Download Articles of Confederation

The Confederation Congress & the
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
The SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS & the…
LEE RESOLUTION
LEE RESOLUTION (June 7, 1776)
LEE RESOLUTION SERVED THREE PURPOSES!
‘Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND
INDEPENDENT STATES… That a PLAN OF CONFEDERATION be prepared and
transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.’
JUNE 12, 1776
 Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to
PREPARE A DRAFT OF A CONSTITUTION for a union of the
states! (Dickinson presents draft in July 1776)

…would then be sent to the States in NOV. 1777 & ratified by
the States in MAR. 1781!
* In March 1781, one month after ratification, the Second Continental Congress
became the CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION *
The CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION & the…
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
“…document
signed by the 13 original States that established
the U.S. as a CONFEDERATION of SOVEREIGN STATES &
served as its FIRST CONSTITUTION.” (proposed to the States
November 15, 1777)
Why the…
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
THINK: “Why were the Articles of Confederation of UTMOST
IMPORTANCE to the delegates to the Second Continental
Congress?”
PROVIDED INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY – the basis for foreign aid
& diplomacy (helped transform the States from ‘Outlaws’ into a legitimate State)
2.) CREATED UNITY among the 13 States during the Rev. War
3.) Created a BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP guidance during & after the
Rev. War
4.) Created a STRONGER UNION & GOVERNMENT strong enough to
fend off Great Britain
1.)
ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT
 CONFEDERATION
• Sovereignty: ‘…each State.’
State
Government
State
Government
State
Government
CONGRESS
OF THE
CONFEDERATION
State
Government
ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
THREE BRANCHES
 Legislative Branch: UNICAMERAL – States had 1 VOTE
• 9 out of 13 states were necessary to pass laws
• Strengths & Weaknesses?
 Executive & Judicial Branches: None
• Strengths & Weaknesses?
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AS A CONSTITUTION…
 13 out of 13 states had to ‘OK’ for an amendment
 All powers not delegated to Congress were left to States
ABOUT THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
MISCELLANEOUS
 Power to TAX & REGULATE TRADE? NOPE! (why a problem?)
 Power to PRINT/BORROW MONEY & MAKE LOANS? Yes
 Power to GOVERN WESTERN TERRITORIES? Yes ***
WAR POWERS
 Power to NEGOTIATE TREATIES & DECLARE WAR? Yes
 Power to raise an ARMY and NAVY? Yes
 Power to DRAFT TROOPS? NOPE! (why a problem?)
THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
MINI-QUIZ
‘The Articles of Confederation created a President to lead the country.’
‘States were still independent under the Articles.’
‘It was a fairly simple process to change the Articles.’
‘Under the Articles of Confederation, the more people a state had, the
more votes it got in Congress.’
‘The Congress created by the Articles did not have the power to collect
taxes.’
‘Under the Articles, States had to obey the laws Congress passed.’
‘When planning for the Constitution, delegates at the Second Continental
Congress agreed that the central government should have more power.’
‘For the most part, the States under the Articles got along well with one
another.’
TIMELINE – ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
JUNE 7, 1776
“Richard Henry Lee proposes the Lee Resolution.”
Lee proposes a resolution that calls for drafting a declaration of independence & a CONFEDERAL plan of
government.

JUNE 12, 1776

Congress appoints a committee chaired by JOHN DICKINSON to draft the plan of confederation.
JULY 2, 1776

“Congressional committee is appointed to draft the Articles of Confederation.”
“Congressional committee submits draft of the Articles to Congress.”
John Dickinson's draft of the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION is submitted to Congress for debate & revision
NOVEMBER 15, 1777
“Congress completes the Articles.”
The final version of the Articles of Confederation is ADOPTED BY CONGRESS & submitted to the states for
ratification (approval).

MARCH 1, 1781
“Establishment of the United States government.”
***Maryland ratifies the Articles of Confederation, formally establishing the first government of the U.S. &
‘creating’ the CONFEDERATION CONGRESS. ***

OCTOBER 17, 1781
“Surrender at Yorktown & the end of the Revolutionary War.”
British General Charles Cornwallis surrenders to the Continental Army at Yorktown, Virginia, ending the
Revolutionary war between the U.S. & Great Britain.

MAY 25, 1787
“Meeting of the Philadelphia Convention.”
Delegates from all states except Rhode Island meet in Philadelphia for the purpose of REVISING the Articles
of Confederation.

The United States of America (1780s)
AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR