Bell Work

1. Get your Ipad and check for damages and make sure you have the correct one.

2. Discuss with your shoulder partner the three battles of the American Revolution discussed in class.

A Loose Confederation

What’s a Constitution?• A constitution is a document

that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government.

• States did this for two reasons: 1) to protect rights of all citizens. 2) to limit the power of the government.

• For instance, Virginia’s constitution included the bill of rights which guaranteed a trial by jury and freedom of religion and the press.

An attempt at unity• The 2nd Continental

Congress approved the Articles of Confederation in 1777. This was the first American constitution.

• The Articles were also refered to as the “league of friendship.”

• This was debated by the states because they did not want to give up their power to a central government or to a tyrannical leader.

Under The Articles of Confederation:

• Each state had one representative in Congress

• Congress could declare war• Congress could appoint

military officers (raise and army and navy)

• Congress could coin money• Congress could pass laws

but nine states had to approve it before it could go into effect

What could they NOT do....• Congress could NOT regulate

trade between states or between states and foreign countries

• Congress did NOT have the power to tax

• In order to get money they had to ask the states or borrow it

• In return states had the power to tell them NO

• The Articles did NOT include a president (to execute the laws) or a court system (to settle disputes between states)

I guess I didn’t really think that

one through!

Let’s Review

1. A ___________ is a document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government.

2. What was the first American constitution called?

3. What is one act Congress can do/can’t do?

Problems with the Articles• New York and New Hampshire

both claimed Vermont, but without a court system, the central government had no way to settle this dispute.

• The U.S. owed millions because of the war, but without the power to tax, they had no way to pay off their debts.

• Congress printed currency, or paper money, but was worthless because it was not backed by gold or silver, nor was it used by the states.

• This weakness allowed foreign countries to step in and take advantage.

How do I become a member??• Northwest Ordinance set

up a government in the Northwest Territory (land north of the Ohio River Valley and east of the Mississippi) that guaranteed basic rights and outlawed slavery.

• It also stated that once there was a population of 60,000 people, it could be admitted as a new state and still hold the same rights as the original states.

• This was a step towards growth and expansion westward.

Shays’ Rebellion• During the war farmers had to borrow

money for land and seed to pay for the high demand of food products.

• Afterwards prices for food fell and farmers were unable to repay their loans. As a consequence the government seized their land.

• Daniel Shays from Massachusetts, along with 1000 farmers, rebelled by attacking courthouses and prevented officials from seizing more land. Eventually, Massachusetts militia drove them back to their homes.

• This was a sign that the Articles were not working. In 1787 leaders from several states met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. Little did they know the new framework of government about to begin.

Let’s Review

1. In the Northwest Territoty, what ordinance set up a government that guaranteed basic rights and ourlawed slavery?

2. Who led the farmers of Massachusettes on a rebellion?