The Articles of Confederation Power Point Slides
Articles of Confederation Lesson Plan
Overview
This is a full lesson plan that includes instructor script, PowerPoint slides, and student activities about the Articles of Confederation and the Continental Congress.
Big Idea/Essential Question:
- How is the United States Government formed and operated?
Unit Learning Objectives:
- How do you form a new country?
- What do you need to do?
- How do you decide what laws to pass?
- What type of government do you choose?
- Who belongs to the country? Who is a citizen?
Unit Introduction Script:
In this unit we are going to talk about the Constitutional Convention and how our government was created. The Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence separated the colonies from Great Britain, but they did not create a new government.
How do you form a new country? What decisions need to be made? How do you decide what laws to pass? What type of government do you choose? Who belongs to the country? Who is a citizen? We are going to answer these questions over the next few classes and learn how the American founders tackled these problems.
Lesson 1: The Articles of Confederation
Lesson Learning Objectives
What were the Articles of Confederation? Why were they originally adopted? Why did they need to be amended/replaced?
Key Terms
- Grievance(s)
- Articles of Confederation
- Continental Congress
- Constitution
- James Madison
- Import
- Export
- Boycott
- Militia
- Ratify
Bell Ringer
In complete sentences answer the following: What do you know from previous classes about the Constitutional Convention? What are the Articles of Confederation?
Lecture Script:
The Continental Congress
- The Continental Congress was a group formed by American colonists in 1774. It was composed of men from each of the colonies (Except Georgia)
- Georgia did not send any delegates because they were at war with neighboring Native American Nations (the Cherokee and Creek)
- They formed the Continental Congress in response to British Parliament's passage of the Intolerable Acts.
- The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, closed off the port at Boston (after the Boston Tea Party) and placed more control on the Massachusetts colony.
- Ultimately, this group was formed to rebel against Great Britain’s rule. Some of their efforts included calling for an end to British imports and exports, the boycott of British goods, and asked each colony to form a militia.
On July 4, 1776, the First Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence lists 27 problems, or grievances, that the 13 colonies had with King George of England. The problems were things like:
- Taxing the colonists without their consent.
- Having British soldiers present in the colonies.
- Forcing colonists to quarter soldiers. (provide a person with food and shelter)
The adoption of the Declaration of Independence effectively established the 13 colonies as a separate country from Great Britain, but it didn’t explain how these colonies would govern themselves.
John Trumbull, "Declaration of Independence," Oil on Canvas, 1826, Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Rotunda, https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/declaration-independence
- This painting completed by famous American artist John Trumbull depicts some of the founders at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Many of the men depicted go on to frame the Articles of Confederation and later the United States Constitution.
- It is on display in the United States Capitol Building, in the Capitol Rotunda.
Articles of Confederation: https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=127
The Continental Congress’s response to that problem was the Articles of Confederation.
- The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, in the midst of the Revolutionary War
- They were not ratified by all 13 States until March 1, 1781.
- What does the Articles of Confederation do?
- Names the country the United States of America.
- Every state holds the powers not listed in the AOC.
- They are required to help each other in the event of an attack from outside forces.
- Free Citizens can freely move from state to state (think without a passport or inspection)
- Within each state free citizens can participate in trade and commerce like any resident could
- People who commit a crime in one state and flee will be sent back for trial.
- State courts will respect the judgements of other courts in other states.
- The states will appoint delegates to the Congress of the Confederation.
- Each state can send between 2 and 7 delegates. Each state, however, only gets 1 vote.
- The central government works with other countries.
- Only the central government has the power to declare war against other countries.
- A Committee of States group could act when the Congress of the Confederation was not in session.
- Canada is permitted to join the new country if they want.
- The new country agreed to pay earlier war debts.
- The articles of Confederation are forever and can only be changed if all the states agree.
Problems
- By 1787 it became clear to many of the country's leaders that the Articles of the Confederation were not working.
- James Madison was one of the most outspoken writers about the Articles of Confederation’s problems.
- With a partner read his letter, "Vices of the Political System of the United States, April 1787." Start reading where it says "April 1787."
