Transcript A Weak Government

A Weak Government
Our Nation Under the Articles of
Confederation
No more Britain…
A. After the Revolutionary War, Americans
needed to create their own government
B. They wanted the new nation to be a republic
(citizens have the power to elect people to
represent them in government)
C. So, they created a plan called the Articles of
the Confederation
Weak central
government
Congress could
ask for states
to give taxes,
but couldn’t
make them
Articles of
Confederation
One branch
government:
Congress
To pass a law,
at least 9 of
the 13 states
had to ratify it
E. Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
Why did
1.Inability to collect taxes
this
2.Confusion with money from matter?
state
to state
3.Inability to trade with other
countries
4.No executive or judicial branches
F. Shays’ Rebellion
1. States COULD tax their citizens, so many used
property taxes in order to pay off war debts
2. Farmers were hit especially hard, and when
they could not pay, their farms were taken
away, and the farmers were thrown in jail!
3. Farmers like Daniel Shays grew angry
4. He demanded lower taxes and closing of the courts
that punished debtors
5. In September of 1786, he led an “army” of about 700
men to close a court in Springfield, Massachusetts
6. They didn’t have very good weapons, so in January
of 1787, he led an attack on the federal arsenal at
Springfield
7. He failed, but this was just another reason for people
to question the Articles of Confederation
You solve the problem!
Do you think Daniel Shays chose a good way
to try to bring about change?
Why or why not?
Journal Response: What would you have done
if you were a farmer during this time to bring
about change in a better way?