APUSH 3.7: The Articles of Confederation

What was the first constitution of the United States?

The articles of Confederation

When were the articles of confederation ratified?

1781

What was the purpose of the articles of confederation?

To become the new governing document of the nation

What were state governments like before and during the revolution?

They formed their own constitutional governments, they largely focused political power into the legislative branch

What is the legislative branch of a government?

The branch responsible for making laws, In the state governments they consisted of representatives of the people (they wanted the power of the government answerable to the people)

Since many people who were in charge of creating state governments helped with establishing the new one, the articles of confederation also what?

Placed the power in the legislative branch (hands of the ppl, not monarch or supreme power)

What did the American people want to avoid?

The consolidation of power in one person

When establishing the first consitution was there a national supreme court?

Nope, all the power was invested in the legislature w equal votes

What did the articles require for any changes to take place?

That 9/13 states had to agree (super-majority)

What was one of the most immediate problems the government was facing?

Westward migration

What did Americans who continued to push west for settlement face?

They continued to run into American indians who resisted them

What was the Northwest ordinance of 1787? What did it do?

Promoted public education, provisions of protection for private property, ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY, PROVIDED A MEANS BY WHICH WESTERN TERRITORIES COULD GET A POPULATION N APPLY FOR STATEHOOD

What led to Shay’s rebellion?

Many farmers fell into debt while they were fighting in the revolutionary war, and thus, when returning back they had trouble paying back those debts cuz of taxation and inflation

What did the farmers struggling in debt try to do before shays rebellion?

Petition the state and federal government for relief, but had no luck in getting a meaningful response 

Who was Daniel Shays

A farmer from Massachusetts who gathered a militia of a thousands folks to the town arsenal to arm themselves

What did the state of Massachusetts do in response to shays rebellion?

Tried to ask for help, but as there was no leader nor federal army to send, they struggled (showed the weakness of articles of confederation)