- Take notes about what Madison states is wrong with the Articles of Confederation.
- In 10-15 minutes, we'll come back and discuss.
With all these problems, it was clear that the United States needed a stronger federal government. A body that made decisions and had authority separate from and in some cases over the states. In February 1787, the Congress of the Confederacy approved a plan for representatives to meet and revise the Articles of Confederation. Leading up to that meeting, James Madison wrote this letter outlining his thoughts on the main issues with the Articles of Confederation.
Wrap up video:
If there is time, watch this video from NBC News Learn to transition students from the Articles of Confederation to the need for a revised federal government and as a result the Constitutional Convention
Next class we are going to talk about the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, their debates, and how they addressed the problems James Madison spoke about in his letter.
Exit Ticket:
Before you leave do one of the following:
- Write a paragraph explaining how you would fix one of the problems James Madison described.
- Make an advertisement convincing the people of your state that the Articles of Confederation need to be revised.
Reading Activity Teacher instructions:
- Print or ask students to access James Madison’s “Vices of the Political System of the United States, April 1787,” on their devices.
- Pair students and assign them a section of the letter to read and take notes on. In the letter, James Madison wrote numbered fistnotes in the left column breaking his own letter into general topics. In the attached document, sections are separated by number and longer sections by color.
- Give students 10 to 15 minutes to read, take notes, and discuss with their partner what Madison is saying in their section.
- Bring the class back together and discuss what James Madison saw as the major problems of the Articles of Confederation.
- There were too many separate governments operating in a league of friendship rather than a federal government.
- The states encroached on federal authority.
- They violated treaties with other countries.
- States violated each other’s rights.
- There was no standard policy on things of national importance (like immigration).
- There needed to be protection against internal violence and factionalism.
- There needed to be sanctions and punishment if states did not keep their agreement outlined by the Articles of Confederation.
- The Articles of Confederation were not recognized as the most important law, instead state laws sometimes contradicted, infringed, or negated them.
- There are too many laws in some states, to the point that they infringe on personal liberties.
- Laws are repealed or changed too quickly. Not enough time is given to reflect on the law.
- Because of representatives’ personal interests, there are many unjust laws.
Reading Activity
James Madison, “Vices of the Political System of the United States,” Founders Online, National Archives and Records Administration, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-09-02-0187.
April. 1787 Vices of the Political System of the U. States. Observations by J.M. (a copy taken by permission by Danl. Carroll & sent to Chs Carroll of Carrollton). | |||||
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1. Failure of the States to comply with the Constitutional requisitions. | 1. This evil has been so fully experienced both during the war and since the peace, results so naturally from the number and independent authority of the States and has been so uniformly examplified in every similar Confederacy, that it may be considered as not less radically and permanently inherent in, than it is fatal to the object of, the present System. | ||||
2. Encroachments by the States on the federal authority. | 2. Examples of this are numerous and repetitions may be foreseen in almost every case where any favorite object of a State shall present a temptation. Among these examples are the wars and Treaties of Georgia with the Indians—The unlicensed compacts between Virginia and Maryland, and between Pena. & N. Jersey—the troops raised and to be kept up by Massts. | ||||
3. Violations of the law of nations and of treaties. | 3. From the number of Legislatures, the sphere of life from which most of their members are taken, and the circumstances under which their legislative business is carried on, irregularities of this kind must frequently happen. Accordingly not a year has passed without instances of them in some one or other of the States. The Treaty of peace—the treaty with France—the treaty with Holland have each been violated. [See the complaints to Congress on these subjects]. The causes of these irregularities must necessarily produce frequent violations of the law of nations in other respects. | ||||
As yet foreign powers have not been rigorous in animadverting on us. This moderation however cannot be mistaken for a permanent partiality to our faults, or a permanent security agst. those disputes with other nations, which being among the greatest of public calamities, it ought to be least in the power of any part of the Community to bring on the whole. | |||||
4. Trespasses of the States on the rights of each other. | 4. These are alarming symptoms, and may be daily apprehended as we are admonished by daily experience. See the law of Virginia restricting foreign vessels to certain ports—of Maryland in favor of vessels belonging to her own citizens—of N. York in favor of the same. | ||||
