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From Confederation
to Federal Union
Chapter 5
SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought
about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution.
Section one
Essential Question: What was the form of government after the revolution?
John Locke
• English
philosopher who
developed the
theory of “natural
rights”
• Believed that all
people were born
with the rights of
life, liberty, and
property.
Plan for Confederation
• The Articles of
Confederation were
adopted during the
Revolutionary War
(November 15, 1777)
• This form of government
gave power to the
individual states and little
to the central
government
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
• Act that established a system for
governing the Northwest territory
• This act led to an eventual
dividing of this area into states
• Such states are Illinois, Indian,
Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Northwest Territory
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
• Changes to the Articles of Confederation took
all 13 states consent
• The central government had no money to pay
off war debts. States had their own taxes, but
would not give any funding to the federal
government.
• There was no ability to raise a federal army
– Most states had their own militias
• Federal government printed money that was not
backed by gold or silver which caused a
depression
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
Shay’s RebellionMassachusetts farmers could not pay
the state tax on their property.
Farmers were losing their property to
auctions.
Daniel Shay led many farmers to the
federal arsenal in Massachusetts and
were finally stopped short of the
arsenal by the Massachusetts militia.
Shay’s Rebellion
Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
• Shay’s Rebellion raised doubts
about the central government's
ability to deal with civil unrest
• The period from 1777 to 1787
(nine years) was known as the
“Critical Period" because the
United States was very vulnerable
at this time.