The Articles of Confederation

MAJOR PROBLEM

• Created a weak national government that could not tax, regulate trade, or enforce its laws because the states held more power than the National Government.

Background

• During the Revolutionary War, the American colonies needed to coordinate their efforts against Britain.

  • They created an emergency government to raise money for the war effort called The Second Continental Congress.

• The Second Continental Congress adopted a government that would bind the “states” together: Known as The Articles of Confederation.

  • Was adopted on November 15, 1777, but not approved by the last of the 13 American states, Maryland, until 1781.

• The Articles became the ruling document in the new nation.

  • Created a nation that was “a league of friendship and perpetual union".”

• Canada can join any time they want.

  • Multiple offers to join America.

• The Articles of Confederation created “a loose confederation of sovereign states.”

  • Sovereign: Self-rule.

• The states had just overthrown a strong central government in the British monarchy.

  • They did not want to replace the British monarchy with a strong central government.

• Because they wanted the STATES to hold more power, the national government under the Articles was made intentionally weak.

Structure of Government

The National government under the Articles of Confederation had:

• One branch of government, Congress, which was responsible for making national laws.

  • Each state had one vote in Congress.

• No executive (President).

• No judicial branch (can’t settle disputes between states).

• Could negotiate treaties but could not enforce them.

Law Making

• 9 of 13 states had to approve a proposal before it could become a law.

• All the state legislatures had to agree to change (amend) an existing law.

Money and Finances

• The Articles of Confederation could not lay taxes or collect tariffs.

• The A of C could NOT regulate interstate trade.

  • Each state could regulate trade with other states.

• The A of C had to ask the individual states for money.

• The A of C could print and borrow money.

  • Each state could tax its residents and print money.

Protection

• The A of C negotiates agreements with other countries and Native Americans, but couldn’t enforce them.

  • States are left to enforce!

• The Articles of Confederation could appoint military officers.

  • Only the states could establish militias.

• The A of C could DECLARE WAR, but not raise an army. States would raise armies.

Successes

1. Negotiated the Treaty of Paris

   1. Ended the Revolutionary War

      1. England recognizes US independence

   2. The US gains all lands between the Atlantic and Mississippi.

   3. US did NOT gain Canada.

   4. Treaty said Ohio Valley was the property of US and British troops must leave

   5. British troops do not all leave the Ohio Valley after the war is over.

2. Ended state disputes over Western Lands:

   1. Seven states had huge western land claims in Ohio and Mississippi Valley based on colonial charters.

      1. Some overlapping (NT, VA, Mass, GA, SC).

      2. Six jealous states had no claims.

   2. Native American claims to lands were ignored or overridden by different treaties.

   3. Maryland delayed ratification of the Articles of Confederation until western lands were ceded to the nation “for the common benefit.”

   4. The sale of Western lands would provide a source of national revenue to pay debts.

3. Congress passed the Land of Ordinance of 1785:

   1. Provided that the Old Northwest (Ohio Valley) was to be surveyed and sold to help the national debt.

   2. Set up land use in Territories of the Ohio Valley and Mississippi Valley

      1. Townships would be divided into 36 one-square mile sections to be sold for a minimum of $1 acre.

   3. Income from the sale of one section was to go to the support of public schools (1st example of Federal assisted education).

      1. Set aside lands in each township dedicated to education.

   4. Later, smaller plots at lower prices reduced land speculation.

4. Northwest Ordinance (1787):

   1. Lands between the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and Great Lakes

   2. Creates steps for US territories to become states in the future.

   3. Organized the Ohio Territory into future states.

      1. When population permitted, 3-5 states could enter the Union on equal bases with 13 original states.

   4. Slavery was ABOLISHED in the territory.

Diplomatic Problems

• Congress was unable to compel states to repay prewar debts to British citizens and allow Loyalists to recover confiscated property, as provided in the Treaty of Paris 1783.

  • A of C could not enforce treaties and some states refused to do so.

• European governments closed off American trade with their colonies, yet British goods flooded the American market.

  • This caused American specie (money in the form of coins rather than paper) to leave the US since foreign traders did not want worthless US paper currency.

• Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Jay negotiated a trade treaty with Spain, but it was blocked by Congress.

• British troops failed to leave US lands in Northwest territory and the national government couldn’t force them out as they could not raise an army.

Key Event: Shay’s Rebellion

• The Depression of the 1780s brought a fall in crop prices, an increase in the value in scarce specie (gold and silver), and severe distress to private debtors who could not meet their obligations.

• Debtors demands for paper money rose.

  • Creditor (bankers) classes refused the issuing of paper money

• Western Mass - Distressed farmers rioted in response to farm foreclosures.

  • Daniel Shays led a popular effort to prevent courts from collecting debts and farm foreclosures.

    • Led armed farmers in a march on a federal arsenal in Springfield, Mass.

• Shay’s mob was quickly put down by Mass militia, but the wealthy class feared such events could spread.

  • Feared a Mobocracy: Rule or domination by the masses (eg. French Revolution).

Annapolis Convention

• Meeting on commercial problems - only 5 states show.

  • Not enough states attended to be effective.

• Leading delegates - Alexander Hamilton (NY) James Madison (Va), and John Dickinson (Pa).

• Hamilton and Madison convince delegates to have another meeting in Philadephia the next summer with delegates from ALL STATES to fix the problems with the Articles of Confederation.

  • Agree to abolish it and start over.