APUSH Articles of Confederation

Cession of western land claims

after the Revolutionary War, many states claimed all of the western land b/w their northernmost and southernmost borders, which meant that many strips of land were claimed by more than one state. The continental congress was trying to get the states to ratify the Articles of Confederation, but maryland refused to ratify it until all the states gave their western land claims.

strengths of articles of confederation

1. Governed nation during the American Revolutionary War (raised army, paid soldiers) 2. Negotiated the Treaty of Paris at end of war (established independence from Britain and set boundaries for US) 3. Passed the Land Ordinance of 1785 - (townships and free public education) 4. Passed the Northwest Ordinance how new territory settled and settlers' rights (Outlawed slavery, guaranteed freedom of religion, trial by jury)

weaknesses of articles of confederation

Each state had one vote in Congress, Laws must be approved by 9 or 13 states, amendments had to be approved by all 13 states, Congress cannot tax, Congress cannot control trade between states or with foreign countries, No executive or judicial branch, Congress had to ask the states for $

disestablishment

Referred to the breakdown of English rule over the American colonies

Pennsylvania militia routs congress

In 1783 unpaid Revolutionary War veterans staged a protest outside Congress' meeting hall, forcing Congress to move.

Northwest posts

After the Treaty of Paris, England still held posts along the Canadian border that she refused to leave. The British had hoped to keep control of the fur trade and force the U.S. to pay British creditors. The posts held included Detroit and Niagara.

Shay's Rebellion

A rebellion by debtor farmers in western Massachusetts, led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays, against Boston creditors. (Upset about being paid worthless $, debtor's jail, stamp tax. It began in 1786 and lasted half a year, threatening the economic interests of the business elite and contributing to the demise of the Articles of Confederation.

Annapolis Convention

Originally planning to discuss the promotion of interstate commerce, delegates from only five states met at Annapolis in September 1786. Ended up suggesting a convention to amend the Articles of Confederation.

Noah Webster

a Yale-educated Connecticut Yankee; the "Schoolmaster of the Republic" who designed "reading lessons" that educated millions of children and were partly designed to increase patriotism; spent 20 years creating a dictionary, which was published in 1828 and helped standardize English

Northwest Ordinance

The 1787 Northwest Ordinance defined the process by which new states could be admitted into the Union from the Northwest Territory. He ordinance forbade slavery in the territory but allowed citizens to vote on the legality of slavery once statehood had been established. The Northwest Ordinance was the most lasting measure of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

Land Ordinance of 1785

A major success of the Articles of Confederation. Provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S.

State Constitutions

-Republicanism; property required for voting.

-Most had: strong governors with veto power, bicameral legislatures, bills of rights;

-Some had universal white male suffrage.

-Some continued state-established religion while others disestablished religion.