Articles of Confederation

Question 1

Republic

Answer 1

a regime where the people, not a monarch, held power and elected representatives to govern by rule of law

Question 2

Confederation

Answer 2

independent self-governing states that form a union in order to act together

Question 3

Beginnings of Government

Answer 3

• America became a confederation held together by a weak central government (they feared a weak republic and strong national govt)
• states remained free to govern their residents independently
• central govt had authority in national defense

Question 4

Introduction of the AOC

Answer 4

favored the states and did not support the overall confederation/national govt as their granted powers were severely limited

Question 5

Confederation Congress (AOC)

Answer 5

• Exchange ambassadors, make treated, declare war, coin currency, state disputes
• States could choose how many delegates they sent but each state is only limited to one vote
• 9 votes were required before the gov. could act, all 13 needed to approve to change the A.O.C.

STATE POWER!!!

Question 6

AOC Failure: Taxes

Answer 6

National govt could not impose taxes; only state governments could levy taxes and the national government had to request money from states proportional to the value of its land.

Question 7

AOC Failure: Taxes Repercussions

Answer 7

• National gov. became underfunded
• America could not pay back Revolutionary War debts
• Unable to protect America from Barbary pirates
• Foreign countries became reluctant to loan money to the U.S. - how were they gonna pay it back?
• Currency (Continental) was worthless as states printed their own separate banknotes. This crippled the economy.

Question 8

AOC Failure: No army/navy

Answer 8

Post-revolutionary America was scared of a tyrannical government with a powerful standing army - states had to supply soldiers but only when national govt requested

Question 9

AOC Failure: Foreign imports/Interstate commerce

Answer 9

National govt could not tariff foreign imports or interstate commerce
- ruined American businesses as British merchants created competition with low prices
- states set tariffs on other state’s items to increase competition

Question 10

AOC Failure: Congress

Answer 10

Each state only had one vote in Congress regardless of its size - populous states felt less represented

Question 11

AOC Failure: AOC Changes

Answer 11

The Articles could not be changed without a unanimous vote; problems could not be easily fixed

Question 12

AOC Failure: Justice

Answer 12

No national judicial system; no enforcer of national government power

Question 13

The Declaration of Independence

Answer 13

PASSED ON JULY 2ND, 1776 (KNOW THIS DATE)
SOLIDIFED ON July 4, 1776
- Lockean view of the right of self-governance
- individual right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”

Question 14

Ratifying the AOC

Answer 14

• November 1777, Continental Congress approved the framework for a gov under the AOC
• required approval from all 13 colonies, Maryland withheld approval until March 1781
• American Revolution ended in 1781

Question 15

Articles of Confederation

Answer 15

strong self-governing states and a weak central gov
- states agreed to cooperate at the national level in limited areas, such as defense
- all states were represented EQUALLY

Question 16

National GOV powers Under AOC

Answer 16

• declare war
• sign treaties
• appoint military officers
• appoint ambassadors
• manage relationship with Native Americans

Question 17

Characteristics of the Confederation Congress

Answer 17

• Single Legislative Body
• Members selected by State Legislatures
• Any amendment has to be approved by all 14 states

Question 18

AOC Failure: Commerce

Answer 18

• currency was worthless and rarely used as states supplied their own unique money
• other states refused to use other states money, leading to crippling of interstate commerce
• national gov could not tariff or regulate interstate commerce

Question 19

When was the framework for the AOC approved?

Answer 19

November 1777 (KNOW THE DATE)

Question 20

When did Maryland approve the AOC?

Answer 20

1781 (KNOW THE DATE)

Question 21

How could an amendment for the AOC be approved?

Answer 21

Needed approval from all 13 states

Question 22

What was the coin money situation during the AOC?

Answer 22

Each state and the national government had their own different forms of money