Lesson 1: The Articles of Confederation

Key Idea

After declaring independence, Americans were wary of giving any single leader too much power, like the British king. This deep distrust of centralized authority guided their first efforts to create governments.

Each state wrote its own constitution, or plan of government. These new constitutions deliberately limited the power of the executive branch, or governor. Instead, they gave most of the authority to the legislature, the branch that made the laws.

Key Idea

Despite its weaknesses, the Confederation Congress successfully organized the vast lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. To create an orderly system for settlement, Congress passed the Ordinance of 1785. This law established a method for surveying the land and dividing it into townships and sections that could be sold to settlers and the government.

Two years later, Congress passed the even more significant Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This law created a clear path for territories to become states with the same rights as the original thirteen. It also famously banned slavery in the Northwest Territory, a region north of the Ohio River. These land policies were the government's greatest achievement.

Key Idea

After the Revolution, Americans created their first national government, the Articles of Confederation. Fearful of a strong central ruler like a king, the states designed a system where they kept most of the power. This created a "firm league of friendship" where each state acted almost like an independent country.

The national Congress had very limited authority. It could not tax citizens or states to raise money, nor could it control trade. Without the power to raise funds or enforce its own laws, the central government was intentionally weak and struggled to lead the new nation.

Key Idea

The Confederation Congress could not tax the states, which created huge problems. The government had a massive war debt but no way to raise money to pay it. Its paper money became nearly worthless, hurting trade and causing economic hardship for many citizens.

The weak government also struggled with foreign countries. Britain refused to leave its forts in the West, and Spain closed the lower Mississippi River to American shipping. The Confederation lacked the power to force these nations to respect American interests.