American
IndependenceTHE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, NORTHWEST LAND ORDINANCE,
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
After the Revolutionary War
Need for new governing bodies
Reluctant to establish a central authority may resemble a king/ tyranny
1776, states create separate constitutions
All wanted a republic with elected representatives
Some with strong legislature unicameral legislature
Some with strong executive bicameral legislature
After the Revolutionary War
Despite differences, general rise in the power of the common man
Voters could elect for both houses, not just lower house
Voters could elect governors (prev. only 2 colonies had this power)
Issue: Voting rights were still debated; should the right to vote be extended to all
free men? Even those with little or no property?
Pennsylvania opened voting to all men over 21 who paid any taxes
However, most states maintained colonial property requirements to vote (mainly because
most white men owned at least a farm)
John Adams warned against letting poor people vote he opposed political equality
No women and no slaves
“Tyranny of the Majority”
Over time, House of Representatives gained a lot of power
Increased power fear of “tyranny of the majority”
What do you think they mean by “tyranny of the majority?” How could this affect legislation in the states?
Articles of Confederation
1777, Continental Congress drafted the original constitution for the union of the
states, known as the Articles of Confederation
Confederation = a league or alliance of states that agree to work together
Loose collective, little to no centralized govt
Reflected ideals of the Declaration of Independence
States retained sovereignty (right to govern themselves)
Federal govt Congress
Each state with one vote
No executive and no judicial branches
Executive powers spread among Congress
Articles of Confederation
Federal congress’s powers were limited by the Art. Confed.
They could declare and conduct war; negotiate peace; foreign affairs;
and administer the relations with Natives
They could not levy taxes the federal government had to rely on
contributions from the states (which was unreliable)
Amendments had to be approved by all 13 states *why is this
problematic?
The Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory
Since Congress can’t tax, they sell land to raise revenue
Land Ordinance of 1785 –a program designed to distribute the public lands
Grids divided the land into hundreds of townships
However, the price and size of the land favored the wealthy
To obtain land settlers often purchased land from speculators
The Ordinance assigned govt for territory
Allowed territories to gain statehood (population)
60k people to be a state
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota
No slavery in new territories
New Territory, New Conflict
Natives
Spain fear that US expansion would threaten their colonies
No trade in Louisiana
Britain was bitter rejected free trade; only trade that favored
Britain
Patriots could buy from British, but not sell to British
Congress too weak to coordinate common front against Britain’s
mercantile policy
Problems in the Confederation
The nation was bankrupt
Congress could not:
Establish a common currency
Regulate interstate commerce
Or levy taxes
State relief for citizens was varied anger over repossession of land
Shay’s Rebellion (1786) Massachusetts
Farmer/ veteran leads rebellion to seize weapons to shut down courts
Articles needed to be revised or a new constitution must be written
Weaknesses of Articles of
Confederation
Congress had no power to levy or collect taxes
Congres had no power to regulate commerce
Congress had no power to enforce its laws
Approval of 9 states was needed to enact laws
13 states needed to approve amendments
no executive branch
no national court system
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