the critical period, 1783 1790
DESCRIPTION
life under the Articles of Confederation: what went right and what went wrongTRANSCRIPT
Starting a country’s not that easyStarting a country’s not that easy
Massive debt and nearly worthless currencyMassive debt and nearly worthless currency Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Unity among what amounts to 13 separate Unity among what amounts to 13 separate
countriescountries Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Conflicting territorial claims between statesConflicting territorial claims between states Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Militarily weakMilitarily weak Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________
Laws – why laws?Laws – why laws? A way to make lawsA way to make laws A way to make sure laws are fairA way to make sure laws are fair A way to make sure laws are carried outA way to make sure laws are carried out A way to interpret or apply lawA way to interpret or apply law In other words, a governmentIn other words, a government A way for gov’t to pay for itselfA way for gov’t to pay for itself A way to protect people’s rights from A way to protect people’s rights from
governmental powergovernmental power A way to defend itself – foreign and A way to defend itself – foreign and
domesticdomestic A stable economyA stable economy
Basics:Basics: Drafted by a committee of the 2Drafted by a committee of the 2ndnd Continental Congress Continental Congress
Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga]Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga] Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]
Emphasis on state powerEmphasis on state power Not UNITED States of AmericaNot UNITED States of America United STATES of AmericaUnited STATES of America
Nat’l Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
State Gov’t
Land Ordinance of Land Ordinance of 17851785
States had States had surrendered their surrendered their claims to Western claims to Western TerritoryTerritory
Conflict avoidedConflict avoided Way open for orderly Way open for orderly
expansion of the expansion of the nation by the nation by the admission of new admission of new states carved out of states carved out of the unclaimed landthe unclaimed land
Land Ordinance surveys Land Ordinance surveys land into squares of 1 sq. land into squares of 1 sq. milemile
36 make up a township36 make up a township 1616thth square reserved for square reserved for
public/gov’t usepublic/gov’t use Squares can be divided Squares can be divided
further for salefurther for sale Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of
17871787 is a plan for growthis a plan for growth Area of 5000 voters makes Area of 5000 voters makes
a temporary constitutiona temporary constitution When pop. reaches 60K When pop. reaches 60K
state constitution submitted state constitution submitted for congressional approvalfor congressional approval
This process will included in This process will included in Article IV of the Constitution Article IV of the Constitution as the way to admit new as the way to admit new states to the Unionstates to the Union
Border disputes among Border disputes among statesstates
States printing own currencyStates printing own currency Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion
In Western Mass. 1786, led by In Western Mass. 1786, led by Captain Daniel Shays , a Captain Daniel Shays , a veteran of the Revolutionveteran of the Revolution
Many farmers losing farms to Many farmers losing farms to non-payment of taxesnon-payment of taxes
Mass. raises an army to fight Mass. raises an army to fight and the rebellion is crushedand the rebellion is crushed
Convinced many that the Convinced many that the country was failing under the country was failing under the ArticlesArticles
Meetings in Annapolis and Meetings in Annapolis and Philadelphia to repair the Philadelphia to repair the ArticlesArticles
55 delegates meet in 55 delegates meet in Philadelphia from May to Sept., Philadelphia from May to Sept., 1787 1787 [sans Rhode Island][sans Rhode Island] Authorized “Authorized “for the sole and for the sole and
express purpose of revising” express purpose of revising” the the Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation
It’s always easier to get It’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission …forgiveness than permission … Articles dropped in favor of an Articles dropped in favor of an
entirely new governmententirely new government Meetings in secret so thatMeetings in secret so that
Delegates could speak freelyDelegates could speak freely States would not find out what was States would not find out what was
happeninghappening
The brightest and bestThe brightest and best