16 Questions
What was a major problem the new government faced under the Articles of Confederation?
Westward migration and conflicts with Native Americans
What was required to make changes to the Articles of Confederation?
A super-majority of 9 out of 13 states
What was the purpose of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
To regulate western territory and promote public education
What was the significance of Shays's Rebellion?
It highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
How did the power of government operate under the Articles of Confederation?
The legislative branch held the most power
What was a unique feature of the legislature under the Articles of Confederation?
Each state had one vote, and every state had veto power
What was the main influence on the Articles of Confederation?
Existing state constitutions
Why was the Articles of Confederation considered a rigid document?
It required a super-majority to make changes
What was the main issue that led to Shays's Rebellion?
Debt and taxation
What was the outcome of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 regarding slavery?
It abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory
What was the role of the executive branch under the Articles of Confederation?
It was non-existent
What was the significance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 in terms of statehood?
It provided an orderly means for territories to become states
What was the impact of the Articles of Confederation on the federal government's power?
It decreased the federal government's power
What was the result of the super-majority requirement for changes to the Articles of Confederation?
It made it difficult to make changes to the Articles
What was the main issue that the federal government faced regarding westward migration?
Conflicts with Native Americans
What was the significance of the legislative branch under the Articles of Confederation?
It was answerable to the people
Study Notes
- The United States had a first Constitution, known as the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified in 1781.
- The Articles of Confederation were influenced by existing state constitutions, which focused power in the legislative branch.
- The legislative branch consisted of representatives of the people, making the power of government answerable to the people.
- The Articles of Confederation did not provide for an executive or president, and there was no national supreme court.
- Each state had one vote in the legislature, and every state had veto power over any changes to the Articles.
- Changes to the Articles required a super-majority of 9 out of 13 states to agree.
- The Articles of Confederation were a very rigid and nearly unchangeable document.
- One of the major problems the new government faced was westward migration, with Americans settling in western territory and conflicting with Native Americans.
- The federal government passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to regulate western territory, promote public education, and provide for the protection of private property.
- The Northwest Ordinance abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory and provided an orderly means for territories to become states.
- Shays’s Rebellion, which occurred in the mid-1780s, highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
- The rebellion was led by Daniel Shays, an angry farmer who gathered a militia to protest debt and taxation.
- The Massachusetts militia stopped the rebellion, but it showed the need for a stronger federal government.
- The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation of a new Constitution.
Test your knowledge of the United States' first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, and its strengths and weaknesses. Learn about the legislative branch, the Northwest Ordinance, and the events that led to the creation of a new Constitution.
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