Articles of Confederation Notes (page 33)

1. Articles of Confederation (the first government)
a. only success - Northwest Ordinance – law
about western land
b. each state wanted its own freedom and was
afraid of another strong central government
c. Continental Congress made the Articles as
rules for government
d. Articles were made weak (could not raise
taxes, settle arguments between states, had
no power, no president to enforce laws)
e. the Shays Rebellion (in Massachusetts)
showed that Articles were too weak to govern
f. after the Shays Rebellion, representatives
met in Philadelphia to revise (update and
strengthen) the Articles