The U.S.

Government
under the Articles of
Confederation

ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER THE

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
1781 - 1789

Signed the Treaty of Paris 1783

Terms very favorable to the US

US negotiators John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, and John Jay did very well
considering they had no experience
negotiating treaties

Kept the 13 states together

Government was not a threat to states

powers
Stayed as the United States long
enough to realize the importance of
unity

The Land Ordinance of 1785

Planned for orderly expansion into the

territory west of the Appalachian Mountains
Money raised from sale of land would help
fund government programs and the
repayment of debt
Section 16 designated for public schools!!!
Reflects Jeffersons belief that education
citizens are necessary for democracy to
flourish

Northwest Ordinance - 1787

Planned for establishment of

government in the territories
Expanded basic democratic rights into
the Northwest Congress would
guarantee trial by jury, freedom of
speech, press, no slavery
Set process for territory to become a
state

Territory State

5,000 voting males, organize territorial

government (governor, legislature, nonvoting representative to Congress)
Prepare a constitution that must be
approved by Congress
Total population 60,000 people
recognized as a state
No special privileges for original 13
states

PROBLEMS UNDER THE

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
(1781 1789)

Lack of National Unity :

Slavery and Sectionalism

South believed that emancipation would be

contrary to economic interests- defended
the institution as an economic necessity
Property rights of the slave holders must be
protected
Abolition of slavery could destroy the social
order in the South
North gradually abolished slavery as it was
not necessary to economic success of the
region

Why couldnt the government of the

Articles of Confederation help?

peculiar institution of the South is a

state by state issue
property rights are protected by states
The fragile balance within the union of
states might be upset by changes and
the Southern states might secede if
pressured

Repayment of Debt:
Economic Problems

Revolution ended protection of

mercantilism
US needed to establish favorable
balance of trade
US had few industries and continued to
import expensive manufactured goods
US had to deal with high inflation,
worthless currency, 14(!) types of
currency and a huge debt

Why couldnt the government of the

Articles of Confederation help?

Congress cant regulate trade each state

made own trade laws and taxed goods
going from state to state
Congress couldnt tax only request money
from states to fund programs and pay down
debt
Currency is not exclusive power of National
Govt- confusion on value led to very local
markets
Difficult to amend the Articles (13/13)

A Struggle between borrowers and

lenders: (Shays Rebellion)

States had borrowed money and the

lenders wanted high taxes so govt could
pay back debt
Debtors went farther into debt
Farmers were paid with paper money
and had to repay their debts with hard
currency paper currency was worthless
and farmers began to lose their farms
Continued

Shays Rebellion

Proposed relief package for economically

suffering farmers; passed by lower house
of Massachusetts legislature, defeated
by the upper house
2000 farmers led by Daniel Shays,
rebelled, closed the courthouses to
prevent foreclosures on mortgages
Armed rebellion began in summer 1786
ended in February 1787

Why couldnt the government of the

Articles of Confederation help?

National government could not control

value of currency
No uniform currency inflation and
confusion
Government had no power to raise an
army to prevent or stop a rebellion

Foreign Problems

British refused to leave forts in

Northwest Territory and along Canadian
border
Spain controlled Mississippi River and
shipping; revoked right of deposit at
New Orleans
France was angry that the US preferred
to trade for British goods and not with
France

Why couldnt the government of the

Articles of Confederation help?

No executive branch to enforce terms of

treaties
US perceived by Europeans as too weak
Congress cant tax
No uniform trade policy
No national courts to settle disputes

Why would this time period

be called The Critical
Period?
Serious problems need fixed
Can states and/or national government under
the Articles of Confederations plan
solve problems???!!!!