Starting a country’s not that easyStarting a country’s not that easy

Massive debt and nearly worthless currencyMassive debt and nearly worthless currency Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Unity among what amounts to 13 separate Unity among what amounts to 13 separate

countriescountries Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Conflicting territorial claims between statesConflicting territorial claims between states Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________ Militarily weakMilitarily weak Consequence: _________________________Consequence: _________________________

Laws – why laws?Laws – why laws? A way to make lawsA way to make laws A way to make sure laws are fairA way to make sure laws are fair A way to make sure laws are carried outA way to make sure laws are carried out A way to interpret or apply lawA way to interpret or apply law In other words, a governmentIn other words, a government A way for gov’t to pay for itselfA way for gov’t to pay for itself A way to protect people’s rights from A way to protect people’s rights from

governmental powergovernmental power A way to defend itself – foreign and A way to defend itself – foreign and

domesticdomestic A stable economyA stable economy

Basics:Basics: Drafted by a committee of the 2Drafted by a committee of the 2ndnd Continental Congress Continental Congress

Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga]Adopted in 1777 [same year as Saratoga] Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]Ratified in March, 1781 [holdup was conflicting land claims]

Emphasis on state powerEmphasis on state power Not UNITED States of AmericaNot UNITED States of America United STATES of AmericaUnited STATES of America

Nat’l Gov’t

State Gov’t

State Gov’t

State Gov’t

State Gov’t

State Gov’t

Land Ordinance of Land Ordinance of 17851785

States had States had surrendered their surrendered their claims to Western claims to Western TerritoryTerritory

Conflict avoidedConflict avoided Way open for orderly Way open for orderly

expansion of the expansion of the nation by the nation by the admission of new admission of new states carved out of states carved out of the unclaimed landthe unclaimed land

Land Ordinance surveys Land Ordinance surveys land into squares of 1 sq. land into squares of 1 sq. milemile

36 make up a township36 make up a township 1616thth square reserved for square reserved for

public/gov’t usepublic/gov’t use Squares can be divided Squares can be divided

further for salefurther for sale Northwest Ordinance of Northwest Ordinance of

17871787 is a plan for growthis a plan for growth Area of 5000 voters makes Area of 5000 voters makes

a temporary constitutiona temporary constitution When pop. reaches 60K When pop. reaches 60K

state constitution submitted state constitution submitted for congressional approvalfor congressional approval

This process will included in This process will included in Article IV of the Constitution Article IV of the Constitution as the way to admit new as the way to admit new states to the Unionstates to the Union

Border disputes among Border disputes among statesstates

States printing own currencyStates printing own currency Shay’s RebellionShay’s Rebellion

In Western Mass. 1786, led by In Western Mass. 1786, led by Captain Daniel Shays , a Captain Daniel Shays , a veteran of the Revolutionveteran of the Revolution

Many farmers losing farms to Many farmers losing farms to non-payment of taxesnon-payment of taxes

Mass. raises an army to fight Mass. raises an army to fight and the rebellion is crushedand the rebellion is crushed

Convinced many that the Convinced many that the country was failing under the country was failing under the ArticlesArticles

Meetings in Annapolis and Meetings in Annapolis and Philadelphia to repair the Philadelphia to repair the ArticlesArticles

55 delegates meet in 55 delegates meet in Philadelphia from May to Sept., Philadelphia from May to Sept., 1787 1787 [sans Rhode Island][sans Rhode Island] Authorized “Authorized “for the sole and for the sole and

express purpose of revising” express purpose of revising” the the Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

It’s always easier to get It’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission …forgiveness than permission … Articles dropped in favor of an Articles dropped in favor of an

entirely new governmententirely new government Meetings in secret so thatMeetings in secret so that

Delegates could speak freelyDelegates could speak freely States would not find out what was States would not find out what was

happeninghappening

The brightest and bestThe brightest and best