Creating the Constitution Who remembers who wrote the

Creating the Constitution Who remembers who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Who remembers the official date the Declaration of Independence was issued? What was the name of the group of delegates who met and decided to declare independence and worked together to issue the Declaration? When the Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence, do you think they thought about what that meant? Do you think they thought about needing a new government?

The Articles of Confederation • The First Constitution of the United States This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 2

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation • It created Unity among the 13 states • Encouraged democracy by giving the states more power to prevent an oppressive central government from forming • It created a mail delivery system • It ensured citizens traveling from one state to another had the same rights • It created a system with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 for resolving disputed land claims between states and for governing new territory. • It ensured that citizens traveling from one state to another had the same rights • Land Ordinance of 1785 - a plan for surveying land west of the Appalachian Mountains • It created a system with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 for resolving disputed land claims between states and for governing new territory This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY 3

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation • Federal Government was weak • No President • Congress could not establish a National Army without approval from the States • Federal Government could not collect taxes • Federal Government could make laws but they could not force states to obey them • Each state only had one vote • Federal Government could not make laws about trade 4

• NC began organizing the land but the settlers did not want to be a part of it. They wanted the territory to be its on state. Two Events that Create Doubt on the Articles of Confederation The Lost State of Franklin At the end of the Revolutionary War what is now Eastern Tennessee was once part of North Carolina At one point, NC gave up the region to the Central Government but took it back again. The State feared the French or Spanish might buy the land from the United States! • December 1774 – settlers declared the State of Franklin and the following year petitioned the Continental Congress to become a state which Congress denied. • Therefore, Franklin acted as its OWN Nation with its own Constitution- used barter instead of money – wrote its own treaties with Native Americans. • State of Franklin failed in 1788 due to conflict within the Nation and with American Indians

Two Events that Create Doubt on the Articles of Confederation Shays Rebellion After the Revolutionary War many veterans of the Continental Army did not receive their pay. Economic hardship and debt hit many farmers who had fought in the war. State Governments and debt collectors often seized the property of these veterans. Some farmers even went to debtors prison All of this led to protests in several states that eventually turned violent. Fall of 1786 – Farmer Daniel Shay and his regulators grabbed their guns, took over the courthouses, and freed debtors from prison. The Massachusetts Governor did not stand for it! He organized a state army to combat the regulators, resulting in armed conflict.

Northwest Territory • In years following the Revolutionary War, the US did not need to buy new land in order to expand because it held mostly unsettled territory bordered by the Ohio River, Appalachian Mountains, and the Mississippi River. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Land Ordinance of 1784 • Under the Articles of • Land Ordinance of 1784 Confederation, leaders feared • Stated that the Northwest Territory should be divided so that settlers would move west of it could eventually become states the Appalachians and try to find – However – it did not state how their own country. to divide the territory. • To prevent this, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Land Ordinance of 1784.

Land Ordinance of 1785 • Describe how the land would be divided • Federal government surveyors to map the size and area of the land. • They divided the territory into equal-sized townships. • Each township was to be divided into sections • One section was set aside for schools, two more for the federal government, and one for Veterans of the Revolution. • The rest would be sold to the federal government so they could pay off its debts from the Revolutionary War.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • 1787 – Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance. • This law allowed congress to divide the Northwest Territory into three to five separate territories. • It also established governments for each territory and specified how those territories could become states. • How territories applied for Statehood • Congress would appoint a group of leaders to govern people in the territory (A governor, secretary, and three judges) • When the population reached 5500 free adult males, the residents could elect political leaders to govern them. • Once 60, 000 free people (Male and female) lived in the territory then they could apply for statehood, hold a constitutional convention, draft a state constitution, and submit to the US Congress for approval.

A Limping Government • Many influential Americans felt the • After Shays Rebellion George National Government was to WEAK Washington decided to re-enter under the Articles of Confederation. politics. • States argued over borders and trade • Congress had no power • Foreign governments had no clue whether they were dealing with one nation or 13 individual states • National government could not raise enough funds to pay its debts and carry out basic functions • Alexander Hamilton organized a meeting of leaders from the states in Philadelphia in 1787. • Purpose? They felt the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised!