#1 Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation

​the nations first attempt at government..

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The Founding Fathers were united in their belief that the colonies needed to be free and independent from Great Britain, but they disagreed on how the new government should work.

One major disagreements was on how strong the central government should be. They had just fought a war trying to free themselves from a strong central government (the Monarchy of Great Britain.)

To prevent having a strong central government they created The Articles of Confederation and intentionally developed a weak government (congress) to protect the states.

​After the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Second

Continental Congress created a plan for the government of the

United States called the Articles of Confederation. The founders

had to address two main issues when they created

the Articles of Confederation: 

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​Problem: The people feared a strong national government. 

Solution: They made the national government weak

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​Problem:The people feared that some states would have more power than

other states in the new government. 

Solution: The founders wrote the Articles to set up a loose union of states with equal powers. 

Multiple Choice

What was the United States first attempt at government known as?

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Constitution 

• The Bill of Rights 

• The Declaration of Independence 

Multiple Choice

The founders wrote the Articles to set up a loose union of states in which each state.....

• had no power

• was controlled by the central government 

• had equal powers  

• had no rights 

Multiple Choice

What were the two main concerns of the people when creating a new government system ?

• The government would be too powerful and some states would have more control then others

• They would not be able to choose a leader and each state would fight

• They were worried about getting taxed and losing land

Open Ended

Why do you think the Articles of Confederation were a failure?

Multiple Choice

Under the Articles of Confederation states were able to govern themselves.

All power was divided among the states. 

• True

• False

The Articles of Confederation was written to create a weak central government with limited power. In the end, this was also its downfall. In creating a government that protected the rights of the states, the Articles of Confederation had also created a central government too weak to function effectively.

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The biggest problem with the Articles of Confederation was that the central government could not impose taxes upon the states.

​To make sure that there was not "taxation without representation," the Articles of Confederation only allowed state governments to tax its citizens.

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The central government had to ask the states for money. The states often did not give the central government all the money it needed and the new government was left unable to pay back the money that it had borrowed to fight the American Revolution or fund an army.

Multiple Choice

What was a problem the states had under the Articles of Confederation?

• They had to pay too many taxes

• The central government had no power. 

• Each state was limited on their powers.

• The president made all decisions for the people.

Conditions Under the Articles of Confederation: 

Each state had total independence and self-rule.

State could make agreements with other countries without considering how it effected other states

The federal government could not collect taxes or regulate trade

Each state had its own tariff laws (taxes on goods coming in or being shipped to other states and countries).

Each state had its own militia and many states had navies.

People did not think of themselves as citizens of the United States. They thought of themselves as citizens of their own states, such as Georgians, New Yorkers, or Virginians.​

Multiple Select

What were the conditions like under the Articles of Confederation? Mark ALL that apply 

• Every state could self rule 

• Every state paid taxes to Congress 

• Each state had their own military

• Each state thought of themselves as part of the United States

Multiple Choice

Under the Articles of Confederation people did not think of themselves as citizens of the United States. They thought of themselves as citizens of their own states, such as Georgians, New Yorkers, or Virginians.

• True

• False 

Under the Articles of Confederation a lot of disagreements among states occurred mainly because the central government (Congress) could not function under the following conditions:

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• The central government (Congress) was given responsibility but no authority ​

• The central government (Congress) unable to collect taxes to operate 

• The central government (Congress) unable to establish a National Army or Navy 

• The central government (Congress) unable to regulate trade

Open Ended

Why do you think The Articles of Confederation gave very little or no power to Congress? (hint: think about why the colonist did not want one ruler)

Multiple Choice

Congress was given responsibility but no authority which meant ..

• Congress had to issue taxes 

• Congress could not enforce laws or settle disputes between states

• Congress was responsible for the military

• Congress had a lot of power.