AP Gov | 1.4 Challenges of the Articles of Confederation | NEW!
Summary
TLDRThis video discusses the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. government document, which established a weak federal government with a unicameral Congress. Each state had one vote, and legislation was difficult to pass. The federal government couldn't tax or regulate interstate commerce, leading to ineffectiveness and financial struggles. Key figures like Washington and Madison sought change, and Shays' Rebellion highlighted the need for a stronger central government, paving the way for the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Takeaways
- š The Articles of Confederation established the first version of the U.S. government, but it was widely criticized for creating a weak federal government.
- š The full name of the document is 'Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the states', suggesting a union rather than a single nation.
- š Each state under the Articles was sovereign, meaning they had the right to rule themselves and could even oppose the federal government.
- š The federal government had only a unicameral legislative branch, with each state having one vote, making legislation difficult to pass.
- šµ Congress had limited powers, including the ability to declare war, make treaties, coin money, and borrow money, but couldn't tax directly.
- š« Congress couldn't regulate interstate commerce, which was a significant limitation in managing the economy.
- š° States had the power to coin their own money and could refuse to recognize federal treaties, highlighting their sovereignty.
- š The federal government's inability to effectively raise revenue and manage basic functions led to its ineffectiveness.
- š„ Shays' Rebellion was a turning point that exposed the weakness of the federal government and increased support for a stronger central government.
- š The Constitutional Convention in 1787 was called as a result of the growing dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation.
Q & A
What was the full name of the document that established the first version of the U.S. government?
-The full name was 'Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the states.'
What does the term 'confederation' imply in the context of the Articles of Confederation?
-The term 'confederation' implies that the various states would remain united and friends, but it did not suggest that they were now a single nation.
Why were the states invited to join the Articles of Confederation?
-The states were invited to join the Articles of Confederation to unite on a few issues where they realized they would be stronger together, such as fighting a war against the British.
Which article of the Articles of Confederation mentioned the invitation to Canada to join the confederation?
-Article 11 of the Articles of Confederation mentioned the invitation to Canada to join the confederation.
What was the nature of the federal government established under the Articles of Confederation?
-The federal government established under the Articles of Confederation was very weak, with only a single legislative branch and no executive or judiciary.
How did the structure of Congress under the Articles of Confederation affect the passing of legislation?
-Legislation was difficult to pass under the Articles of Confederation because it required a unanimous vote in the unicameral Congress, where each state had one vote.
What were some of the powers that Congress had under the Articles of Confederation?
-Congress had powers related to foreign policy, such as declaring war, making treaties, appointing military officers, and making alliances. They also had some monetary powers, including coining money and borrowing money.
What were some limitations on the powers of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
-Congress could not tax the states or the people directly, could not regulate interstate commerce, and could not enforce laws due to the lack of an executive branch.
How did the states retain power under the Articles of Confederation?
-The states retained power by being able to coin their own money, create their own currencies, refuse to recognize federal treaties, and impose tariffs or taxes on goods from other states.
What event highlighted the weaknesses of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation?
-Shays' Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the federal government by showing the lack of a centralized military power and a slow and weak response to the rebellion.
What was the outcome of the public's reaction to Shays' Rebellion in terms of government reform?
-The public's reaction to Shays' Rebellion led to an increase in support for a stronger central government and eventually to the calling of a Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787.
Outlines
š Introduction to the Articles of Confederation
The video begins with a casual introduction to the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. It addresses the common negative perception of the Articles and sets the stage for a deeper discussion. The presenter humorously encourages viewers to like the video before diving into the historical context. The full name of the document is highlighted, emphasizing the intended perpetual union among the states, rather than the formation of a single nation. The video explains the concept of a confederation, where 13 sovereign states joined for mutual benefit, particularly in military strength against the British. An interesting historical tidbit is shared about the invitation to Canada to join the confederation. The video then outlines the sovereign nature of the states under the Articles, which allowed them to make independent decisions and even oppose the federal government. This led to the creation of a very weak federal government with a unicameral Congress where each state had one vote, making legislation challenging to pass and amendments nearly impossible. The lack of an executive branch meant the federal government couldn't enforce laws, leading to ineffective governance and financial struggles.
Mindmap
Keywords
š”Articles of Confederation
š”Sovereign
š”Unicameral Congress
š”Perpetual Union
š”Shays' Rebellion
š”Federal Government
š”Interstate Commerce
š”Treaties
š”Coining Money
š”Constitutional Convention
Highlights
Introduction to the Articles of Confederation, the first version of the U.S. government.
Articles of Confederation criticized for creating a weak federal government.
Full name of the document implies perpetual union but not a single nation.
The document allowed 13 sovereign states to unite for specific issues like fighting wars.
The states were invited to include Canada in the confederation.
Each state under the Articles was sovereign and could make its own decisions.
The federal government had only a legislative branch with no executive or judiciary.
Legislation was difficult to pass, requiring unanimous consent to amend the Articles.
The lack of an executive branch meant laws couldn't be enforced.
