Download A Weak Government - Home Page

Chapter 10 Lesson 1

Confederation – an alliance, league, the thing
formed when a group bands together or
unites.

Articles – distinct, numbered, non-fiction
pieces of writing

Articles of Confederation –first national
government of the United States of America

If not a King, what kind of government?

One government for all of the states.

Not more powerful than the states. This could
become too much like the King.

The states would remain “free and
independent” but would join in a league of
friendship.

All 13 states needed to ratify it, or to approve
it by signing,

The Articles of Confederation were ratified in
1781.

This was a central government that
connected the 13 states, but it was powerless.
Congress Could…


make laws
ask states for money
Congress Could NOT…

carry out laws

interpret laws

pass laws to collect
taxes

force states to give the
government money

Congress had borrowed money from regular
citizens and foreign countries to fight the
American Revolution.

Congress had no way to collect money to pay
back these debts or pay the soldiers that
fought the war.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the
Federal Government printed its own money.

Each state also printed their own kind of
money.

People had a hard time keeping these
different types of money and all of their
values straight.



Before the American Revolution, the King put
strict restrictions on the colonies with regard
to trading with other countries.
America was only allowed to trade with
England.
Because of this, the states would not allow
Congress to pass laws governing trade with
other countries. The states wanted to keep
control of their own trade.
Because there was not a
uniform understanding of
trade with the United
States, some other
governments had little
respect for the new
country.

By the middle 1780’s, some Americans began
to see that the Articles of Confederation was
not working.

A group called Nationalists began arguing for
a stronger form of national government.

Famous nationalists were:
▪ Ben Franklin
▪ George Washington

Massachusetts was one of the states that
borrowed money to fight in the American
Revolution.

To pay back the debt, the state taxed the
citizens that owned property.

The farmers were taxed the most because
they owned the most land.

Many of these farmers fought in the
American Revolution.



Shays became a leader in a movement that
demanded lower taxes and relief for farmers
about to lose their farms.
Shays lead an attack to close area courts to
protect farmer’s property.
Shay’s rebellion was unsuccessful, but it
brought much attention to the need to
strengthen the national government.

Why did Shays’ Rebellion frighten the
nationalists and other Americans?

Shay’s was a hero of the American
Revolution. How do you think he felt when
the country he fought for tried to take his
farm away?

What would you have done if you were Daniel
Shays?



Looking at the map, you see
the Northwest Territory
shaded in green.
This territory needed to be
divided into states and
governed.
The national government
would decide how the
territory would be divided
and the steps that needed to
be followed to become a
state.




Congress would name a governor and three
judges to govern the whole territory.
When the population of the territory reached
5,000 free adult males, a legislature could be
elected to represent the territory in Congress.
When the population reached 60,000 adult
males, the territory could petition to become
a state.
Congress would need to ratify the petition.

Slavery was not allowed in the Northwest
Territory.

Freedom of speech and religion and the right to
a trial by jury were promised.

Public schools would be established throughout
the territory.

The national government had control over the
Northwest Territory, but it was still too weak.

Congress called the states to send
representative to a meeting in Philadelphia in
May of 1787.

Their job was to revise the Articles of
Confederation to make the federal
government stronger.