Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation

Introduction

  • The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States.
  • It was adopted after the declaration of independence from Britain on July 4, 1776.
  • Ratified in 1781, it aimed to establish a new governing document for the nation.

Influences from State Constitutions

  • State governments had already formed their own constitutions before and during the Revolution.
  • These state constitutions largely concentrated political power in the legislative branch.
  • The legislative branch comprised representatives of the people, making the government answerable to them.

Structure of the Articles of Confederation

  • The Articles placed power in the legislative branch, similar to state constitutions.
  • There was no executive branch or president to avoid consolidating power in one person due to monarchy concerns.
  • There was also no national supreme court.
  • Each state had one vote in the legislature.
  • Unanimous consent was required for amendments, making it a rigid document.
  • A super-majority of 9 out of 13 states was required for changes.

Western Expansion and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

  • The government faced challenges related to westward migration and conflicts with American Indians.
  • The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a significant piece of legislation passed under the Articles.
  • It promoted public education and protected private property.
  • It abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory.
  • It established a process for unorganized territories to gain population and apply for statehood in the union.

Shays’s Rebellion

  • Shays’s Rebellion exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • In the mid-1780s, the American economy was struggling, especially for farmers.
  • Many farmers were in debt due to the Revolutionary War, inflation, and new taxes.
  • They petitioned the government for relief but received no meaningful response.
  • Daniel Shays led a militia of about a thousand angry farmers to arm themselves at the town arsenal.
  • The Massachusetts militia crushed the uprising.
  • Massachusetts requested federal troops, but there was no president or federal army to send under the Articles.

Consequences and the Need for a New Constitution

  • Shays’s Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • Local and federal leaders began discussing the possibility of creating a new Constitution to replace the Articles.