AP Gov 2: Articles of Confederation & Principles of American Government 

Challenges of the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation: the document that laid out the first form of government for the early U.S. was ratified in 1781

Major Weaknesses of the Articles

  • at least nine states had to agree in order to enact a law
  • all states had to agree in order to amend the national government system
  • Congress could not tax the people
  • the national government could not have an army
  • No national court system or currency
  • Congress could not regulate commerce between the states

This caused the government financial issues as it had to means to gather money to pay for the aftermath of the war and pay off loans to foreign nations.

Shays’ Rebellion

  • an uprising of farmers in Massachusetts that protested against the government after they lost their farms after an inability to pay mortgages and the high state taxes.
  • the obstruction turned violent and over 24 were killed or injured
  • this rebellion made it clear that the Articles were not sufficient and that reform would have to be made.

Principles of American Government

The Three Branches

Legislative

  • make the nation’s laws, determine how to fund government, and shape the nation’s foreign policy
  • stakeholders: people or groups that will be affected by the policies exert influence through lobbying and special interest groups

Executive

  • today has over 2.7 million employees to enforce the laws
  • Organizations like Equal Employment Opportunities, the FBI, and Drug enforcement are there for the people, who can file complaints

Judicial

  • the court system: U.S. Supreme Court, lower appeals courts, trial courts
  • judicial review: federal courts can deem an act of the legislature unconstitutional when deciding on a case
  • citizens can access this branch through challenging unfair action, appeal convictions, and question policies

Checks and Balances

  • ways for each branch to limit each other
  • Executive Checks
    • veto: president's rejection of a bill is an example of a check on the legislature
    • pocket veto: refusal to sign the bill at the end of a legislative session, effectively kills the bill
  • Legislative checks
    • Congress can overcome a president’s veto with a 2/3 override, when each house (Senate and HOR) has to vote on the bill separately with a 2/3 majority.
    • advice and consent: Senate’s right to suggest appointees and necessary approval to appoint most presidential appointments
    • impeachment: an accusation of wrongdoing of the President, voted on by the House of Representatives