Articles Of Confederation Dbq Analysis
Jackie Davis
Mr.Vargas
APUSH 5
17, October 2014
DBQ Articles of Confederation
The confederation period of American history, from 1781 to 1789, a very important time in the nation's development. Having rebelled against royal authority, the collection of American colonies, now become a collection of American states, had to form a new government. This government was the Articles of Confederation, a basic constitution, which was ratified by all the states in 1781 before the Revolutionary War ended. But from their conception in 1781 to their abandonment in 1789, the Articles were totally inadequate, providing the U.S. with an ineffective government. The greatest contribution the Articles made was to show the people that a strong central government …show more content…
Thus, from 1781 to
1789 the U.S. possessed a very weak control government. In the report of Rawlin Lowndes speech to the South Carolina house of representatives, they are debating on the adoption of a federal constitution (Document 8). The report states that Mr.Lowndes called on the house to consider whether it would or would not be better to add strength to the old confederation or just adopting another.
The Articles were insufficient as a constitution. Since individual states held their own interest above that of the new nation, they sought to block much legislation that did not favor them directly. Only in one area did the Congress coax a unified policy from the states, the area of land reform. The major landholding states--Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and
Massachusetts--did cede their western lands to the Congress. Further, in 1785 and 1787 legislation, the Congress provided for public education and prohibition of slavery in these lands, as well as for their admission to the Union as new states. The farsightedness and value of this legislation can hardly be overstated, but it is one of the few examples on …show more content…
With Spain, two problems confronted Congress, as related by John Jay in 1786: Spain asked the US to relinquish navigation rights on the Mississippi and to give up its claims to certain western lands. Although navigation rights were important to US farmers, Jay was forced to concede them in his negotiations with a Spanish minister (Document 6). Rights were not secured until after the Confederation government ended (in Pinckney's Treaty, 1794), and the friction over land claims was only settled by force in the early 19th century. Thus, the Articles of
Confederation government proved completely ineffective in attaining foreign policy objectives.
The combined weaknesses of the government had grave consequences. In 1787, a western Massachusetts farmer, Daniel Shays, led a rebellion against the central authority which was crushed only with difficulty. Discontent was not limited to the popular masses. A letter from
John Jay to George Washington--both were wealthy aristocrats--expressed the fear that "the better kind of people [the aristocracy or patrician class] will be led by . . . insecurity. . . and the loss of confidence in their rulers . . . [to] prepare. . . for almost any change that may promise . .
Mr.Vargas
APUSH 5
17, October 2014
DBQ Articles of Confederation
The confederation period of American history, from 1781 to 1789, a very important time in the nation's development. Having rebelled against royal authority, the collection of American colonies, now become a collection of American states, had to form a new government. This government was the Articles of Confederation, a basic constitution, which was ratified by all the states in 1781 before the Revolutionary War ended. But from their conception in 1781 to their abandonment in 1789, the Articles were totally inadequate, providing the U.S. with an ineffective government. The greatest contribution the Articles made was to show the people that a strong central government …show more content…
Thus, from 1781 to
1789 the U.S. possessed a very weak control government. In the report of Rawlin Lowndes speech to the South Carolina house of representatives, they are debating on the adoption of a federal constitution (Document 8). The report states that Mr.Lowndes called on the house to consider whether it would or would not be better to add strength to the old confederation or just adopting another.
The Articles were insufficient as a constitution. Since individual states held their own interest above that of the new nation, they sought to block much legislation that did not favor them directly. Only in one area did the Congress coax a unified policy from the states, the area of land reform. The major landholding states--Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and
Massachusetts--did cede their western lands to the Congress. Further, in 1785 and 1787 legislation, the Congress provided for public education and prohibition of slavery in these lands, as well as for their admission to the Union as new states. The farsightedness and value of this legislation can hardly be overstated, but it is one of the few examples on …show more content…
With Spain, two problems confronted Congress, as related by John Jay in 1786: Spain asked the US to relinquish navigation rights on the Mississippi and to give up its claims to certain western lands. Although navigation rights were important to US farmers, Jay was forced to concede them in his negotiations with a Spanish minister (Document 6). Rights were not secured until after the Confederation government ended (in Pinckney's Treaty, 1794), and the friction over land claims was only settled by force in the early 19th century. Thus, the Articles of
Confederation government proved completely ineffective in attaining foreign policy objectives.
The combined weaknesses of the government had grave consequences. In 1787, a western Massachusetts farmer, Daniel Shays, led a rebellion against the central authority which was crushed only with difficulty. Discontent was not limited to the popular masses. A letter from
John Jay to George Washington--both were wealthy aristocrats--expressed the fear that "the better kind of people [the aristocracy or patrician class] will be led by . . . insecurity. . . and the loss of confidence in their rulers . . . [to] prepare. . . for almost any change that may promise . .