Lesson 8 Flashcards
Confederation
A form d political organization in which sovereign states delegate power to a central government for specified purposes
Shays’ rebellion
Group of several hundred farmers in west Massachusetts gathered under leadership of Daniel shays, attempting to regulate power of state government (regulators)
Americans needed a way to manage
Economic and political relationships among states
Resolve disputes
And conduct relations with the world
Articles of confederation were used to accomplish
America’s goals ( from previous slide)
In 1754 Benjamin Franklin proposed a p
Colonial government
Idea of
Regional confederations
Ben Franklin submitted a draft for the
Articles of confederation to the second continental congress in 1775
Independence from Great Britain had been considered
More important than draft
Arrticles of confederation
Agreement among the 13 colonies that acted similarly to a constitution
Richard Henry Lee introduced resolutions to the second continental congress for
Independence and government in 1776 from which came the declaration and articles
Two concerns made it difficult to create a central government
Fear of a strong national government and fear that some states would dominate
(Fear of a strong central gov) each state was like a separate nation with
Citizens having a voice in the government
(Fear of a strong central gov) belief that strong central government that was far away would
Deprive people of their rights including representation in government
(Fear of a strong central gov) belief that republican government would only succeed in
Small communities
(Fear of a strong central gov) wanted to create “ a firm
League of friendship”
(Fear of a strong central gov) articles strictly defined
Congress’s authority
(Fear of a strong central gov) article 6 listed things states couldn’t do
Send/receive ambassadors to foreign nations
Lay imposts/ duties that conflicted with national treaties
Maintain military forces beyond what’s considered necessary or engage in war
(Fear of a strong central gov) confederation congress has no authority over
Any person in state. Only state gov. Had authority over citizens
(Fear of a strong central gov) congress had no power to
Collect taxes from states or people. Could only request money from state governments
(Fear of a strong central gov) congress had no power to regulate
Trade among states
(Fear that some states would dominate) three issues aligned groups of states against one another
Representation and voting in congress
Apportionment of war expenses among the states
Territorial claims in west
(Fear that some states would dominate) apportionment of war expenses among states
State contributions to war effort based on total population or free population
(Fear that some states would dominate) Territorial claims in west
Some states had fixed western boundaries others had chatters that allowed them to expand
(Fear that some states would dominate) territorial claims: would western land be
Under congressional control
(Fear that some states would dominate) solution to representation and voting
Each state had one vote regardless of population
Nine states would have to agree for important issues such as whether to declare war
(Fear that some states would dominate) solution for apportionment
Formula for requesting funds that wasn’t based on population
(Fear that some states would dominate) formula was impractical because it was based on the amount of
Settled improved land in each state
Article II
All states have sovereignty freedom and independence
Article V
Each state shall have one vote in congress and will have no less than two but no more than 7 members
Article vIII
War will be paid for out of common treasury. Taxes for war laid by state legislatures
Article IX
Congress is the last resort to resolve disputes between states
Congress shall have power of regulating alloy and value of coin
Article XIII
No alteration should be made to the articles unless agreed on in congress and confirmed by state legislatures
(Achievements of the national gov under the articles) the re
Revolutionary war
(Achievements of the national gov under the articles) secured recognition of
American independence
(Achievements of the national gov under the articles) congress established executive departments for administration of
Finance, foreign relations, and military affairs (beginning of cabinet departments)
(Achievements of the national gov under the articles) congress had ability to establish
Courts (first federal courts)
(Achievements of the national gov under the articles) northwest ordinance: defined
Northwest territory and created plan for its government; laid out process by which territory could become a state and prohibited slavery in those territories
(Weaknesses of articles) congress had no power to tax: only had power to request that
States pay certain amounts to support costs of national government
(Weaknesses of articles) congress could make agreements with foreign nations but could not
Force states to honor them
Foreign nations were reluctant to deal with U.S. citizens
(Weaknesses of articles) congress had no power to make laws regulating trade among states: some states
Levied taxes on goods, which hindered with efficient and productive trade across states
(Weaknesses of articles) congress had no power to make laws regulating citizen behavior: if citizens of a state
Disobeyed a resolution, recommendation, or request by congress the national gov could not make them obey
(Weaknesses of articles) some state governments refused to adhere to the
Treaty of Paris which included protection of rights of loyalists
(Weaknesses of articles) in many states divisions emerged between
Localists and cosmopolitans
(Weaknesses of articles) localist: people in
Isolated rural areas belonging to small communities. Created paper money, causing inflation
(Weaknesses of articles) cosmopolitans: lived in
Seaports and larger towns; creditors, disagreed with paper money and canceling debts; thought state governments were corrupt; involved in international trade
(Weaknesses of articles) too much — in state governments
Democracy; tyranny
(Solutions) members of congress and founders wanted to give congress more power to
Enforce laws and tax
(Solutions) one of proposed changes: state contributions based on
State population and three fifths ratio
Federalist leaders began to look
Outside of congress for support of changing articles
(Solutions) a meeting of representatives of all states. Convention to discuss
Constitutional changes
(Solutions) five states sent representatives to
Annapolis convention to discuss issues on trade
(Solutions) request for a meeting in Philadelphia to
Change articles of confederation
Passed
(Shays’ rebellion= change) shays rebellion convinced people of need for
Stronger national government
(Shays’ rebellion= change) mass farmers suffered through
Economic issues and lost their property. Discontent, mobs, rebels
(Shays’ rebellion= change) shays and followers attempted to capture
Massachusetts arsenal. Militia called to get rid of reveion
