Changes

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given the power to declare war, raise an army and navy, make commercial treaties, borrow money, control currency, and levy assessments against the states.  But Congress lacked the power to impose taxes on the people to pay for any of that.  It could ask the states for money, but could not force them to pay.  The power to raise an army is almost meaningless without the means to raise money to pay the army.   

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given the power to declare war, raise an army and navy, make commercial treaties, borrow money, control currency, and levy assessments against the states.  But Congress lacked the power to impose taxes on the people to pay for any of that.  It could ask the states for money, but could not force them to pay.  The power to raise an army is almost meaningless without the means to raise money to pay the army.   

'''In sum, the Articles of Confederation created a very weak national government, too weak to accomplish what needed to be done'''.  A new convention was convened in Philadelphia to fix the Articles, but instead it created a whole new system of government.

'''In sum, the Articles of Confederation created a very weak national government, too weak to accomplish what needed to be done'''.  Several serious problems below illustrated the defects in the national government.  A new convention would be needed to fix the Articles, and instead it decided to create a whole new system of government.

==Foreign Policy Problems under the Articles of Confederation==

===Foreign Policy Problems under the Articles of Confederation===

"Foreign policy" is the term for how a country (the United States) deals with other countries.  At least 10% of the questions on any College Board history exam are about "foreign policy."

"Foreign policy" is the term for how a country (the United States) deals with other countries.  At least 10% of the questions on any College Board history exam are about "foreign policy."

Across the sea in the Mediterranean, American trade was interrupted by piracy off of the Barbary Coast (modern day Tunisia).  Previously, America had been protected from the pirates by England, but now America was obliged to pay its own way. But the government had no money for bribing or fighting the pirates.

Across the sea in the Mediterranean, American trade was interrupted by piracy off of the Barbary Coast (modern day Tunisia).  Previously, America had been protected from the pirates by England, but now America was obliged to pay its own way. But the government had no money for bribing or fighting the pirates.

==Financial Problems under the Articles of Confederation==

===Financial Problems under the Articles of Confederation===

From the beginning, the Confederation also had financial troubles, and its attempts to correct its deficiencies only made its problems worse.  Its attempts to gain money were uniformly unsound.  Congress borrowed money from foreign countries, printed paper currency, and sold undeveloped western lands.  None of these tactics was effective in improving the economy.

From the beginning, the Confederation also had financial troubles, and its attempts to correct its deficiencies only made its problems worse.  Its attempts to gain money were uniformly unsound.  Congress borrowed money from foreign countries, printed paper currency, and sold undeveloped western lands.  None of these tactics was effective in improving the economy.

'''Debate:  Is Debtor's Prison Wrong?'''

'''Debate:  Is Debtor's Prison Wrong?'''

==The Land Ordinance and The Northwest Ordinance==

===The Land Ordinance and The Northwest Ordinance===

Two of Congress's attempts to make money by selling land west of the Appalachians were the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.  An "[[ordinance]]" is a new law, often one that concerns the regulation of land.  These two ordinances were the only major laws enacted under the [[Articles of Confederation]].

Two of Congress's attempts to make money by selling land west of the Appalachians were the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.  An "[[ordinance]]" is a new law, often one that concerns the regulation of land.  These two ordinances were the only major laws enacted under the [[Articles of Confederation]].

The following new territories became new states due to the success of the Northwest Ordinance (with their date of statehood in parentheses): Ohio (1803), Indiana (1816), Illinois (1818), Michigan (1837), Wisconsin (1848), and Minnesota (1858).

The following new territories became new states due to the success of the Northwest Ordinance (with their date of statehood in parentheses): Ohio (1803), Indiana (1816), Illinois (1818), Michigan (1837), Wisconsin (1848), and Minnesota (1858).

==Shays' Rebellion==

===Shays' Rebellion===

Shays' Rebellion was an armed revolt in Massachusetts that lasted from August 1786 until February 1787, demonstrating how weak and inadequate the national government was under the Articles of Confederation.  The cause of the revolt was money.  It was an armed uprising of farmers in Massachusetts who were burdened with high debt.  This was the first of many future clashes between Americans who owed money (debtors) and those who lent money (creditors).  The farmers were angry that they had to pay back their loans in "specie" (gold or silver) rather than cheaper paper money.  Every state other than Massachusetts had issued paper money, and the sudden inflation that had occurred in other states would have helped the farmers in Massachusetts by decreasing the burden of their loans and increasing the prices of their agricultural products in the stores.  Little did the farmers know that the paper money in other states would soon become worthless and lead to a depression.

Shays' Rebellion was an armed revolt in Massachusetts that lasted from August 1786 until February 1787, demonstrating how weak and inadequate the national government was under the Articles of Confederation.  The cause of the revolt was money.  It was an armed uprising of farmers in Massachusetts who were burdened with high debt.  This was the first of many future clashes between Americans who owed money (debtors) and those who lent money (creditors).  The farmers were angry that they had to pay back their loans in "specie" (gold or silver) rather than cheaper paper money.  Every state other than Massachusetts had issued paper money, and the sudden inflation that had occurred in other states would have helped the farmers in Massachusetts by decreasing the burden of their loans and increasing the prices of their agricultural products in the stores.  Little did the farmers know that the paper money in other states would soon become worthless and lead to a depression.