US History

U.S. History Study Guide

allowed to impose taxes, raise troops, or control commerce. The Articles of Confederation was delayed by the issue of adding new states into the Union. Some states held claims to lands based on their original colonial charter, but they eventually agreed to surrender their frontier lands to the new national government so new states could be created, rather than extending the boundaries of existing states. The country was facing significant financial issues. Since the central government did not have the power to tax, and the states refused to tax themselves, Congress started printing large amounts of money to finance the war. The ensuing infatuation was so devastating that the Continental currency became worthless. The only thing that saved the United States from a complete financial collapse were grants and loans from France and the Netherlands. Significance of Articles of Confederation • Was the first attempt at a national government between the thirteen colonies/states • Severely lacked central / federal power so the national government could not tax to raise revenue • Almost lead to financial collapse and plots to revolt against newly established government in the Newburgh Conspiracy and Shay's Rebellion showed its inadequacy and need for a new government, eventually leading to the Constitution • The movement west needed to be dealt with in a stable and progressive manner or they would lose the very loosely bound Union they created 7.4 The Events which lead to the Constitution Newburgh Conspiracy The army threatened mutiny because they were owed money for their service. Many who favored a stronger national government devised a plan in 1783 in what became known as the Newburgh Conspiracy. They consulted with the army's second-in-command Horatio Gates to use the Continental army to force the states to surrender more power to the national government. This conspiracy was stopped by Washington himself, when he appeared before his officers and men and gave a rousing speech that moved the men to tears and abandoned all plans of going forward with the plan. The Trans-Appalachian West The Trans-Appalachian frontier was the land west of the Appalachian Mountains, where settlers would concentrate after the land was acquired officially after the Revolution, in the Treaty of Parris 1783, despite the area being populated as the Revolution was being fought. The territory would make up the modern states of Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.

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