Paper money, instalments of debts, occlusion of Courts, making property a legal tender, may likewise be deemed aggressions on the rights of other States. As the Citizens of every State aggregately taken stand more or less in the relation of Creditors or debtors, to the Citizens of every other States, Acts of the debtor State in favor of debtors, affect the Creditor State, in the same manner, as they do its own citizens who are relatively creditors towards other citizens. This remark may be extended to foreign nations. If the exclusive regulation of the value and alloy of coin was properly delegated to the federal authority, the policy of it equally requires a controul on the States in the cases above mentioned. It must have been meant 1. to preserve uniformity in the circulating medium throughout the nation. 2. to prevent those frauds on the citizens of other States, and the subjects of foreign powers, which might disturb the tranquility at home, or involve the Union in foreign contests. | |||||
The practice of many States in restricting the commercial intercourse with other States, and putting their productions and manufactures on the same footing with those of foreign nations, though not contrary to the federal articles, is certainly adverse to the spirit of the Union, and tends to beget retaliating regulations, not less expensive & vexatious in themselves, than they are destructive of the general harmony. | |||||
5. want of concert in matters where common interest requires it. | 5. This defect is strongly illustrated in the state of our commercial affairs. How much has the national dignity, interest, and revenue suffered from this cause? Instances of inferior moment are the want of uniformity in the laws concerning naturalization & literary property; of provision for national seminaries, for grants of incorporation for national purposes, for canals and other works of general utility, wch. may at present be defeated by the perverseness of particular States whose concurrence is necessary. | ||||
6. want of Guaranty to the States of their Constitutions & laws against internal violence. | 6. The confederation is silent on this point and therefore by the second article the hands of the federal authority are tied. According to Republican Theory, Right and power being both vested in the majority, are held to be synonimous. According to fact and experience a minority may in an appeal to force, be an overmatch for the majority. 1. If the minority happen to include all such as possess the skill and habits of military life, & such as possess the great pecuniary resources, one third only may conquer the remaining two thirds. 2. One third of those who participate in the choice of the rulers, may be rendered a majority by the accession of those whose poverty excludes them from a right of suffrage, and who for obvious reasons will be more likely to join the standard of sedition than that of the established Government. 3. Where slavery exists the republican Theory becomes still more fallacious. | ||||
7. want of sanction to the laws, and of coercion in the Government of the Confederacy. | 7. A sanction is essential to the idea of law, as coercion is to that of Government. The federal system being destitute of both, wants the great vital principles of a Political Cons[ti]tution. Under the form of such a Constitution, it is in fact nothing more than a treaty of amity of commerce and of alliance, between so many independent and Sovereign States. From what cause could so fatal an omission have happened in the articles of Confederation? from a mistaken confidence that the justice, the good faith, the honor, the sound policy, of the several legislative assemblies would render superfluous any appeal to the ordinary motives by which the laws secure the obedience of individuals: a confidence which does honor to the enthusiastic virtue of the compilers, as much as the inexperience of the crisis apologizes for their errors. The time which has since elapsed has had the double effect, of increasing the light and tempering the warmth, with which the arduous work may be revised. It is no longer doubted that a unanimous and punctual obedience of 13 independent bodies, to the acts of the federal Government, ought not be calculated on. Even during the war, when external danger supplied in some degree the defect of legal & coercive sanctions, how imperfectly did the States fulfil their obligations to the Union? In time of peace, we see already what is to be expected. How indeed could it be otherwise? In the first place, Every general act of the Union must necessarily bear unequally hard on some particular member or members of it. Secondly the partiality of the members to their own interests and rights, a partiality which will be fostered by the Courtiers of popularity, will naturally exaggerate the inequality where it exists, and even suspect it where it has no existence. Thirdly a distrust of the voluntary compliance of each other may prevent the compliance of any, although it should be the latent disposition of all. Here are causes & pretexts which will never fail to render federal measures abortive. If the laws of the States, were merely recommendatory to their citizens, or if they were to be rejudged by County authorities, what security, what probability would exist, that they would be carried into execution? Is the security or probability greater in favor of the acts of Congs. which depending for their execution on the will of the state legislatures, wch. are tho’ nominally authoritative, in fact recommendatory only. | ||||
