Articles Confederation Part 1

Please write the learning goal and key words on down.


1. Articles of Confederation, 2.Constitutional Convention, 3.Northwest Ordinance 4.Confederation

​

1) Pencil
2) Packet from the back table
3) Highlighter
4) A loose leaf Paper

​Materials you will need:

Learning Goal Today

​ Evaluate the structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and its aspects that led to the Constitutional Convention.

Essential Question:

​What do the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation show about the Americans’ shifting beliefs about the power of a national government?

​K	​W	​L
​	​	​
​	​	​
​	​	​

​Complete the KW on your KWL, Reminder the K is what you know and W is what you want to know.

Vocabulary LOOK-Up
Please write these defintions down.

1. Articles of Confederation: The first set of rules for the United States government, created after the country became independent from Britain. It was replaced by the Constitution because it made the central government too weak

2. Constitutional Convention: A meeting held in 1787 where leaders from different states came together to create a new plan for the government, which became the United States Constitution

Vocabulary LOOK-Up
Please write these defintions down.

1. Northwest Ordinance: A law passed in 1787 that set up a system for adding new states to the United States from the Northwest Territory. It also banned slavery in this area and promised rights like freedom of religion

2. Confederation: A group of states or nations that join together for a common purpose, but keep most of their independence. The United States was a confederation under the Articles of Confederation

   .

Please flip to Page 2

The Articles of Confederation: What were They?

​ When America declared its independence in 1776, they each created their own government. The founding fathers created the Articles of Confederation. This was America’s first constitution. A constitution is a body of fundamental principles to guide a state. Some leaders, including Benjamin Franklin, saw the need for a national government. A national government is a government or political authority that controls the entire nation. A national government would be needed to deal with foreign relations and economic and commercial issues. The American colonies originally intended to rule themselves. For this reason, the Articles of Confederation provided the new states a weak national government and gave the states most of the rights.

​It's Highlighting time, Please annotate this passage

​

​

​

​=The types of government

​=Date

​=Main Idea

​=Key
Information

​

​Thinking Ahead…. The United States currently has a strong national government. List some advantages and disadvantages of having a national government that is much stronger than the state governments.

Please flip to Page 3

Problem #1 in the Articles of Confederation

​ At the start of the Revolutionary War, each state acted as a separate nation and formed its own constitution and independent government. Citizens considered their state as their “country.” When asked where they came from, citizens would name the state, and not America as where they are from. Founders agreed that a central government was necessary, but they did not want to make it too strong. At the time, American citizens felt that their rights had been deprived by the British government, and they were afraid a central government would become too powerful and history would repeat itself.

Fear of A Strong Government

​

​

​

​=The types of government

​=Date

​=Main Idea

​=Key
Information

​

Quick Review:​
Why did American citizens fear a strong national government?

Don't forget to Highlight

Exit Ticket

​What do the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation show about the Americans’ shifting beliefs about the power of a national government?

​K	​W	​L
​	​	​
​	​	​
​	​	​

​Complete the L on your KWL, Reminder the L is what did you learn.

Essential Question:

​What do the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation show about the Americans’ shifting beliefs about the power of a national government?

​K	​W	​L
​	​	​
​	​	​
​	​	​

​Complete the KW on your KWL, Reminder the K is what you know and W is what you want to know.

Please flip to Page 4

Each individual state was worried about their individual freedoms. They did not want their government organization to be threatened by the national government. Founders argued most vehemently over how the states would be allowed to vote in Congress. More populous states should hold more power because they have more citizens, but smaller states wanted their voices to count and be heard. They had to decide if each state should have one vote, or if the number of votes would be determined by population.

Problem#2 in the Articles of Confederation

Afraid That Some State Governments Would Dominate Others

​

​

​

​=The types of government

​=Date

​=Main Idea

​=Key
Information

​

Think Outside the Box
How do you think the states felt about this solution?