The Articles of Confederation

SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United

States Constitution. 

a. Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central

government.

What was the Articles of Confederation?

A system of government used in the United States from 1781 to 1788

A confederation is a loose association of states for defensive purposes

Structure of the A of C

Rules the state, not the citizens within the states

Powers: Make treaties, declare war, borrow money

One house legislature, each with one vote

No executive branch to enforce laws No judicial branch to settle disputes High majority to pass laws (9 out of 13)

Weaknesses of the A of C

No money and no power to get it No power to coin money No power over state governments or

their citizens Unenforceable trade agreements Unable to regulate competition

between states No way to protect the people’s rights

Shays’ Rebellion:

Wealthy people loaned the government money to fight the war. They wanted these loans to be repaid.

Massachusetts raised taxes to pay. Farmers were hit hard by these taxes.

The taxes reminded them of British taxes that helped cause the Revolution.

Shays’ Rebellion

Daniel Shays led a rebellion that made it impossible for tax-collectors to do their jobs.

Daniel Shays and his small army went to an arsenal.

Congress had no money to raise an army. The state gathered an army.

Shays was arrested and sentenced to death but appealed the sentence and eventually regained his freedom.

Effects of the Rebellion

Citizens learned they could defy the government when it acted against the people’s wishes.

Prominent Americans saw that steps had to be taken to strengthen the national government and avoid civil unrest.

May 1787 the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to decide what had to be done with the government.

Group Activity

The students will work in groups to brainstorm ideas for solving some of the problems caused by the Articles of Confederation.

Ideas will be recorded on a T-chart. Students will then create hypotheses

about the ease or difficulty of creating solutions to these problems and the thought processes involved.