The Making of a Republic
States Write Constitutions



Before independence, Continental Congress decided that the states should organize their
governments
All adopted constitutions, or plan of government
Connecticut and Rhode Island used colonial charters
Limits on Power







People didn’t want one person or body to rule
Constitutions limited power of the governor; Pennsylvania used a 12-person council
instead
Division of power between the governor (or council) and the legislature
Most formed a bicameral (two-house) legislature
Keep hands in the power of the people – choose state legislators and frequent elections
Mostly only white males over 21 could vote; own certain amount of property or pay
certain amount of taxes; some states allowed free African-American males to vote
Legislatures became most powerful branch; tried to tax fairly but still had disagreements
A New Republic




People wanted a republic - a government in which citizens rule through elected
representatives but couldn’t decide on its powers
Most wanted a weak central government
Each state would act independently on most issues
States rely on a central government only to wage war and handle relations with other
countries
The Articles of Confederation






1776 - Second Continental Congress creates committee to draw up a plan for a new
central government
Result is the Articles of Confederation - adopted in November 1777 – it’s the nation's
first constitution
Established a weak central government
States kept most of their power
States considered it "a firm league of friendship" in which each state retained "its
sovereignty, freedom and independence."
Gave Congress limited powers
o conduct foreign affairs
o maintain armed forces
o borrow money
o issue currency










o Did not have the power:
 to regulate trade
 force citizens to join the army
 impose taxes
To raise money or troops – had to ask the states but they’re not required to contribute
No chief executive (such as a president or a governor, who carries out the laws and leads
the government in its day-to-day operations)
Government carried on its business, such as selling western lands, through congressional
committees.
All the states needed to approve the Articles and any amendments
Not every state supported the Articles at first
Each state had one vote regardless of population
States with large populations felt they should have more votes
Land disputes also caused problems for the Articles
Seven of the original claimed land in areas in the West
o Maryland refused approval until New York, Virginia and others abandoned their
claims west of the Appalachians
o Once that happened Maryland approved
March 1, 1781 – Confederation formally became the government
The Confederation Government



Weak Congress – could not pass a law unless 9 states agreed
Changing Articles required all 13
Did have some achievements
o Negotiated a peace treaty with Britain
o Expanded foreign trade
o Helped settling and governing the country’s western lands
Policies for Western Lands






Articles didn’t have anything to handle adding new states
Settlers west of the Appalachians wanted to join the Union
Under Treaty of Paris, Britain gave up control of land north of the Ohio River and west of
the Appalachian Mountains
Many eager to settle in this area
Had to establish policies for settlement of western lands
Needed to come up with a way new territories could become states
The Ordinance of 1785

1785 – ordinance (law) set up a process to survey and sell lands north of the Ohio River
o Divided large area into townships (6 miles long and 6 miles wide)
 Townships divided further into 36 sections (640 acres)
 Each section would sell at public auction for at least $1 an acre
The Northwest Ordinance





Passed 1787 – created a single Northwest Territory from lands north of the Ohio River
and east of the Mississippi River
o Lands divided into three to five smaller territories
o Territory had 60,000 residents they could seek statehood
o Each new state would have the same standing as the original 13
o Created a bill of rights for the settlers in the territory
o Guaranteed freedom of religion and trial by jury
o Banned slavery
o Marks first attempt to stop the spread of slavery
The laws were successful
Took similar step in the South
1789 created the Mississippi Territory from land west of Georgia
Organized same basic way as the Northwest Territory - except slavery was allowed
Land Act of 1800




Made it easier for people to buy land
People able to pay for land a little at a time
Person required to buy at least 320 acres of land at a price of $2 per acre
Buyer could pay half of the money at the time of purchase and the rest in four yearly
payments
Problems at Home and Abroad










Continentals – paper bills printed during the war – didn’t hold value
Currency depreciated and became worth almost nothing
People began to realize Congress could not trade the bills for silver or gold
1779 – 40 Continentals needed to buy a single Spanish silver dollar; 1781 – needed 146
Price of food and other goods soared
o Led to food riots in Boston
Owed money to soldiers
Foreign government
American citizens
Couldn’t raise money
States paid less than half
Plan for Import Tax


1781 – department of finance led by Philadelphia merchant Robert Morris
o Proposed 5% tax on imported goods
o Required a change to the Articles
o 12 of 13 approved (Rhode Island did not)
1783 – another attempt but not approved again
Relations With Britain







Merchants complaining Great Britain blocking Americans from the West Indies and other
British markets
Treaty of Paris of 1783 - Britain promised to withdraw from the lands east of the
Mississippi River but troops occupied several forts in the Great Lakes region
1785 – John Adams writes a letter
British unwilling to talk
Pointed to the failure of the US to honor its promises
Claimed Americans agreed to pay Loyalists for the property taken during the war
Proposed the states pay the Loyalists
They refused
Relations With Spain





Controlled Florida and lands west of the Mississippi River
Spain wanted to stop American expansion into its territory
1784 - Closed lower Mississippi River to American shipping
1786 – diplomats reached new agreement but Southern states blocked agreement because
it didn’t include right to use the Mississippi River
People begin to realize there’s a need for a stronger government