Congress had limited powers, mostly related to foreign policy.
Congress could declare war and make treaties but couldn't tax directly.
States retained the power to coin money and create their own currencies.
States had the power to impose tariffs or taxes on goods from other states.
Shays' rebellion highlighted the weakness of the federal government.
The rebellion led to increased support for a stronger central government.
Public opinion shifted towards a Constitutional Convention in 1787.
The next video will discuss the Constitutional Convention.
Transcripts
Whatās up everybody, welcome back!Ā Today weāre talking about the documentĀ Ā
that set up the first version ofĀ U.S. government, thatās right,Ā Ā
the Articles of Confederation. Help me outĀ and smash that like button before you forget.
But like, what exactly was so bad aboutĀ the Articles of Confederation? NobodyĀ Ā
ever has anything good to say, itās all justĀ negative and words like failure and challenges.
Thereās a chance that you already knowĀ that the Articles are famous for creatingĀ Ā
a federal government that was too weakĀ and admittedly this isnāt a history class,Ā Ā
but a little background info is in order. TheĀ full name is the Articles of ConfederationĀ Ā
and Perpetual Union between the states. NotĀ exactly the catchiest branding, but so it goes.
That word confederation implies that theĀ various states will be friends and theyāllĀ Ā
remain united. But nothing about this documentĀ suggests that this is now a single nation.
Rather, itās a way for the 13 sovereign nationsĀ to join together on just a few issues where theyĀ Ā
realize theyāll be stronger together, likeĀ you know fighting a war against the British,Ā Ā
than theyād be apart. By the way, did you knowĀ that the states actually invited Canada to beĀ Ā
part of the Articles? Yup, itās rightĀ there in Article 11. If Canada wanted,Ā Ā
theyād be admitted into theĀ confederation. Fun fact, eh?
So, under the Articles of Confederation, eachĀ state was sovereign. That word, sovereign,Ā Ā
refers to having the right to rule. ThisĀ meant that while the states joined the Union,Ā Ā
they each could ultimately make their ownĀ decisions and even go against what theĀ Ā
federal government did. Again, this makes sense,Ā they were in the middle of fighting a war to getĀ Ā
away from being trampled by a strong centralĀ government, so they created the exact opposite.
They established a very weak federalĀ government, one that only had a singleĀ Ā
branch. Just legislative, no executive orĀ judiciary. And that legislative branch wasĀ Ā
a unicameral Congress in which each state,Ā no matter how big or small had exactly oneĀ Ā
vote. Legislation was tough to pass, and itĀ had to be unanimous to amend the articles,Ā Ā
so good luck with that. And with noĀ executive branch, it couldnāt enforce laws.
The problem was, this government was soĀ weak that it was ineffective and lackingĀ Ā
the ability to raise revenue it struggledĀ to manage basic functions, leading to issuesĀ Ā
that will eventually be its undoing. But letāsĀ talk about what Congress could and could notĀ Ā
do under the Articles, because believe me theĀ AP exam loves asking these sorts of questions.
Most of Congressās power had to do with foreignĀ policy, they could declare war and they couldĀ Ā
make treaties. They could appoint militaryĀ officers and make alliances. They also hadĀ Ā
some powers with money; they could both coin moneyĀ and they could borrow money. But thatās about it.
Just as important is what Congress couldnātĀ do. It couldnāt tax either the states or theĀ Ā
people directly, but they could beg theĀ states for money. Theyād tell them hey,Ā Ā
this is how much you owe and then hopeĀ that the states gave them something,Ā Ā
anything. Congress also couldnātĀ regulate interstate commerce,Ā Ā
which doesnāt sound like a big deal but by the endĀ of this unit youāll see why that matters so much.
Okay, remember some of Congressās powers.Ā Treaties and coining money, right? Well,Ā Ā
states retained the power to coin money andĀ create their own currencies as well. They couldĀ Ā
also refuse to recognize federal treaties. This isĀ what Iām talking about when I said that the statesĀ Ā
were sovereign. They were the ultimate power,Ā not the federal government. States could alsoĀ Ā
impose tariffs or taxes on other goods from otherĀ states. States canāt do any of those things today.
By 1786 people like Washington and MadisonĀ believed that this government just wasn'tĀ Ā
working out, but for many the tipping point wasĀ Shaysā rebellion. This isnāt APush so what weĀ Ā
care about is how it showed the weakness of theĀ federal government, how the lack of a centralizedĀ Ā
military power led to a slow and weak responseĀ to putting down the rebellion. And this caused anĀ Ā
increase in public support for a stronger centralĀ government and maybe even a new Constitution.
There was by no means agreement about whatĀ should be done to fix the Articles or whetherĀ Ā
we should just get rid of them altogether,Ā but the rebellion changed public opinionĀ Ā
enough for Madison to get his way and for aĀ Constitutional Convention to be called forĀ Ā
the summer of 1787. And thatās what theĀ next video is all about, so stay tuned.
Until next time, this hasĀ been a LaMoney production
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