the U.S. was unable to pay its debts!
Examples:
- The U.S. owed money to France, Holland, and Spain for
loans made during the Revolutionary War.
- The U.S. had not paid many of their own soldiers!
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
III. International & Domestic Problems
• The U.S. lacked the
military power to defend
itself against foreign
enemies.
• States acted as
individual countries and
seldom agreed.
Example:
- Connecticut and Virginia
almost went to war over
land claims!
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Pennsylvania went to war with several other states including Maryland and Connecticut
over land claims unresolved from before the Revolution
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
Courts (Judicial Branch)
• The nation lacked a
national court system.
Supreme Court
• No universal interpretation
of laws and punishments
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
President (Executive Branch)
• The nation did not have a
President, or Chief Executive.
White House
• Congress’ actions were un-
enforceable
• State leaders did whatever
was in the best interest of their
states or areas, NOT THE
COUNTRY!!
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Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
Congress (Legislative Branch)
• Laws were difficult to pass, needing the
approval of nine states.
• Congress had no power to collect taxes,
regulate trade, coin money, or establish a
military.
• Congress also argued over the role of
religion in government (which should be
dominant, if any at all?)
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What events helped to show the weaknesses in
the Articles of Confederation?
• In 1786, farmers in
Massachusetts revolted
– Angry over the taxes and
foreclosures on their
homes / farms
– Attacked tax collectors and
local courts
• Led by Revolutionary War
veteran, Daniel Shays
– The revolt became known
as “Shays Rebellion”
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A stone tablet marks the spot where the last “battle” of Shays Rebellion was fought in
1787 when Massachusetts militiamen fired on Shays rebels, forcing them to flee
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How did Shays’ Rebellion force change?
• Shays’ Rebellion showed
the weakness of the
Articles of Confederation
– Congress could not raise
troops or help the farmers
• Discussions began
across the country on
holding a meeting to
amend the Articles
– Biggest supporter =
George Washington
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Constitutional Convention• Federalists argued for a more powerful
Federal government, Anti-federalists
argued for a less powerful Federal
government.
• Big issues of Representation: How to
balance the big states with the smaller
states, and how to count slave
populations.
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What about Slaves?Compromises on slavery• Southern states wanted to count all slaves for
representation purposes but none for taxation.• Northern states objected.
• Three-Fifths Compromise: all whites plus three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for both representation and taxation.
• Native Americans were not counted.
• In order to maintain unity between North and South, delegates agreed to a clause allowing the slave trade to continue for 20 years.
• Another clause, the fugitive slave clause, stated that a slave who fled to another state had to be returned to his or her original state.
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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Leg. checks on Judicial Branch
May overrule judicial decisions
May impeach Supreme Court justices
Leg checks on Executive Branch
May reject appointments made by executive
May reject treaties
Controls funding for presidential initiatives
May impeach president
May override a veto
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Judicial checks on Legislative
• May declare laws passed by Congress to be unconstitutional
Judicial checks on Executive Branch
• May declare executive actions to be unconstitutional
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Exec checks on Legislative
• May veto bills
• May adjourn Congress in certain situations
Exec checks on Judicial Branch
• Appoints judges
CHECKS AND BALANCES TO KEEP GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING
OVERLY POWERFUL:
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Bill of Rights Seals the Deal
• Three delegates would not sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights.
• Once the BofR was drafted, 39 delegates from 12 states signed it, and the Constitutional Convention adjourned on September 17, 1787.
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Whiskey Rebellion
1. 1791, government taxes Whiskey to pay Rev War debt, eliminating profits for the farmers of W. Pennsylvania.
2. Farmers began to tar and feather tax collectors.
3. Results:1. The United States created a stronger Federal
Government (Constitution).
2. President Washington sent 13,000 troops to quell the rebellion, setting a precedent of using the military to quell armed rebellion.
3. Finally, the Pinckney Treaty (1795) between the US and Spain allowed trade upon the Mississippi River, making the transport of Whiskey much cheaper.