Frank Articles of Confederation Questions

Confederation

an organization that consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or league...

Review Articles I, II, and III. Explain why one historian commented after March, 1781 that there were fourteen semi-independent governments in Americas.

Each jurisdiction is created by a congress but have a duty to help the other states no matter what.

Why do you think the authors of the Articles of Confederation gave each state equal representation in Congress, regardless of population?

That would start up the same thing they were dealing before and they are in a new state where they want things to be ¨equal¨. Each group needs to have the same amount of representation or people will not be heard.

According to Article VIII, how is the national government to be funded?

It will be payed out of common treasury. It will be supplied by several states with the value of all land within the state.

According to Article IX, how many states were required to approve major decisions? According to Article XIII, how many states were required to approve changes in the Articles?

According to IX, 13 states were required to approve major decisions and 9 for minor. They did this so the majority of the states would choose whether or not they wanted to change something.

The phrase "United States in Congress assembled" occurs frequently in the Articles . Why is this phrase a more accurate description of the new government than the phrase"United States of America," which is used only once?

Because they cannot refer to all the people in the United States when it is the people in the congress.

No separate executive

This fact was important because the nation's powers were not vested in a single person. It avoided previous problems like those with the British monarchy.

Northwest Ordinance 1785/1787

The Ordinance of 1785 created a system of surveying and selling western lands. In 1787, the NW Ordinance dissolved the Ordinances of 1784 and 1785; it created a single NW Territory divided in 3-5 regions capable of statehood with 60,000 pop., having freedom of religion, trial by jury, and no slavery.

One vote per state

States had equal representation in Congress.

No federal courts

The Congress had no way to deal with interstate issues without a federal court.

Shay's Rebellion

Daniel Shays led an uprising of farmers in 1786-1787; he demanded paper money, tax relief, a debt moratorium, state capital relocation, and abolition of debt imprisonment.

British retention of forts in NW

The British were an obstacle because they had promised to leave American soil, yet they were still illegally on the land. The articles did little to enforce the peace treaty of 1783, in which the British agreed to leave America.

Non-regulation of interstate commerce

Without national trade policies, it gave states to levy taxes for interstate trade, which led to economic trouble.

No power to tax

Allowed states to have the right to levy taxes. The national treasury depended on the will of the states, which often ignored federal bills, and caused more economic debts.

States taxed each other's goods

This relates to the federal non-regulation of interstate commerce. The taxation was not definite, which led to tax wars between states, hurting the already ravaged economy.

Kept states together

Forming a union was important to keep the country politically and economically stable and strong.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

This peace treaty officially ended the war between Britain and the American states. The result was an international recognition of independence and acquisition of territorial cessions from Britain.

Federal aid to education (NW Ordinance 1785)

the revenue from the sale of land allowed the federal government to invest money in creating public schools.

No national currency

This forced states to issue paper money at desperate times, to increase money supply and make it easier for people to pay off their debts

Members often failed to attend Congress

By failing to attend Congress, the critical 9/12 ratification may not have been possible, affecting political and economic decisions.

Inability to protect settlers from Indians

Since the government couldn't protect settlers from Indians, who occupied the west, it slowed westward expansion. It was a way for the government to control the western territories.

Barbary pirates raided shipping

Article 6; This only allowed a state use a naval fleet to secure shipping in the case that pirates attack. It affected trade with foreign nations

Inability to repay French loans

Even though the reparations were ignored, this would add to the national debt, further damaging the economy

Spanish denial of right to deposit in New Orleans

New Orleans was key to the access to the Mississippi. The denial was detrimental to both foreign and national trade since New Orleans was a port city.

Little trade with Britain

Even though Britain was their enemy, much of their trade depended on Britain; therefore, they wanted little trade with them.