8. Want of ratification by the people of the articles of Confederation. | 8. In some of the States the Confederation is recognized by, and forms a part of the constitution. In others however it has received no other sanction than that of the Legislative authority. From this defect two evils result: 1. Whenever a law of a State happens to be repugnant to an act of Congress, particularly when the latter is of posterior date to the former, it will be at least questionable whether the latter must not prevail; and as the question must be decided by the Tribunals of the State, they will be most likely to lean on the side of the State. | ||||
2. As far as the Union of the States is to be regarded as a league of sovereign powers, and not as a political Constitution by virtue of which they are become one sovereign power, so far it seems to follow from the doctrine of compacts, that a breach of any of the articles of the confederation by any of the parties to it, absolves the other parties from their respective obligations, and gives them a right if they chuse to exert it, of dissolving the Union altogether. | |||||
9. Multiplicity of laws in the several States. | 9. In developing the evils which viciate the political system of the U. S. it is proper to include those which are found within the States individually, as well as those which directly affect the States collectively, since the former class have an indirect influence on the general malady and must not be overlooked in forming a compleat remedy. Among the evils then of our situation may well be ranked the multiplicity of laws from which no State is exempt. As far as laws are necessary, to mark with precision the duties of those who are to obey them, and to take from those who are to administer them a discretion, which might be abused, their number is the price of liberty. As far as the laws exceed this limit, they are a nusance: a nusance of the most pestilent kind. Try the Codes of the several States by this test, and what a luxuriancy of legislation do they present. The short period of independency has filled as many pages as the century which preceded it. Every year, almost every session, adds a new volume. This may be the effect in part, but it can only be in part, of the situation in which the revolution has placed us. A review of the several codes will shew that every necessary and useful part of the least voluminous of them might be compressed into one tenth of the compass, and at the same time be rendered tenfold as perspicuous. | ||||
10. mutability of the laws of the States. | 10. This evil is intimately connected with the former yet deserves a distinct notice as it emphatically denotes a vicious legislation. We daily see laws repealed or superseded, before any trial can have been made of their merits; and even before a knowledge of them can have reached the remoter districts within which they were to operate. In the regulations of trade this instability becomes a snare not only to our citizens but to foreigners also. | ||||
11. Injustice of the laws of States. | 11. If the multiplicity and mutability of laws prove a want of wisdom, their injustice betrays a defect still more alarming: more alarming not merely because it is a greater evil in itself, but because it brings more into question the fundamental principle of republican Government, that the majority who rule in such Governments, are the safest Guardians both of public Good and of private rights. To what causes is this evil to be ascribed? | ||||
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1. Representative appointments are sought from 3 motives. 1. ambition 2. personal interest. 3. public good. Unhappily the two first are proved by experience to be most prevalent. Hence the candidates who feel them, particularly, the second, are most industrious, and most successful in pursuing their object: and forming often a majority in the legislative Councils, with interested views, contrary to the interest, and views, of their Constituents, join in a perfidious sacrifice of the latter to the former. A succeeding election it might be supposed, would displace the offenders, and repair the mischief. But how easily are base and selfish measures, masked by pretexts of public good and apparent expediency? How frequently will a repetition of the same arts and industry which succeeded in the first instance, again prevail on the unwary to misplace their confidence? | |||||
How frequently too will the honest but unenligh[t]ened representative be the dupe of a favorite leader, veiling his selfish views under the professions of public good, and varnishing his sophistical arguments with the glowing colours of popular eloquence? | |||||
