Powerpoint on the first half of the unit.

1. Why type of government would support our
values?
What is a constitution?

2. Explain the structures of state governments...

3. Compare to Massachusetts government...

4. Explain how Americans were self-sufficient.
Why does this idea interfere with creating a national
government?

5. Our first attempt at a constitution is the Articles
of Confederation.
Why is this needed?
_____I__________I____________I__________I________
1776 *1777 1783 1787
Declaration Articles of End of ARev
Constitutional
Confederation
Convention

6. Creating a constitution
I. Base Vocabulary:
-constitution: a document that sets out laws in an
organized manner
-confederacy: a loose alliance between the states to
support each other
**national government: government that is structured
to include the whole NATION which becomes the
Articles of Confederation

7. Our first attempt at a constitution is the Articles of
Confederation.
Why is this needed?

8. What is a confederation?
a group of states united under a weak central government
FYI::::
*Constitutional Principles from the
Iroquois Confederacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=uRP8C2xpyEQ

9. Our first attempt at a constitution is the
Articles of Confederation.
Articles of Confederation: the W’s
1. Articles of Confederation: a loose alliance between
the new 13 states that created a weak national
government
2. Date: 1781
3. Location: Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia
4. Reason: to create a national government to bind the
states together versus state governments
5. Founding Fathers: the men who gather to write our
constitutions, delegates from each state

10. Articles of
Confederation
Strengths:
1. national govt controls military
2. states cannot fight each other
3. created a national treasury
4. treasury to provide money for
military
5. pass important laws-13 equal
votes, must have 9 to pass
all states must abide by this
constitution

11. Articles of
Confederation

12. Problem?

13. Why are these a problem?
• A man from Massachusetts cannot sell his farm produce in Connecticut
• A family from Virginia traveled to New York. They were unable to buy
necessary items because New York Merchants refused to accept Virginia
currency
• George Martin of Georgia refused to pay debts to loyalist John Dennison of
the same state as guaranteed by the Treaty of Paris
• A group of citizens in Virginia imported woolen goods from Great Britian
and refused to pay for them.
• New Jersey needs funds to conduct the business of the state, so they
printed more money
• France would not loan money to the new government
• The representatives from the state of Virginia protested that their

15. Articles of
Confederation
Weaknesses:
1. 13 states: some felt unfairly that they need
more representation based on population,
*equal votes but need 9 of 13 to pass a law
2. money issues: all states did not have the
same currency, national government made
currency but no value “continental”
3. issues with foreign countries cannot be
addressed
4. states execute the laws, not an executive
branch
5. TAXES: different states have their own taxing
system, national government cannot tax
6. No courts to judge the laws