The Articles of Confederation
Creating a New Government
Independence Hall, Philadelphia
After the Revolutionary War, America was faced with the great challenge of creating a new form of government. When the British first settled North America, they operated their colonies as separate, self-governing units. Each colony had its own governor, advisory council, and assembly of representatives. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies united with a common goal to attain independence from Britain. The Continental Congress assumed the role of the central government of the colonies, organizing their efforts to fight against the British. When the War ended, however, the colonies became states that were reluctant to remain united under the leadership of a central government. The states were reluctant to submit to a central power, especially after they had just gained their freedom and independence from the British. The delegates of the Continental Congress founded a new government, in which power was shared between the nation and states.
The delegates of the Continental Congress established the national government as a republic. Most Americans in the eighteenth century favored a republican government. In a republic, citizens elect representatives to vote on political issues on their behalf. This type of government was favored over a direct democracy, where citizens vote on political issues without the use of representatives. Many Americans feared that a direct democracy placed too much power in the hands of citizens who may not be well educated on political issues.
The states established their governments by drafting constitutions. Many of the state constitutions limited the power of government and protected the natural rights of citizens. State constitutions differed on their views on slavery, women’s rights, and voting rights.
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was a written agreement ratified in 1781 by the thirteen original states. This document created a central government that shared powers with the state governments. While the Articles of Confederation would be replaced by the United States Constitution due to its many problems, this document did give the government certain powers. Most importantly, the Articles created an alliance among the states. Click the player button to explore the Articles of Confederation.
View a printable version of the interactivity.
The Land Ordinance of 1785
Maryland was reluctant to ratify the Articles of Confederation, due to the conflicting claims over western lands. To induce Maryland to ratify the Articles of Confederation, all land claims were given to the central government. The government had to deal with the issue of governing the lands. The land in the Ohio River Valley was desired by settlers. To deal with this issue, Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785, which allowed the land to be surveyed. In 1787, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, which outlined a procedure for dividing the land into territories. The Northwest Ordinance set requirements for new states when populations reached a certain point. There were three stages in which parts of the divided territory could become a state:
- Congress would appoint a governor and judges.
- The territory had to have 5,000 voters in order to write a temporary state constitution.
- At a population of 60,000 the territory could write a state constitution which had to be approved by Congress to achieve statehood.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation served as America’s first attempt to establish a workable government. Too many weaknesses existed with the Articles, forcing America to make a second attempt at establishing a government through the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation allowed for political and economic weaknesses, and created issues with America’s foreign relations. In this interactivity, learn about the problems associated with the Articles of Confederation. Click the player button to begin.
View a printable version of the interactivity.
Shays' Rebellion
Daniel Shays, a farmer and veteran of two battles in the Revolutionary War, faced prison due to his growing debt. Shays, like many other farmers, was financially burdened by taxes. Unlike the national government, the state governments had the power to directly tax citizens. As a means to pay their war debts, states often imposed high taxes on citizens. Many citizens found it difficult to pay the taxes. Daniel Shays led a group of disgruntled farmers in to Springfield, Massachusetts. The state militia was called on to stop Shays and the mob of nearly 1,200 rebels. Four rebels were killed during the confrontation.
The Massachusetts government requested Congress’ help in protection in the even of future uprisings. The national government did not have funds or military forces to aid Massachusetts in its efforts. Shays' Rebellion in the winter of 1786 - 1787 drew attention to the fact that America did not have a strong national government. Citizens around the nation were burdened with high taxes, and many were at risk of losing their private property. To protect the citizens, the nation needed to establish a stronger government. In an attempt to limit the power of the national government, the Articles had created a government that was too weak. In May 1787, representatives from the states met in Philadelphia to discuss solutions. They decided to write a new constitution.
The Articles of Confederation Review
Now that you have learned about Articles of Confederation, complete this activity to check your knowledge. In this non-graded activity, read each question and choose the correct answer. Click the player button to get started.