Articles of Confederation

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The Articles of Confederation was proposed at the Continental Congress but was not ratified until 1781. (This was due to Maine being worried about bigger colonies claiming more land and therefore, overpowering smaller states).

The articles were built off the colonies’ existing constitutions. States retained sovereignty because of the fear of concentrated power.

The articles established a “firm league of friendship” where they cooperated but functioned separately.

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New bills would require 9/13 votes and amending the articles would require a unanimous vote.

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Structure of Government

^^The government was structured:^^

• Unicameral (one) house
• Every state got one vote, regardless of population
• Congress oversaw the country as the sole authority.
• Courts were made as necessary and then dissolved afterwards.

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^^The government could:^^

• Declare war / make peace
• Make treaties with foreign bodies
• Establish an army / navy and appointment officers
• Requisition, print, and borrow money
• Establish weights / measures

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^^The government could not do:^^

• Tax, impose tariffs, or collect duties
• Create an executive branch to enforce laws
• Regulate trade / currency
• Force states to honor obligations

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The government was specifically structured this way because it was made to counter everything the British government stood for.

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The only notable achievement of the AOC was establishing the Treaty of Paris and gaining the NorthWest territory. It crated a procedure for dividing land into territories, set admission requirements, and banned slavery in new territories (the NorthWest ordnance).

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Shay’s Rebellion

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• Occurred in Massachusetts
• Mostly by ex-revolutionary soldiers (now farmers) who were opposed to the current economic policies
• Couldn’t be stopped by the government due to the lack of a military and a generally weak central government.
• The tipping point that led to the creation of the Constitution.

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