The Articles of Confederation established the first constitution of the United States from 1776-1787. It created a weak central government with a unicameral Congress consisting of one delegate per state and no executive branch. Congress had limited powers and it was difficult to pass laws or amendments. Dissatisfaction grew due to conflicts between states, debt, economic troubles, and uprisings like Shays' Rebellion. This led figures like Hamilton and Madison to call the Philadelphia Convention to draft a new constitution and replace the Articles of Confederation with a stronger central government.

1. ARTICLES OF
CONFEDERATION
First Constitution of the US 1776-1787

2. Central Gov’t Under the Articles
 Single- chamber (unicameral) congress
 No executive branch or president
 Congress made up of one delegate from each
state w/ one vote each
 Congress’ powers limited to:
1. Foreign affairs
2. Defense
Articles of Confederation

3. Weak Central Gov’t
 No power to levy taxes
 No power to regulate trade between states
 No power to enforce laws
 Difficult to pass laws: needed 9/13 to pass a
law
 Needed consent from all 13 states to amend
the Articles
 No Executive Branch
 No Federal court system (Supreme Court)

4. Need for Stronger Gov’t
1. States began to argue over boundary lines and
tariffs. *(taxes)
2. Central gov’t had no money to maintain an army
and was $40 million in debt.
3. 1786 economic depression left many farmers in
debt. Gov’t could not pay soldiers

5. Shays’s Rebellion
 Farmers in debt were often
jailed or their properties were
seized by state authorities.
 Armed farmers closed courts to
prevent farm foreclosures
 Daniel Shays and a force of 1200
men closed the Massachusetts
Supreme Court
 Massachusetts militia put down
the rebellion

6. Annapolis Convention
 Alexander Hamilton (NY) and James Madison (VA),
both in favor of a stronger central gov’t, called for a
convention in Philadelphia
 Philadelphia Convention (May, 1787) to revise the
Articles of Confederation

7. Achievements
 Northwest Ordinance- Developed a fair policy for
the development of lands west of the
Appalachians
 Peace Treaty with Great Britain- Britain recognized
American independence, and America gained land