APUSH Period 3 (Topic 3.7)

Why did new governments need to be created after independence?

Each colony needed its own government to replace royal authority, and a national plan (the Articles of Confederation) was needed.

What did most states create after independence?

Written state constitutions.

What was at the beginning of most state constitutions?

A “bill of rights.”

What did the bill of rights list?

Basic freedoms like trial by jury and freedom of religion.

Why were these rights important?

They belonged to all citizens and could not be violated by the state.

What were the three branches of state government?

Legislative, Executive, Judicial.

Which branch was usually the most powerful?

The legislative branch.

Who led the executive branch?

An elected governor with limited power.

Why did states separate government powers?

To prevent tyranny.

Who could vote in most states?

White male property owners.

Why was property required to vote?

Property showed a “stake” in society.

Who needed more property than voters?

Officeholders.

Why did officeholders need more property?

To ensure independence and responsibility.

Who wrote the Articles of Confederation?

John Dickinson.

When were the Articles ratified?

1781.

What kind of government did the Articles create?

A weak central government with one branch.

What was the structure of Congress under the Articles?

A one-house (unicameral) legislature.

How many votes did each state have in Congress?

One vote per state.

What could Congress do under the Articles?

Wage war, make treaties, send diplomats, borrow money.

What could Congress NOT do under the Articles?

Regulate commerce, collect taxes, enforce laws.

How many votes were required to pass important laws?

9 out of 13 states.

How many states were required to amend the Articles?

All 13 (unanimous).

What was the Committee of States?

One representative per state who handled minor decisions.

Why was ratification of the Articles delayed?

States argued over land claims west of the Appalachians.

How was the land dispute resolved?

Larger states gave up their western land claims.

When were the Articles officially approved?

March 1781.

What war did the national government manage under the Articles?

The Revolutionary War.

What treaty did the national government negotiate in 1783?

The Treaty of Paris.

What did the Land Ordinance of 1785 do?

Created a system for surveying and selling western lands.

How was land divided under the Land Ordinance?

Into square-mile sections for public use such as schools.

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 do?

Created a process for admitting new states.

What did the Northwest Ordinance say about slavery?

It prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory.

What type of government was allowed in the Northwest Territory?

Limited self-government.

Why did the U.S. have financial problems under the Articles?

Congress could not tax, and states printed worthless money.

Why did the U.S. struggle in foreign affairs under the Articles?

European nations doubted the weak U.S. government.

What did Britain refuse to do after the war?

Remove troops from western forts and return Loyalist property.

How did states act like separate nations economically?

They placed tariffs on each other.

How did tariffs affect interstate trade?

They restricted trade and hurt the national economy.

What internal conflicts occurred between states?

Economic competition, boundary disputes, and trade restrictions.

Why couldn’t the central government settle disputes under the Articles?

It had no power to enforce laws or resolve conflicts.