Articles of Confederation vs Constitution

The Critical Period and US Constitution

The Articles of Confederation

1781-1789

Confederacy: State Governments control Central Government
The Articles of Confederation was the governing document of the US before the Constitution


The war was not yet officially over

Read Page 98 - 99

The Articles of Confederation Section

Prepare to respond without the textbook to
1) the powers of the central government
2) problems with the Articles without the Textbook

Multiple Choice

Which was not a power of the Confederate Central Government?

• Settling Disputes between states

• Declaring War

• Borrowing Money

• Override any state decision

Confederacy

1. The Central Government is subordinate to the State Governments

2. Central Government is made up of a congress which can

   1. deal with certain foreign affairs

   2. borrow money

   3. regulate value of currency

   4. Declare or end war

   5. raise an army

   6. Mediate and settle disputes between states

Open Ended

What were the 3 major problems of the Articles?

Problems with the Articles

1) Incredibly difficult to pass anything - 9 out of 13 vote
2) The Central Government didn't have much ability to do anything
3) Congress couldn't raise taxes

Multiple Choice

Were the Articles of Confederation ratified before or after the Declaration of Independence?

• Before

• After

• Same time

• time time

Presidents of the US

• John Hanson

• Elias Boudinot

• Thomas Mifflin

• Richard Henry Lee

• John Hancock

• Nathaniel Gorham

• Arthur St. Clair

• Cyrus Griffin

Problems with the Articles

1) Incredibly difficult to pass anything - 9 out of 13 vote
2) The Central Government didn't have much ability to do anything
3) Congress couldn't raise taxes

Final Major Victory

1781

In 1781 General Cornwallis (British) lost a major defeat at Yorktown

Scattered Battles continued for the next year, but the war was essentially lost for the British

The Treaty of Paris (#2)

1783 - War officially over

England recognized the 13 Independent States

Still governed under the Articles of Confederation by the Continental Congress

The Constitution

1783 - War officially over

England recognized the 13 Independent States

Still governed under the Articles of Confederation by the Continental Congress

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of the Documents?

• 1) The Constitution, 2) Dec. of Independence, 3)Articles of Confederation

• 1)Dec. of Independence 2)Articles of Confederation

  3) Constitution

• 1)Dec. of Independence 2)Constitution

  3) Articles of Confederation