Topic 6 - The Articles of Confederation

Topic 6 - The Articles of Confederation

The Second Continental Congress

• The Articles of Confederation were approved at the Second Continental Congress

• They set up a plan to govern the new United States

• The colonists were very concerned about giving too much power to a central government, because of the abuses of King George and Parliament

• So they designed the Articles to give most of the power to the states

The Articles of Confederation

• The states had most of the power, but the Articles did set up a central legislature

• The central legislature's power was very limited

• It could not tax, it relied on states to give it money

• It could make treaties but not enforce them

• It could create an army, but only with volunteer soldiers, no draft

• There was no national court system to settle arguments between states

The Northwest Ordinance

• The one good thing about the articles was the Northwest Ordinance

• It laid out the rules for how the unclaimed territory in the Northwest could be settled and turned into states (it was claimed by the Native people who lived there, but the USA did not care about that)

• It outlawed slavery in the territories, but if an enslaved person tried to escape there, they would be returned to the South

• A region needed a population of 60,000 people to apply to become a state

• The Ordinance also guaranteed the protection of certain natural and civil rights to the people who lived there

Shay's Rebellion

• Many states were in debt after the war and could not pay it back

• They tried to tax their citizens, but they were broke too

• When Massachusetts farmers could not pay the taxes, their farms would be taken and they would be put in prison

• A retired soldier named Daniel Shays put together a militia to shut down courthouses and stop the imprisonment of farmers

• Eventually the Continental Army showed up and put a stop to the Rebellion

• But this event made everyone realize how weak the Articles of Confederation were

Multiple Choice

What did Shays' Rebellion help Americans realize they needed?

• A strong national government
• A stronger militia
• A common currency
• The ability to sign peace treaties

Multiple Choice

In order to keep farms from being foreclosed, Shays & the Shaysites surrounded local...

• courthouses

• legislatures

• shops & businesses

• citizens

Multiple Choice

The Supreme Court under the Articles of Confederation was made up of 9 Justices.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Under the Articles of Confederation Congress could only pass a law if ____________ out 13 states agreed. 

• 13
• 8
• 9
• 10

Multiple Choice

The USA almost ended up under under British control for the 2nd because the USA did not have a national ____.

• money
• government
• army
• vote

Multiple Choice

Because of the Articles  of  Confederarion the government could NOT regulate(control) ______ among the states.

• food quality
• laws
• travel
• commerce (trade)

Multiple Choice

Why was this first U.S. government so weak?

• King George III  was still in charge of USA
• Americans were afraid to give their new government too much power
• The American army did not win their independence from Great Britain and King George III
• ask; no

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a weakness in the Articles of Confederation?

• Congress couldn't collect taxes
• Weak national government
• Provided no common currency/money for all 13 states
• All of the  above

Multiple Choice

Under the Articles of Confederation, which government had the MOST power?

• Legislative branch
• the president
• the state governments
• national government

Multiple Choice

Which branch of government existed when the Articles of Confederation was created?

• Legislative (congress)
• Judicial (Supreme court)
• Executive (President)
• Legislative, Executive, and Judicial