The Articles of Confederation: what the first government could and could not do
Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse. Source card "Problems under the Articles". Who made it: the Office of the Historian, US Department of State. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain the history of US foreign relations. Summary in our words, not a quotation: Congress had a nearly empty treasury and could not make states follow the 1783 Treaty of Paris on old debts. British troops stayed in forts near the Great Lakes. Congress could not stop Georgia from running its own policy toward Spanish Florida. Paper money flooded the country, and prices soared. States quarreled over land, taxes and trade.
Bo sees that the National Archives and State Department cards both describe a depleted treasury and inflation. How does this help a historian?
- Two sources written in the 1780s settle the question for good and end the debate
- It shows both sources copied from each other
- Two independent summaries agree, though both are modern accounts
- It does not help, since one source is enough
The Northwest Ordinance
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance on July 13, 1787. It set up a temporary government for the Northwest Territory and a path to statehood: at 5,000 free adult men the territory could elect an assembly, and at 60,000 free inhabitants it could write a constitution and ask to become a state. It banned slavery and involuntary servitude in the territory, though fugitives from slavery in other states could be reclaimed. It called for the consent of Native peoples before their lands were taken.
Jun reads that the Ordinance called for the consent of Native peoples before their lands were taken. What should a historian ask next?
- Which state wrote the ordinance?
- Did the ordinance's own words show the rule was followed?
- Did governments and settlers follow that rule in practice?
- What was the date of the ordinance's passage?
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse. Source card "Articles of Confederation, Article 5". Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 5; as printed in 1820, p. 9): "In determining questions in the United States in congress assembled, each state shall have one vote."
Kira knows a war declaration needed nine of 13 states, each with one vote. What is the fewest states that could block it?
- 5 states
- 7 states
- 1 state
- 4 states
Articles of Confederation, Article 13
Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 13; as printed in 1820, p. 16): "…unless such alteration be agreed to in a congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislature of every state."
Luz imagines twelve states confirming a change to the Articles while one does not. What happens under Article 13?
- The change passes because twelve is most of the states
- Congress overrides the thirteenth state by a second vote
- The change fails because every state must confirm
- The change applies in the twelve states that confirmed it
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse. Source card "Shays' Rebellion". Who made it: George Washington's Mount Vernon, in its article on Shays' Rebellion. When: today. Where: Mount Vernon, Virginia. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain events that worried Washington. Summary in our words, not a quotation: Farmers in Massachusetts, many of them unpaid war veterans and deep in debt, protested at courthouses from August 1786. In September 1786 they closed the state court at Springfield. Congress could do little to respond. Source card "The 1787 convention". Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: In May 1787, delegates from the states met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. By mid-June they had decided to design a new government instead.
Milo orders events from the cards. Which sequence matches them?
- Articles adopted 1777, protests 1786, in force 1781, convention 1787
- Convention 1787, protests 1786, in force 1781, Articles adopted 1777
- Articles in force 1781, protests 1786, adopted 1777, convention 1787
- Articles adopted 1777, in force 1781, protests in Massachusetts 1786, convention 1787
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse.
Noah reads that some historians think Madison and Washington exaggerated the Articles' problems. Which evidence would best test that?
- The National Archives card alone
- More statements from Madison and Washington themselves about the Articles
- A map of the thirteen states in 1787
- Records from the time by people who disagreed with those leaders
The Northwest Ordinance
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance on July 13, 1787. It set up a temporary government for the Northwest Territory and a path to statehood: at 5,000 free adult men the territory could elect an assembly, and at 60,000 free inhabitants it could write a constitution and ask to become a state. It banned slavery and involuntary servitude in the territory, though fugitives from slavery in other states could be reclaimed. It called for the consent of Native peoples before their lands were taken.
Pia checks the Ordinance's slavery provision. Which statement is accurate?
- It allowed slavery but banned reclaiming fugitives
- It banned slavery throughout the United States, including in the states that already existed
- It banned slavery with no exceptions of any kind
- It banned slavery in the territory but let fugitives from slavery elsewhere be reclaimed
Articles of Confederation, Article 2
Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 2; as printed in 1820, p. 8): "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in congress assembled." Source card "Articles of Confederation, Article 13". Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 13; as printed in 1820, p. 16): "…unless such alteration be agreed to in a congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislature of every state." Source card "Articles of Confederation, Article 5". Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 5; as printed in 1820, p. 9): "In determining questions in the United States in congress assembled, each state shall have one vote."
Ren's claim is "Under the Articles, the states had the final word." Which evidence supports it best?
- Shays' Rebellion, which began in Massachusetts
- Article 5 alone, since each state had one vote in the Congress of the states
- The Northwest Ordinance, which Congress passed
- Article 2 keeping state powers and Article 13 requiring every state to confirm
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse. Source card "Articles of Confederation, Article 8". Who made it: the Second Continental Congress. When: Adopted November 15, 1777; in force March 1, 1781. Where: Pennsylvania, where Congress met when it adopted them. For whom: the thirteen states, which had to approve them. Why: to set up a government for the union of states. Excerpt (Articles of Confederation (1781), Article 8; as printed in 1820, p. 11): "The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied, by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several states…"
Tala imagines Congress could have taxed directly. Which problem would that most directly have eased?
- The one-vote-per-state rule
- Maryland's delay in ratifying
- Disputes over western lands
- The depleted treasury
The Articles: what the National Archives says
Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: The Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles on November 15, 1777. All 13 states had to ratify, and disputes over representation, voting and western lands delayed this until Maryland ratified on March 1, 1781. Each state had one vote. Congress could make treaties and decide on peace and war, but it could not tax directly: states were to supply the money and decided how to collect it. Some major decisions needed the agreement of nine states. Congress faced a depleted treasury, and flooding paper money caused severe inflation. James Madison and George Washington feared the country was near collapse. Source card "The 1787 convention". Who made it: the National Archives. When: today. Where: Washington, DC. For whom: readers today. Why: to explain a milestone document. Summary in our words, not a quotation: In May 1787, delegates from the states met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. By mid-June they had decided to design a new government instead.
Zee compares 1777 with 1787. Which statement about change and continuity is supported?
- Delegates in 1787 sought a weaker central government than the Articles had created
- Nothing changed, since the Articles stayed in place
- Britain's king directed both meetings
- States were still central in both, but delegates now sought a stronger government