Unit 5: Articles of Confederation

First constitution of US - created a WEAK national government and gave sovereignty to the state governments

Supreme power or authority

Official approval

Won the Revolution; negotiated the Treaty of Paris; passed the Northwest Ordinance

National government too weak; war debt but no power to tax; fighting among the states; one branch (no executive to enforce laws or judicial to judge laws/law breakers or settle disputes between states); no respect from foreign nations

Government created by the Articles of Confederation; one house legislature with one voter per state

Trade between states; Confederation Congress did not have authority to control this which led to fighting among the states

Uprising of farmers in Massachusetts who were angry about high state taxes; made many in nation realize a stronger national government was needed to assist states in times of crisis

Had sovereignty under the Articles of Confederation; could coin & print own money, have own army, regulate own trade with other states and foreign nations; refuse to send tax money and/or troops to national government

A region of the US organized by the Land Ordinance of 1785; boundaries were the Great Lakes (N), Appalachian Mountains (E), Ohio River (S) and Mississippi Rivers (W)

Defined process for territories to become states (population reached 60,000), banned slavery in the Northwest Territory

Required states to give up their western land claims to the federal government; federal government could then sell the land to help pay war debt

Make laws; declare war, make treaties; print and coin money; establish post offices (war, treaties, money, mail)

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Another name for national or central government