Trying Self Government - The Articles of Confederation

What is your name?

Yesterday's reading said that the colonies fought for independence because King George had acted like a tyrant. What is a tyrant?

• a cruel and unfair ruler with complete power over a country

• a ruler who exercises absolute power in a fair and just way.

• a ruler who exercises limited power in a cruel and oppressive way.

Which of the answers below are examples of how King George acted as a tyrant?

Select all that apply.

• took away colonial legislatures

• gave himself the authority to make colonial laws

•  taxed the colonists’ goods without their permission

• gave the colonies representatives in the British government

Reorder the answers below to explain why the colonies need to quickly create a government after declaring independence.

• Declaring independence from England meant that

• the colonies were starting a war with England.

• In order to fight a war with England, the colonies needed

• to be able to build an army and pay soldiers. They also needed

• to be able to buy military supplies and try to negotiate with other countries for assistance.

The Articles of Confederation were first adopted by the Continental Congress in November of ​ (a)   , but the document was not approved, or ​ (b)   , until March of ​ (c)   . The articles remained the official governing document of the United States until it was ​ (d)   by the U.S. Constitution in ​ (e)   .

• 1777
• ratified
• 1781
• 1789
• replaced

1. The articles of confederation united the 13 colonies together, but only did so 

​ (a)   . Under the articles of Confederation, the colonies were 

aligned together in a “ ​ (b)   of ​ friendship” 

designed to protect the 13 states against other ​ (c)   and their 

​ (d)   .  The main problem with this new government was that there 

was ​ (e)   that the national government could force the states to do.

• loosely
• League
• countries
• militaries
• nothing

True or False: The national government under the Articles of Confederation had a single branch (or group) that made laws.

• True

• False

Organize the powers given to the national government and state governments under the Articles of Confederation.

Groups:

(a) National Government

,

(b) Both

,

(c) State Governments

• Create laws for their individual states

• Power to create treaties with other countries

• Appoint foreign ambassadors

• Create laws if 9 of the 13 states agree

• had the power to create laws

• Had their own militias (militaries)

• Had any power not given to the national government in the Articles of Confederation

• Enforce laws

• Power to negotiate with other countries

• Manage relationships with Native American Tribes

• Create their own money

• Power to declare war

Why did the founders choose to limit the powers of the national government?

• To prevent the government from becoming too powerful and to protect individual liberties.

• To ensure equal representation for all states
• To promote economic growth
• To establish a strong and powerful national government

Reorder the following to explain why it was a problem that the articles of Confederation only allowed the states to collect taxes.

• The government needs to collect taxes in order to

• have the money to build roads and bridges, pay soldiers, build ships and do many other things.

• Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government could ask the states

• for money, but they could not force the states to give them money. Without the

• ability to collect taxes, there was not a lot that the national government could do.