The Articles of Confederation The Challenge of Sovereignty The Articles of Confederation, which replaced the Second Continental Congress and governed a new nation from 1781-1789, represented a reaction against centralized authority during the colonial period. In their effort to avoid centralization, the authors of the Articles of Confederation placed ultimate political power in the separate states as a means of checking the national government. They described the as league of friendship” in which each state its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and “firm “retains every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the , in Congress assembled.” Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government had powers to conduct foreign relations, settle disputes between states, maintain maritime affairs, regulate Indian trade, and state the value of state and national money. The new government concluded a very favorable peace with , weathered a short postwar depression, and wisely determined that the western territories would eventually achieve statehood with all the rights and privileges of the original thirteen states. On a sheet of paper (1) explain the significance of each statement/event/fact. (2) Then examine the list, divide the items into three or four categories and label the categories. Finally (3), write a thesis statement answering the following question: To what extent were the Articles of Confederation effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation. No separate executive Northwest Ordinances of 1785 and Treaty of 1783 1787 Federal aid to education (Northwest One vote per state Ordinance, 1785) No federal courts No national currency Shays’ Rebellion Members often failed to attend British retention of forts in the Congress Northwest pirates raided shipping No regulation of interstate commerce Inability to repay French loans Boundary disputes between states Inability to protect settlers from No power to tax Indians States taxed each other’s goods denial of right of deposit at ’s Kept the states together Little trade with
The Articles of Confederation The Challenge of Sovereignty The Articles of Confederation, which replaced the Second Continental Congress and governed a new nation from 1781-1789, represented a reaction against centralized authority during the colonial period. In their effort to avoid centralization, the authors of the Articles of Confederation placed ultimate political power in the separate states as a means of checking the national government. They described the as “firm league of friendship” in which each state “retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the , in Congress assembled.” Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government had powers to conduct foreign relations, settle disputes between states, maintain maritime affairs, regulate Indian trade, and state the value of state and national money. The new government concluded a very favorable peace with , weathered a short postwar depression, and wisely determined that the western territories would eventually achieve statehood with all the rights and privileges of the original thirteen states. On a sheet of paper (1) explain the significance of each statement/event/fact. (2) Then examine the list, divide the items into three or four categories and label the categories. Finally (3), write a thesis statement answering the following question: To what extent were the Articles of Confederation effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation. No separate executive Northwest Ordinances of 1785 and 1787 One vote per state No federal courts Shays’ Rebellion British retention of forts in the Northwest No regulation of interstate commerce Boundary disputes between states No power to tax States taxed each other’s goods Kept the states together Treaty of 1783 Federal aid to education (Northwest Ordinance, 1785) No national currency Members often failed to attend Congress pirates raided shipping Inability to repay French loans Inability to protect settlers from Indians ’s denial of right of deposit at Little trade with
The_Articles_of_Confederation_chart.docx