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2. A still more fatal if not more frequent cause lies among the people themselves. All civilized societies are divided into different interests and factions, as they happen to be creditors or debtors—Rich or poor—husbandmen, merchants or manufacturers—members of different religious sects—followers of different political leaders—inhabitants of different districts—owners of different kinds of property &c &c. In republican Government the majority however composed, ultimately give the law. Whenever therefore an apparent interest or common passion unites a majority what is to restrain them from unjust violations of the rights and interests of the minority, or of individuals? Three motives only 1. a prudent regard to their own good as involved in the general and permanent good of the Community. This consideration although of decisive weight in itself, is found by experience to be too often unheeded. It is too often forgotten, by nations as well as by individuals that honesty is the best policy. 2dly. respect for character. However strong this motive may be in individuals, it is considered as very insufficient to restrain them from injustice. In a multitude its efficacy is diminished in proportion to the number which is to share the praise or the blame. Besides, as it has reference to public opinion, which within a particular Society, is the opinion of the majority, the standard is fixed by those whose conduct is to be measured by it. The public opinion without the Society, will be little respected by the people at large of any Country. Individuals of extended views, and of national pride, may bring the public proceedings to this standard, but the example will never be followed by the multitude. Is it to be imagined that an ordinary citizen or even an assembly-man of R. Island in estimating the policy of paper money, ever considered or cared in what light the measure would be viewed in France or Holland; or even in Massts or Connect.? It was a sufficient temptation to both that it was for their interest: it was a sufficient sanction to the latter that it was popular in the State; to the former that it was so in the neighbourhood. 3dly. will Religion the only remaining motive be a sufficient restraint? It is not pretended to be such on men individually considered. Will its effect be greater on them considered in an aggregate view? quite the reverse. The conduct of every popular assembly acting on oath, the strongest of religious Ties, proves that individuals join without remorse in acts, against which their consciences would revolt if proposed to them under the like sanction, separately in their closets. When indeed Religion is kindled into enthusiasm, its force like that of other passions, is increased by the sympathy of a multitude. But enthusiasm is only a temporary state of religion, and while it lasts will hardly be seen with pleasure at the helm of Government. Besides as religion in its coolest state, is not infallible, it may become a motive to oppression as well as a restraint from injustice. Place three individuals in a situation wherein the interest of each depends on the voice of the others, and give to two of them an interest opposed to the rights of the third? Will the latter be secure? The prudence of every man would shun the danger. The rules & forms of justice suppose & guard against it. Will two thousand in a like situation be less likely to encroach on the rights of one thousand? The contrary is witnessed by the notorious factions & oppressions which take place in corporate towns limited as the opportunities are, and in little republics when uncontrouled by apprehensions of external danger. If an enlargement of the sphere is found to lessen the insecurity of private rights, it is not because the impulse of a common interest or passion is less predominant in this case with the majority; but because a common interest or passion is less apt to be felt and the requisite combinations less easy to be formed by a great than by a small number. The Society becomes broken into a greater variety9of interests, of pursuits, of passions, which check each other, whilst those who may feel a common sentiment have less opportunity of communication and concert. It may be inferred that the inconveniences of popular States contrary to the prevailing Theory, are in proportion not to the extent, but to the narrowness of their limits. | |||||
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The great desideratum in Government is such a modification of the Sovereignty as will render it sufficiently neutral between the different interests and factions, to controul one part of the Society from invading the rights of another, and at the same time sufficiently controuled itself, from setting up an interest adverse to that of the whole Society. In absolute Monarchies, the prince is sufficiently, neutral towards his subjects, but frequently sacrifices their happiness to his ambition or his avarice. In small Republics, the sovereign will is sufficiently controuled from such a Sacrifice of the entire Society, but is not sufficiently neutral towards the parts composing it. As a limited Monarchy tempers the evils of an absolute one; so an extensive Republic meliorates the administration of a small Republic. | |||||
An auxiliary desideratum for the melioration of the Republican form is such a process of elections as will most certainly extract from the mass of the Society the purest and noblest characters which it contains; such as will at once feel most strongly the proper motives to pursue the end of their appointment, and be most capable to devise the proper means of attaining it. | |||||
12. Impotence of the laws of the States |